The beautiful desert, beaches, and mountainous regions of the Baja California Peninsula are often difficult to access by car. However, an ATV will easily transport you to the most interesting and remote locations around Cabo San Lucas.
By joining a Cabo ATV tour, you will enjoy a thrilling ride and see many breathtaking sights other visitors miss. An ATV adventure in Cabo is the best way to see more of the Baja desert.
But not all ATV trips in Cabo San Lucas are the same. We have selected the 5 top-rated Cabo ATV excursions and review them below. Discover the unique features of each ATV trip from Cabo and choose the one that best suits you and your family.
Be sure to see our reviews of Cabo Whale Watching Tours, Sunset Cruises and Snorkeling Tours.
Best ATV Tours In Cabo
4x4 ATV Adventure with Tequila tasting and Mexican buffet lunch | Cabo San Lucas: Beach & Desert ATV Tour with Tequila Tasting | Los Cabos Beach & Desert Tour in Automatic Atv + Tequila Tasting | |
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Location: | Hotel pickup and drop-off | Hotel pickup and drop-off | Hotel pickup and drop-off |
Start: | Between 10:00 AM & 3:00 PM | 8:00 AM, 10:40 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM | Between 8:00 AM & 6:00 PM |
Duration: | 3 hours | 2.5 hours | 2 hours |
Includes: | Professional local guide, transportation, ATV hire, protective equipment, traditional Mexican buffet lunch, refreshments, & lockers | Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, bandanna, tequila tasting | Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, & bandanna, tequila tasting |
Quick Answer: The 5 Best ATV Tours In Cabo San Lucas
- 4×4 ATV Adventure with Tequila tasting and Mexican buffet lunch
- Cabo San Lucas: Beach & Desert ATV Tour with Tequila Tastinge
- Los Cabos Beach & Desert Tour in Automatic Atv + Tequila Tasting
- Cabo Migrino Beach and Desert ATV Tour plus Tequila Tasting
- Cabo San Lucas: Los Cabos Beach and Desert ATV Adventure
Best ATV Tours In Cabo San Lucas Reviews
1. 4×4 ATV Adventure with Tequila tasting and Mexican buffet lunch
- Departure Point: Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure Time: Between 10:00 AM & 3:00 PM
- Duration: 3 hours
- Includes: Professional local guide, transportation, ATV hire, protective equipment, traditional Mexican buffet lunch, refreshments, & lockers
This ATV tour from Cabo is ideal for family groups. It offers a variety of attractions and activities to ensure everyone enjoys their ATV experience in Cabo San Lucas.
Safety is a major priority. You will ride new Polaris ATVs with all the latest safety features and be led by an experienced local guide. Prepare yourself for an entertaining, fun, and safe adventure.
Your ATV experience begins with a safety talk and dressing you in the best possible safety equipment. You will be provided with a chest and back protector, knee and elbow pads, and a full-face helmet.
The Baja desert played a key role in the history of the local region. Riding an ATV is the best way to explore the desert and view the unique scenery and interesting sites.
During this Cabo San Lucas ATV tour, you will learn about the local history, culture, and geography from your knowledgeable local guide. Additionally, an authentic Mexican restaurant meal is included in this Cabos ATV trip. What better way to learn about the locals than by eating their traditional dishes?
The best is saved until last. The eco-farm is dedicated to sustainable agriculture and animal welfare. You will learn how to recycle plastic, turn camel dung into paper, and create handmade chocolate. The eco-farm also hosts an animal rescue center where you will meet a friendly family of macaws.
This is the best Cabo ATV adventure for visitors who are interested in sustainable tourism and the history and culture of the Baja California Peninsula.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
2. Cabo San Lucas: Beach & Desert ATV Tour with Tequila Tasting
- Departure Point: Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM, 10:40 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- Includes: Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, bandanna, tequila tasting
This is the best Cabo ATV excursion if you want to enjoy the views both in the desert and on the beach. The scenery of the Baja desert is breathtaking, with mountains on the horizon, steep canyons, and wilderness areas.
Your ATV adventure begins with a safety briefing where you will be supplied with the necessary safety equipment, such as goggles and a helmet. Then you will head out into the Baja desert on a powerful ATV. Enjoy tearing along dusty trails, exploring dry creek beds, and cruising over the sand dunes.
Elevated viewpoints on this ATV tour from Cabo provide panoramic views over the ocean and the Baja California Peninsula. Watch out for desert foxes and the iconic roadrunner in the Baja desert. If you have exceptionally sharp eyes, you might even spot Wile E. Coyote.
After exploring the desert, you will visit Migriño Beach. The beach boasts pristine sand, sand dunes, and towering ocean cliffs.
Your pit stop at the beach enables you to paddle into the waves and experience the cool water of the Pacific Ocean. Beach bars provide the opportunity to hydrate at your own expense.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
3. Los Cabos Beach & Desert Tour in Automatic Atv + Tequila Tasting
- Departure Point: Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure Time: Between 8:00 AM & 6:00 PM
- Duration: 2 hours
- Includes: Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, & bandanna, tequila tasting
This is the best Cabo San Lucas ATV trip for participants who want to spend more of their time in the saddle. This ATV adventure is focused on the adrenaline-fueled riding experience.
Because you’ll be riding over rough terrain, your safety is paramount. Before your ATV excursion begins, you’ll receive safety instruction and be equipped with high-quality safety equipment including goggles and a helmet.
You’ll be riding an automatic 4×4 along remote and dusty desert trails. Admire the desert scenery, the distant mountains, the sand dunes, and the neighboring beaches. The sparkling ocean provides a dramatic backdrop to your ATV experience.
During your ride, you’ll experience the varied ecosystems of the Baja California Peninsula. This beautiful region of Mexico has inspired photographers, painters, and writers for generations. Maybe you’ll be inspired by the beauty of nature during your ATV excursion in Cabo.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
4. Cabo Migrino Beach and Desert ATV Tour plus Tequila Tasting
- Departure Point: Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Departure Time: Between 8:00 AM & 6:00 PM
- Duration: 2 hours
- Includes: Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, & tequila tasting
This is the best Cabo San Lucas ATV tour for riders who want to experience all the different terrains the Baja California Peninsula has to offer. Your ATV adventure will take you across mountain, canyon, arroyo, the cliff tops with Pacific Ocean views, and the beach.
This Cabo ATV trip is also the safest. Before you head out on your ATV adventure, you’ll be fitted with high-quality safety gear. Then you’ll receive a detailed safety briefing.
And finally, you’ll take a test ride around a practice circuit complete with obstacles and challenges that imitate those you’ll experience on your actual tour. No other ATV excursion from Cabo San Lucas goes to such lengths to ensure you are fully prepared for your adrenaline-fueled ATV ride.
On your exhilarating ride through the Baja desert, you’ll ride along dry riverbeds, climb the winding route of a sandy creek bed, descend into deep canyons, and climb steep mountain trails.
This unique Cabo ATV tour also features a crossing of the Los Cabos Canyon Bridge. This scenic structure is a 1,082-foot-long hanging bridge. The tour terminates at the Lion’s Den Restaurant where you can enjoy a delicious meal at your own expense.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
5. Cabo San Lucas: Los Cabos Beach and Desert ATV Adventure
- Departure Point: Hotel pick-up
- Departure Time: 8:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM
- Duration: 2.5-3 hours
- Includes: Professional local guide, transportation, single or double ATV hire, protective equipment, & water
This is the best ATV adventure on Migriño Beach and the Baja desert for admiring the scenery and snapping great photos. From January through March, you’ll be in the perfect position to observe humpback whales that have migrated down from Alaska to spend their winters in sunny Mexico.
Your Cabo San Lucas ATV experience begins with a safety orientation. You’ll be introduced to your brand-new ATV, shown how it operates, given extensive safety tips, and provided with good-quality protective equipment, such as a helmet and goggles.
Once you’re ready to rumble, an experienced guide will lead you out into the pristine wilderness of the Baja desert. Experience riding along a dry river bed and across sand dunes as you make your way to Migriño Beach.
The damp white sand of the beach provides a strong contrast from the arid dust of the desert. On the beach, you’ll stop to take photographs of the breathtaking scenery. The Baja California Peninsula is a wonderful place to make unique memories.
Tour Information & Booking
100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience
Cabo San Lucas Travel Guide
- Airports & Entry
- Traveling in the Time of COVID
- Eco-tourism & Sustainability in Los Cabo
- Planning Tips
- Restaurants & Eating Out
- Nightlife & Entertainment
- Getting Around
- Accommodations
- Weather
- Attractions
There are many good reasons why TripAdvisor rated Cabo San Lucas one of the best tourist destinations in Mexico for 2019. Where else can you combine mountain views with a vibrant nightlife and then jump on a boat to watch whales in their natural environment?
But what you choose to do in this versatile city, locally known as Cabo, is entirely up to you. In the region surrounding Cabo, you can do anything from scuba diving in the Pacific Ocean to ziplining over the beautiful landscape of a national park.
Have you ever dreamed of watching whales in their natural environment? Whales are the most magnificent mammals on Earth, and from December to April, you can see them swimming off the coast of Cabo San Lucas.
Winter is the best time to whale watch in Cabo. Every year, approximately 10,000 humpback whales migrate through the Baja California Sur region.
A Cabo San Lucas whale watching tour is the best opportunity you will ever have to get up-close and personal with the largest mammals on the planet.
Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join one of the Cabo San Lucas tours and come face-to-face with Mother Nature’s most fascinating creatures.
It is in your best interest to carefully research the local conditions and attractions to ensure you get the most out of your stay in Cabo. This guide can help you start that journey of discovery.
Airports & Entry
Despite being a small city with a population of only 81,000 people, Cabo San Lucas boasts two international airports and is a frequent port of call for pleasure cruises.
If you’re flying into Cabo, you will most likely land at Los Cabos International Airport, which serves the wider metropolitan area of Cabo San Lucas and San José Del Cabo, which is known as Los Cabos.
This busy airport has three terminals and four concourses. Most international flights arrive at Terminal 2, but it is possible your flight could land at Terminal 1.
Inside the airport, you will find a good selection of shops and places to eat as well as ATMs and foreign exchange desks in the arrival areas.
However, note that most shops and the foreign exchange desks only operate from 9 am to 8 pm and the food outlets from 4 am to 7 pm. For free Wi-Fi, connect to the “GAP FREE” network, and charging outlets for your cellphone are located throughout the airport.
For a fee, you can experience the luxury of one of the first-class lounges. Several car rental agencies operate out of the airport.
It is possible but extremely unlikely your flight would arrive at Cabos San Lucas International Airport, which is a much smaller facility than Los Cabos International Airport and does not provide any amenities for tourists.
The downtown marina is a popular stop for all cruises along Mexico’s Riviera. If you arrive on a cruise ship, you should check to ensure your stay in Cabo will be long enough to allow you to enjoy tours like the ones above.
Traveling in the time of Covid
Like many other destinations worldwide, tours and visitor attractions around Cabo San Lucas have adopted special procedures.
Wearing a mask in mandatory in many locations. You will be expected to supply your own mask and wear it when you enter public buildings.
Keep your distance from other visitors who are not in your family group or bubble. You will be expected to keep your distance inside minibuses and other vehicles and when seated in restaurants.
At the time of writing, Los Cabos welcomes visitors. You can obtain the most up-to-date information directly from the Los Cabos Tourism Board.
Eco-Tourism and Sustainability in Los Cabos
The Baja California Peninsula offers many pristine wilderness areas to admire, such as the mountains, the Baja desert, and Migriño Beach. In order to maintain this wonderful place for future generations, many of the local tour companies operate eco-friendly tours.
When considering the tours we review on the World Travel Guides website, note that there are often eco-friendly options that empower you to become a more sustainable traveler. This is especially true around Cabo San Lucas. Take care of our world and it will take care of our children.
Planning Tips
You deserve to have a really great time in Lanzarote, so here are 6 tips to help you make the most of your visit.
Tip #1: If You Want To Whale Watch, Go In Winter
Humpback whales and gray whales congregate in the Sea of Cortez from mid-December to mid-April each year and are often visible from the shore.
They arrive in this region after completing a 6,000-mile migration from Alaska so the pregnant cows can birth their calves in the warm waters near Cabo.
Humpback whales are especially curious about people, so they will frequently approach and circle boats that come close to their pods.
Tip #2: Take Your Time To Enjoy All The Attractions Of Los Cabos
Maybe you only want to watch the whales or laze on the beach, but there is a lot more to Cabo than sun and surf. Don’t miss the opportunity to climb a mountain, clamber around some ruins, or zipline across a desert.
And if it’s Nature you love, there are sea lions around El Arco and turtles below the old lighthouse. Check out the brief list of attractions below.
Tip #3: Book Tour Tickets In Advance, Especially During Winter
Because Cabo is a popular destination, you will find the tours and attractions busy, especially from October to May when the climate is ideal.
To ensure you don’t miss out, book in advance. This applies not only to the tours described above but any attractions. It would be a shame if you missed your opportunity to come face-to-face with a humpback whale because the tours were fully booked.
Because many tours offer a 24-hour-in-advance free cancellation, you take no financial risk booking before you fly. Ask about free cancellation before booking.
Tip #4: Book Your Ride From The Airport In Advance
The taxis at Los Cabos International Airport are expensive, especially if you’re headed to Cabo San Lucas, which is 30 miles away. However, some hotels operate a shuttle service.
If you haven’t yet arranged your hotel, look out for this feature. Alternatively, pre-booking a vehicle with an independent company, like All Ways Cabo Transportation or Cabo Shuttle Services, would be more affordable than jumping in a cab.
Tip #5: Buy Local Craft Souvenirs
If you want to buy your friends and relatives something unique, check out La Coyota. It’s a shopping village specializing in local arts and crafts, like local art, hand-crafted glass, Mexican ceramics, and hand-embroidered clothing.
Restaurants & Eating Out
Because Cabo San Lucas is a seaport, it’s only to be expected that many of the local foods are seafood based.
The fish tacos from the Baja California Peninsula are world-famous, and smoked marlin is especially popular in Los Cabos. Other popular foods include squid, crab, stingray, abalone, lobster, and shrimp, to name but a few.
An unusual marine dish is the Chocolate Clam (Almejas Chocolatas). The freshly harvested shellfish is covered in a locally-sourced herb called romerito and cooked on a stone bed.
You eat the herb as an aperitif while the clam is cooking. Another strangely named dish is Comida de Pobres (Food for the Poor), which is seafood soup, rice, and beans, eaten alongside corn flour tortillas.
Chicken tamales fajados, made with chicken, olives, raisins, and olive oil, and tamales de Guemes, also prepared with chicken or pork, are popular.
It is traditional to serve Damiana Liquor (brewed from the Damiana plant using sugar cane) or Clamato (a clam and tomato drink) with food.
Damiana Liquor is reputed to be an aphrodisiac and was originally used by the Guaycura Native Americans in their ritual ceremonies.
There are many popular restaurants around Cabo serving traditional foods, but one that stands out is The Office On The Beach, which you can find on Medano Beach.
This busy establishment offers traditional foods, like Mexican steaks, Baja-style shrimp, and burritos, especially for tourists, and is literally on the beach.
This famous restaurant was established in the 1970s before tourism began to flourish. As well as local food, it offers live entertainment in the evenings and a beautiful view.
However, because this restaurant specifically caters to tourists, you will find it expensive compared to other, less well-known food outlets.
Nightlife & Entertainment
Given that TripAdvisor rated Cabo San Lucas the 3rd best tourist destination in Mexico for 2019, it’s not surprising to discover Cabo boasts a vibrant nightlife.
It also offers a wide variety of exciting activities, such as scuba diving, snorkeling, parasailing, boat charter, horse-riding, popular beaches, and, of course, whale-watching cruises.
There is even a bi-weekly, English-language newspaper called Gringo Gazette, which provides information about what’s going on for tourists.
If you love the clubbing scene, you’ve hit gold in Cabo. In this tiny city, you will find more nightclubs than you can visit in one holiday, including El Squid Roe, Hard Rock Café,
The Jungle Bar, Tiki Bar, Giggling Marlin, Pink Kitty, and the famous Cabo Wabo Cantina founded by Sammy Hagar, a former member of Van Halen. Note that the legal drinking age is 18! There’s a good reason Cabo San Lucas is dubbed Cabo San Loco.
However, if you prefer a quiet life, there are many late-night cafés and low-key bars for a relaxed ambiance and fun night.
Getting Around
Because most attractions are clustered around the downtown area, it’s easiest to get around on foot and take taxis to visit places further afield. However, taxis in Cabo are expensive.
If you plan to visit places outside of downtown, car-hire or local buses would be more economical. For something a little more adventurous, take a scenic water taxi from the marina to one of the beaches. The small local buses are super cheap,
Accommodations
Most tourists visiting Cabo stay in one of the hotels along the Los Cabos Corridor, which is a stretch of the southern coastline of the Baja California Peninsula between Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
The standard and cost of the hotels vary from the affordable Hyatt Place Los Cabos up to the plush Grand Velas Los Cabos, with its infinity pools, whirlpool tubs, and 8 restaurants.
Outside of the Los Cabos Corridor, a good number of hotels are scattered to the west of Cabo in Paraiso Escondido.
Many of the hotels with a reputation for being quiet and relaxing are found around there, like the adult-only Pueblo Bonita Pacifica Resort and Spa and the child-friendly Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort and Spa.
In the center of Cabo are several small and affordable, quiet hotels, like The Bungalows Hotel, which has only 16 rooms but is within walking distance of the marina and downtown.
Weather
If you love the sun, you’ll love Cabo, which averages over 350 days of sunshine every year. Realistically, all you need to worry about is using enough sunscreen.
The geographical position of Cabo on the end of the peninsular also means that during summer you’ll find the Sea of Cortez coastline and San José Del Cabo approximately 50F warmer than the Pacific coastline and Cabo San Lucas.
The average temperature ranges from 640F in January to 850F in August. And if you plan on taking a dip in the Pacific Ocean or the Sea of Cortez, you’ll be delighted to hear the average water temperature ranges from a warm 710F in February up to an impressive 850F in September.
Cabo lacks the unpleasant tropical humidity of some other Mexican resorts because it enjoys an arid tropical desert climate.
However, it is north of other tourist hotspots so expect cool evenings and pack accordingly, especially during the winter months. Check the weather forecast before planning your trip because Cabo sometimes experiences hurricanes.
Hurricanes result in long periods of heavy rain, though the usual summer thunderstorms don’t come close enough to Cabo to bring rain.
The peak tourist season in Cabo is from October to May because the weather is neither too hot nor too cold and rain is rare.
Attractions
The whales swimming in the Pacific Ocean are not the only attraction around Cabo San Lucas. Beyond the beautiful beaches and popular nightclubs, you will also find a range of natural and man-made attractions to tempt you away from the poolside.
The most famous landmark in Cabo is El Arco, a three-stories-tall sea arch formed by natural seawater erosion of the cliffs. El Arco de Cabo San Lucas stands on the end of a promontory know as Land’s End to the east of the marina.
This natural rock formation is so well known that its image is utilized in advertising by local businesses. Because it is scenic and frequented by sea lions, it has become a popular sightseeing spot.
The two popular beaches nearby are dubbed Lover’s Beach and Divorce Beach.
You can snap breathtaking, panoramic photographs of Los Cabos from the summit of Mount Solmar. Hiking to the top takes 30 minutes.
If you time yourself to arrive at sunset, you can take amazing photographs over the Pacific Ocean that your Instagram followers will love. The climb is steep but relatively easy. However, wear sensible shoes rather than sandals, because it can be dusty and rocky, and apply sunscreen and carry plenty of water.
Three miles from Cabo stands the abandoned lighthouse of El Faro de Cabo Falso (Lighthouse of the False Cape). This fascinating ruin may only be visited by foot, horseback, or in a 4×4 vehicle.
This guardian of the port of Cabo San Lucas was built in 1890 and protected ships from 1895 to 1961. The ruin stands on a base 500 feet above the sea, providing a spectacular view of the ocean and a shipwreck. Turtles lay eggs on the beach below.
But if an adrenaline rush is more your scene, look out for the many zipline adventures around the Los Cabos area, including the Superman Zipline, reputed to be Mexico’s fastest, highest, and longest zipline ride.
The Superman zips you 1,800 feet over the top of UNESCO monitored Boca de Sierra National Park.
Tours are available to many of the local attractions. Watch out for “Tours en Los Cabos” signs around the city.
Sites Seen
Tour Guides
Value
The ATV Desert Adventure with Lunch & Eco-Farm is our Editors Choice for the best Cabo ATV tour