By Suzanne Barbezat
Mexico Travel Expert, about.com
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Located on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula in the state of Baja California Sur,
Los Cabos, whose name translated means "the capes," has been gaining
popularity as a tourist destination over the past 30 years. The area of
Los Cabos encompasses the towns of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas,
and the area between them which is commonly referred to as the "Tourist
Corridor" or simply "the Corridor."
San Jose del Cabo:
The
quiet colonial town of San Jose del Cabo was founded as a Jesuit
mission in the 1700s with the purpose of converting the local Pericu
people. Over time the town has also served as a military outpost and
mining center. Now the Art District in San Jose
is a great place to stroll in the evenings, and has many galleries and
shops. In general, San Jose del Cabo attracts visitors who prefer a
quiet, laid-back vacation in a traditional Mexican town. Take a virtual walking tour of San Jose del Cabo.
Cabo San Lucas:
Cabo San Lucas lies some twenty miles southwest of San Jose del Cabo.
Thirty years ago Cabo San Lucas was a tiny
fishing village, but now it is a booming tourist resort area with modern
hotels, luxury resorts, upscale restaurants and an active nightlife.
This is Baja California Sur's most popular tourist destination, and a
great spot for sport-fishing, practicing all types of water sports, and
golf.
Los Cabos Transforms into a Resort Area:[post_ads_2]
In the
early 1970s the Transpeninsular Highway at last connected the Los Cabos
area to Tijuana at the US-Mexican border. Surfers were the first to come
to the area, followed by snowbird campers and sportsfishers. But it
wasn't until the 1980s that the Mexican government agency Fonatur, which
invests in tourist development, put its weight behind the
infrastructure needed to make Los Cabos into the internationally known
resort area that it is today.
Activities in Los Cabos:
The
main activities in Los Cabos center around the beaches and ocean.
Parasailing, scuba diving and snorkeling are popular activities, and no
tourist should miss going on a glass-bottom boat tour. Los Cabos is
considered the marlin sportfishing capital of the world. Los Cabos has
six major golf courses. Whale watching tours take place from December
through March - read about a Los Cabos whale-watching expedition. An activity that you might not expect to find here, but is becoming quite popular is camel riding.
Day Trips in Los Cabos:
The
artist community of Todos Santos is an hour's drive from Los Cabos.
This is a small picturesque town, and is protected as a Mexican national
historic district. On a day trip to Todos Santos you can visit art
galleries and shop for handmade textiles, handicrafts and folk art. Stop
for lunch at the Cafe Santa Fe, which serves great Italian food in a
beautifully restored hacienda.
Accommodations in Los Cabos:
If you like to swim in the ocean, you may want to choose a hotel or resort located on El Medano beach in Cabo San Lucas, one of the destination's best swimming beaches.
Just outside of San Jose del Cabo in the Puerto Los Cabos area is the Hotel El Ganzo, a 72-room boutique hotel with an artist-in-residence program. You'll also find the Secrets Puerto Los Cabos in this same area.
Nightlife:
Los
Cabos has many options for fun and entertainment after the sun goes
down. You can party the night away at these Cabo San Lucas hot spots:
