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Today, the fishing is still famous, yet landlubbers are hooked on Los Cabos too. During the last decade, half a dozen dazzling golf courses have marked this once desolate land, drawing even more visitors. And now the sister cities of San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, connected by a strip of white sand beaches and high-end resorts referred to as the Tourist Corridor, provide a two-in-one destination with something for everyone.
But what, exactly, is “something for everyone?” I decide to find out.
I start in San José del Cabo—the colonial sister. When Hernan Cortés landed nearby at modern day La Paz in 1535, the native Pericú inhabited what is now San José. The San José estuary would provide fresh water for Manila galleons returning from the Philippines. Jesuit priests founded Misión San José del Cabo de Añuití in 1730. Not all Pericú were enthusiastic about disavowing monogamy or changing their way of life, leading to a 30-year-long uprising throughout the Southern Baja California peninsula that claimed the lives of two priests and many others in the skirmish. Moved three times, the mission was destroyed in the 1793 flood, rebuilt at its present location, and heavily damaged in the 1918 hurricane. The final reconstruction was completed in the 1950s. Above the entrance is a tile mural portraying the brutal murder of the mission’s founder, Padre Nicolas Tamaral. San José was the site of a siege during the Mexican-American war of 1848-1851; Boulevard Mijares is named for the Spanish lieutenant killed in battle.
Almost three hundred years later, the downtown, called “El Centro,” still carries the stamp of its colonial past. The focal point is Plaza Mijares, shaded by trees around a traditional bandstand. Here families gather on Sunday afternoons, couples get cozy on the white wrought iron benches, and children run around munching on ice cream. The hilly side streets’ gracious old homes have been converted into courtyard restaurants, art galleries, boutiques, and ubiquitous silver shops with charming hand-painted signs. Although the pace here is unhurried, new developments, like San José’s ambitious Puerto Los Cabos marina and golf course resort development, are changing the town’s image.
Leaving San José’s colonial charm behind, I continue along the breathtaking 20-mile-long Transpeninsular Highway toward the more mischievous fishing town of Cabo San Lucas. The towering pinnacles and spires marking Land’s End loom in front of me as I approach the city’s entrance.
Before heading downtown, I make a stop at the Glass Factory, which for many years was the only one on the peninsula. Entering the busy taller (workshop), I am immediately hit by the extreme heat coming from the four kilns that maintain temperatures of between 400° and 1000° C. Our group is greeted by maestro Leopoldo Vargas, who is ready to make any wish come true, at least when it comes to glass figurines. Little Jenny asks for a dolphin and within a quarter of an hour her face lights up with a smile of content, as she admires her very own precious artifact. Every piece made at Vitrofusion is created from recycled glass, using original techniques invented circa 100 B.C. There is a well-stocked shop on the premises, featuring plates, glasses, pitchers, and countless decorative items. Best times to visit are between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. when the artisans are at work.
Among the landmarks of busy Cabo San Lucas, I discover the town’s two faces––the new upscale one holding her eyes high, looking towards her bright future, and that of the pioneer, proudly reflecting her humble past. I hop on one of the typical bici taxis (pedicabs; approx. $5 U.S. for a tour around downtown), and continue my exploration. If you’re like me, the shop-till-you-drop kind of person––be prepared to smile. Whether it’s one of the small plazas, the arts and crafts market, or the spectacular new Puerto Paraíso Shopping and Entertainment Plaza (daily 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., with most shops closing at 9 p.m.), you’ll find jewelry, arts and crafts, clothing, and beach accessories. The older part of town is between Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas and Blvd. Marina. The town square with its brick gazebo, potted palms, benches and fountains evokes images of the old days. Nearby, the Catholic Church holds Sunday noon services in English.
I stop in Pedregal, an exclusive and fashionable hillside residential district west of the marina, chockablock with breathtaking properties straddling the Sea of Cortés and the Pacific Ocean. Driving up the steep cobblestone streets, I am awestruck by the heady mix of luxury with amazing ocean backdrops. During its 32 years, Pedregal has become an iconic landmark of Cabo San Lucas.
In between the mansions, I see the sun lowering over the vast Pacific, so I rush to the Cabo San Lucas marina, dotted with white sailboats and yachts, to catch a sunset cruise. (Tours on vessels like Spin Doctor, La Princesa, Pez Gato and Buccaneer Queen depart around 5 p.m.; the cost is from $35 to $55 U.S. per person.) Leaving on the horizon what was once a tiny hamlet and now the fastest-growing resort destination in México, we sail towards the world-famous stone landmark, El Arco. This 200-meter high rock formation is Cabo’s signature to the world, and as many claim, it resembles a Triceratops (tri-horned dinosaur) drinking water from the sea. As the sun sets and my city tour draws to an end, I look back on the day. Something for everyone? Yes, Los Cabos is all that, and much more.
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