The bohemian Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) of Todos Santos makes an ideal day trip from Los Cabos, offering a completely different Baja experience. The 80km drive up Highway 19 (about 1 hour) through desert and agricultural valleys leads to a charming colonial town with excellent galleries, restaurants, surf beaches, and history. Visit the historic center, gallery-hop along Centenario and Topete streets, have lunch at Café Santa Fe or Jazamango, browse the artisan shops, and drive down to Playa Cerritos for an afternoon swim or surf watch. Return to Cabo by sunset.
Todos Santos sits roughly 80km north of Los Cabos on Highway 19, the coastal road that runs up the Pacific side of Baja California Sur between Cabo San Lucas and La Paz. The drive takes about an hour in a rental car, which is the recommended mode: the highway is paved and well signed, shared van tours from Cabo cost around USD 60-80 per person, and public buses on the Cabo-La Paz route stop at the edge of town rather than in the historic centre. Fuel and tolls for a self-drive day come to roughly USD 30-40.
The town is a designated Pueblo Mágico, and its appeal is concentrated in a walkable grid of dusty colonial streets around the Plaza and the 1733-founded Misión Nuestra Señora del Pilar. Centenario and Topete streets carry the densest run of galleries and craft shops, a legacy of the American and Mexican artists who settled here from the 1980s onward. The brick chimney and walls of the old sugar mill, El Molino, anchor the town's 19th-century cane-growing history, and the Todos Santos Brewing Company pours locally made beer a short walk away.
A workable one-day arc leaves Los Cabos around 8AM, arrives for coffee at Mama's Royal Café, and spends the late morning gallery-hopping before the midday heat. Lunch is the town's strong suit: Café Santa Fe on the plaza has served northern-Italian cooking with local seafood for three decades, while Jazamango, on the edge of town, cooks over wood fire from its own kitchen garden. Both fill up, and reservations matter in high season. The afternoon belongs to the coast — Playa Cerritos lies 10km south and is the only nearby beach with reliably swimmable conditions and a beginner-friendly surf break, with board rental and beach bars on the sand. Beaches directly west of town, including Playa La Poza and Punta Lobos, have dangerous shore break and rip currents and are for walking rather than swimming.
Heading back to Los Cabos by 6PM puts drivers on Highway 19 before full dark, which matters on a road shared with cattle and unlit shoulders.
Suggested itinerary
- 8AM: Depart Los Cabos via Highway 19
- 9:15AM: Arrive Todos Santos; coffee at Mama's Royal Café
- 10AM: Gallery browsing on Centenario and Topete streets
- 12PM: Lunch at Café Santa Fe or Jazamango
- 2PM: Drive to Playa Cerritos (10km south)
- 3-5PM: Beach time and surfing or watching
- 6PM: Return to Los Cabos
Location
23.4514, -110.2250 View on map
Highlights
- Artisan gallery district
- Café Santa Fe or Jazamango lunch
- Playa Cerritos surf beach
- Historic sugar mill ruins
- Todos Santos Brewing Company
Tips for visiting
- Drive yourself for maximum flexibility
- Thursday Art Walk (5-9PM, Nov-June) makes Thursday the best day to visit
- Cafés and galleries close on some Sundays — Tuesday-Saturday is most reliable
- The drive on Highway 19 is scenic — allow time for photo stops
When to visit
November through May offers dry, mild weather and the active gallery season, with Thursday's Art Walk the standout evening. Arriving before 10AM keeps the walking portion ahead of the midday heat, which is intense from June to September.
Accessibility
The historic centre has cobbled and uneven sidewalks with high kerbs, so wheelchair users and those with limited mobility will find gallery-hopping difficult without assistance; several galleries occupy single-storey buildings with step-free entrances. Playa Cerritos has a flat sand approach from the parking area but no boardwalk or beach wheelchair.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the drive from Los Cabos to Todos Santos take?
About one hour each way, covering roughly 80km on Highway 19. The road is fully paved and straightforward, though drivers should watch for free-roaming cattle and avoid the return leg after dark where possible.
Is a rental car necessary, or are there tours?
Both work. Shared van tours from Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo run about USD 60-80 per person and handle the driving, but a rental car allows a stop at Playa Cerritos and a flexible departure time, which most visitors find worth the extra effort.
What is the best day of the week to visit Todos Santos?
Thursday, when the Art Walk runs from 5PM to 9PM between November and June and galleries stay open into the evening. Otherwise Tuesday through Saturday is most reliable, as some galleries and cafés close on Sunday and Monday.
Can visitors swim at the beaches near Todos Santos?
Not at the town beaches. Playa La Poza and Punta Lobos have strong rip currents and a heavy shore break. Playa Cerritos, 10km south, is the safe swimming and beginner-surf option and has board rental on the sand.