Cabo San Lucas

Medano Beach

★★★★☆4.3 out of 5 · 4,551 reviews

Great swim

Family

Facilities

Photo: © TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Medano Beach is a beach in Cabo San Lucas, Cabo, rated 4.3/5 by 4,551 TripAdvisor reviewers; swimming excellent; snorkeling good; usually busy; restrooms and food nearby.

Swimmable

Sheltered Sea of Cortez location with calm water, lifeguards, and designated swimming areas.

Sargassum: not a factor

Not a sargassum coast.

About

Medano Beach is the main swimming beach in Cabo San Lucas, which matters because most of Cabo's coast is open Pacific with serious undertow. This one sits on the Sea of Cortez side, sheltered and calm enough that lifeguards actually oversee designated swim zones instead of just waving people back. The 4.3 rating across 4,500+ reviews holds because it delivers the straightforward thing people want: swimmable water, long stretch of sand, and the restaurant-and-bar infrastructure you expect from a tourist beach. You'll find beach clubs with lounge setups, water sports rentals, and boats heading out to the arch. It gets crowded, especially midday when the cruise groups arrive, but the water stays gentle. If you're traveling with kids or you just want to get in the ocean without checking the flag conditions, this is the one that works.

At a glance

Area: Cabo San Lucas
Swimming quality: ●●●●●
Snorkeling: ●●●○○
Crowd level: fewer▮▮▮▮▮more
Facilities: ✓
Shade: –
Family friendly: ✓

Make a day of it

Tours & things to do nearby

Arch of Cabo San Lucas

The Arch sits at the southern tip of the Baja peninsula, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. You reach it by water taxi from the marina or Médano Beach — most people do a quick loop, snap photos, and head back. The 4.8 rating across nearly 9,000 reviews reflects what it is: a reliable postcard moment, no tricks. The rock formation marks Land's End, and depending on the tide, you'll see sea lion colonies on the rocks and sometimes pelicans stacked on the outcroppings. Water taxis run constantly during daylight hours, and some will drop you at Lover's Beach on the Cortez side if you want to wade. The Pacific side (Divorce Beach) has a serious undertow — people look, they don't swim. It's the thing everyone does once. Go early or late to dodge the midday boat clusters. The ride out takes ten minutes, you get your shot, and you're done. If you skip it, you'll end up seeing it from every other boat trip anyway.

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Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours

Blue Sky Cabo Fishing and Tours operates from F Dock in the Cabo San Lucas marina, and the 5 out of 5 rating across nearly 6,000 reviews puts them in rare territory. Most charter operations in Cabo cluster around 4.5 stars — this one doesn't. The volume matters as much as the score. Five thousand reviews means hundreds of boats went out, came back, and enough people felt compelled to say something that the average held. That's consistency at scale, which is harder to fake than a handful of perfect scores. Whether it's the crew, the boat condition, or how they handle rough days, something's working. They run fishing charters and tours from the marina, which is the standard launching point for anything heading into the Sea of Cortez or around the arch. If you're comparing operators, this is one where the data actually separates from the pack.

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All Ways Cabo Transportation

All Ways Cabo Transportation runs airport pickups and private transfers around the Los Cabos corridor. The 5-star rating across more than 4,300 reviews suggests consistent execution on something simple: drivers show up on time, vehicles are clean, and you don't haggle at baggage claim. They're based in El Tezal, just inland from Cabo San Lucas, which keeps them close to the airport run. The volume of feedback points to reliable logistics — useful when you're coordinating flights, resort check-ins, or day trips between San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. Private transport here cuts out the shuttle wait and the shared-van detours. You book in advance, someone meets you with a sign, and you're moving. If your group has gear, golf clubs, or you're just not interested in figuring out taxi rates after a flight, this is the straightforward option.

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Photos

Pool @ Pueblo Bonito Rosa looking out to the beach!

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Visiting in November?

November in Cabo offers pleasant conditions without peak-season intensity. You'll find attentive service across properties, from boutique hotels to luxury resorts, and generally comfortable weather for beach and pool time. Thanksgiving week sees a noticeable uptick in visitors, with some restaurants running short on supplies and resorts busier than usual, but the month overall feels more relaxed than true high season.

Based on 150 traveler reports

Recent Pulse

What travelers are saying.

Steady

Low confidence

Travelers say Medano Beach delivers on its core promise: calm, swimmable water on the Sea of Cortez side where most other Cabo beaches are too rough. You'll find clean sand, steady infrastructure for food and drinks, and easy access to water sports and boat trips. The trade-off is constant vendor traffic—expect someone offering massages, souvenirs, or rentals every few minutes throughout your visit. If you position near quieter restaurant zones like Tobasco, you'll dodge some of the crowd and music volume that peaks midday when cruise groups arrive.

Standing out

Calm, swimmable water unlike most Cabo beaches with rough surf
18 mentions
“Crystal clear water with no strong waves, actually safe to swim”
Beach infrastructure with chair rentals starting around $15 and restaurant service
12 mentions
“Rented lounge chairs for fifteen dollars and enjoyed two-for-one drinks all afternoon”
Clean beach with regular garbage pickup maintained by staff
9 mentions
“Very clean sand with visible trash collection happening throughout the day”
Water sports and boat activities available directly from the beach
7 mentions
“Jet ski rentals, parasailing, and boat rides to Lover's Beach all accessible”

Watch-outs

Relentless vendor approaches every few minutes selling souvenirs, massages, and services
17 mentions
“Approached by over a dozen vendors within ten minutes, one after another without break”
Overcrowding during peak hours making it hard to find space for towels
8 mentions
“Beach so full we couldn't find a spot to lay towels down by midday”
Loud music from competing beach clubs drowns out wave sounds
5 mentions
“Restaurant music so loud you can't hear the ocean or relax”

Tips from travelers

Set up near Tobasco restaurant for quieter atmosphere with fewer vendors and less blaring music
Bring small bills—vendors rarely have change and parking runs sixty pesos
Arrive before midday to claim space before cruise ship groups flood the beach
Position past Bocos y Drinks el Chuy to avoid the heaviest vendor concentration

Maybe skip if: Skip Medano if you want solitude or can't tolerate being interrupted by sales pitches every couple of minutes—the vendor density makes true relaxation nearly impossible.

Other beaches

headed there in the AM before the crowds

Cabo San LucasSwim with caution© TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Playa de los Amantes

Playa de los Amantes sits at the southernmost tip of the Baja peninsula, where Land's End meets the Sea of Cortez. You can only reach it by water taxi from the marina or by walking along the base of the cliffs from Playa El Médano at low tide. The beach is tucked into a cove with calmer water on the Cortez side, though you're swimming without lifeguards and dodging boat traffic from tour groups coming to see the Arch. The rock formations are the draw—the natural stone archway frames the beach and marks the division between the two seas. The Pacific side, officially Divorce Beach, is a different story. Swimming there is prohibited. The rip currents are serious and people have drowned ignoring the warnings. Most visitors stay on the Cortez side, where the water is swimmable if you're cautious and aware. Bring what you need—there's no shade and no facilities. The water taxis run frequently, and most will wait or pick you up on a return trip.

Snorkeling

Cabo San LucasNot for swimming© TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Cabo San Lucas Beach

Cabo San Lucas Beach — the long stretch of sand curving west from the marina toward Land's End — catches the full force of the Pacific. The 4.7 rating from over 900 reviews reflects the views and the vibe, not the swimming. This is a dangerous-current zone: rip tides and shore break make it a no-swim beach, and the warnings are serious. Lifeguards post red flags most days, and drownings happen when people ignore them. What you get instead: dramatic surf, clean sand for walking, and one of the better shoreline views of the arch and the rock formations at the tip of the peninsula. Beach vendors work the sand, and palapas cluster near the marina end. It's also the takeoff point for water taxis heading to Lover's Beach and Divorce Beach on the other side of the rocks. If you want to get in the water, head to the Sea of Cortez side — Médano Beach, east of the marina — where the bay is calm and swimmable.

Playa Grande Cabo

Cabo San LucasNot for swimming

Playa Grande Cabo

Playa Grande sits on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas, and it's not called "Grande" for nothing — wide sand, big surf, and even bigger riptides. This is not a swimming beach. The shore break and currents are strong enough that lifeguards spend most of their time waving people back to dry sand. What it does offer is space. Compared to the packed hotel beaches on the bay side, Playa Grande stretches out with room to walk, and the wave watching is legitimate if you're into that. Locals bodyboard here when conditions line up, but they know the breaks and the pull — tourists should stay on the sand. If you're looking for a postcard Pacific backdrop and don't mind skipping the water, it works. Just don't test the current. The ocean wins.

Quiet

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Eat near this beach

Cabo San Lucas

Sunset Monalisa

Sunset Monalisa sits on the Pacific cliffs in the Misiones del Cabo area of Cabo San Lucas, and the 4.9 atmosphere score tells you why people come — the view is the menu's co-star. The food holds its own at 4.5, and the kitchen takes fine dining seriously without the usual resort-town corner-cutting. Service runs tight at 4.7, which matters when you're paying fine-dining prices and the place is pulling over eight thousand reviews. The value rating sits at 4.3, which is honest — you're paying for the location and the execution, not for a deal. But the overall 4.8 across that volume of feedback means they're consistent, and consistency at this level in Cabo isn't common. If you're going to do one splurge dinner with a view, this is the reliable play. Reservations move, especially near sunset. The road up is narrow and the parking is tight, so plan the arrival.

Cabo San Lucas

Salvatore G's Italian Restaurant

Salvatore G's is an Italian spot in downtown Cabo San Lucas, a few blocks off the main strip. The food rating sits at 4.8 out of 5, which is unusually high for a tourist-heavy area — the kitchen clearly isn't coasting. Pasta comes out right, the portions are honest, and the pricing lands in the mid-range without feeling like a gouge. Service also clocks in at 4.8, meaning the staff moves and the pacing works. The atmosphere rating matches the rest at 4.7, so it's not trying to be a scene — just a solid Italian dinner without the resort markup. Over 4,400 reviews and the scores hold steady, which suggests consistency more than novelty. If you want red sauce and a booth in Cabo without overthinking it, this does the job.

Cabo San Lucas

Maro's Shrimp House

Maro's Shrimp House is on Calle Miguel Hidalgo in Cabo San Lucas, across from La Dolce. The menu does what the name says — shrimp, prepared about a dozen ways, from garlic and butter to breaded and spicy. The operation is efficient and the portions are generous, which explains the 4.6 on both food and value across more than five thousand reviews. Service runs at 4.7, so the staff keeps pace even when it's full. The atmosphere sits at 4.4, which is fair — this is a working shrimp house, not a scene. You come for the food. The kitchen moves fast, the plates are consistent, and the price point makes it easy to return. If you want shrimp in Cabo without the beachfront markup, this is the answer.

Stay near this beach

Cabo San Lucas

Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa

Grand Solmar Land's End sits at the very tip of the Baja Peninsula in Cabo San Lucas, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. The location rating of 4.9 reflects the reality — you're at the edge of everything, with direct views of the Arch and genuinely private beach access that most Cabo resorts can't offer. The rooms also pull 4.9, and the cleanliness score matches it, which is rare at scale. With over 6,400 reviews holding at 4.8 overall, the service consistency is real. The value score of 4.6 suggests it's priced above mid-tier but doesn't lean into the ultra-luxury premium some neighbors charge. Worth noting: you're on the Pacific side, so the swimming conditions depend on the day. The resort shuttle into downtown Cabo runs regularly if you want the marina scene, but most guests stay put.

Cabo San Lucas

PLAYA GRANDE RESORT

Playa Grande Resort is on Médano Beach in central Cabo San Lucas, steps from the marina and the main strip. The 4.7 location score makes sense — you can walk to most of what people come to Cabo San Lucas for, and the beach here is swimmable, which isn't true everywhere on the Pacific side. The 4.6 overall rating across nearly 9,000 reviews suggests it delivers consistently. Cleanliness matches at 4.7, and service holds at 4.6. Rooms and sleep quality both hit 4.5 or better, which is solid for a beachfront property where noise can be an issue. Value sits at 4.4, fair for the location. This is a resort that works if you want to be in the middle of the action without paying top-tier rates. You're trading some polish for proximity. Médano Beach means jet skis, beach vendors, and restaurant access — it's lively, not secluded.

Cabo San Lucas

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.

Medano Beach