San Jose del Cabo: hotels, beaches and the art walk

San Jose del Cabo has a colonial downtown with a main plaza, a Gallery District and a relaxed restaurant scene, and its Thursday Art Walk runs weekly from November through June, per GoVisit Cabo. Boutique and mid-range hotels run about $150 to $350 a night in peak season, a little below the Corridor.

A private transfer from the airport takes about 15 to 20 minutes, according to JourneyFinder, which makes San Jose a good base for short trips.

Where you can swim

Much of the San Jose coast has surf. The calm options are:

• Palmilla Beach (Km 27): a protected Blue Flag cove with fishing pangas on the sand, per CaboSanLucas.net.
• Playa El Ganzo, Puerto Los Cabos: a calm cove that Hotel El Ganzo calls one of the only swimmable beaches in San Jose, per Luxury Hotel Compare.
• Acapulquito (Old Man's), Km 27.5: a beginner surf beach, swimmable when the surf is small, with lessons from Mike Doyle's Surf School, per Visit Los Cabos.

Costa Azul at Km 28.5 is a surf beach (Zippers and La Roca breaks) and not for swimming.

Where to stay in and near San Jose

• One&Only Palmilla

  Swimmable beachCasitas with plunge pools

  On Palmilla Beach, where the Ironman swim is held. The easiest luxury option on swimmable water near San Jose.

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• Hotel El Ganzo

  Swimmable covePuerto Los Cabos

  Boutique hotel on the El Ganzo cove in the marina district east of town.

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• Zoetry Casa del Mar

  All-inclusive#3 on U.S. News

  Rated 9.3 from 337 reviews on U.S. News.

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• Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos

  All-inclusiveFamilies

  Kids' and teens' clubs and four pools, per Forbes. The beach is not for swimming.

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• Viceroy Los Cabos

  Design hotelPool resort

  Its FAQ says swimming is not recommended in front; Palmilla is about ten minutes by car.

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