How is los cabos?
 

Considering visiting Los Cabos for the next family trip. I have a few questions and would appreciate some insights.
1) Is it a good place with lots of activities for toddler?
2) is it safe, free of cartels?
3) what is the best time to visit?

Thank you very much in advance.

1) Is it a good place with lots of activities for toddler?
I wouldn't say LOTS of activities but they will still enjoy it.

2) is it safe, free of cartels?
There's no state or region free of cartels in Mexico. Meaning they do business in every state. In some regions more than others. But the average visitor would never encounter them in Los Cabos. So it's not an issue at this time.

3) what is the best time to visit? Winter, less humidity. Or any other time that's not hurricane season.

Keep in mind that "Los Cabos" takes in a huge area. There are the two Cabos -- Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo -- and the 20-mile corridor along Highway 1 between them, where most of the big resorts are. There's a lot to choose from and to consider when you decide where to base yourself.

Thank you very much! I think the recent news about American tourists were killed by cartels in Mexico made me wonder the safety.

If the cartel was targeting visitors there wouldn't be any visitors here and I would certainly not be living here. That situation that happened had many layers to it that's all I'm going to say.

What people need to be concerned about ANYWHERE they travel are pickpocketers, scam deals, ATM fraud, credit card fraud, and general theft from hotel rooms.

Enjoy your stay!

That was a completely different location and set of circumstances. As tourist destinations go, Los Cabos is by far one of the safest locations in Mexico. Like Puerto Vallarta (and unlike Acapulco, Cancun, Tulum and other spots), Los Cabos is not a disputed territory. The level of violence is extremely low, by any measure. The worst crimes you might encounter would be petty - pickpockets and such.

Just wanted to add, I've been to the "Cabo area" 4x in the last 18 months... here right now actually (actually an hour north, near Todos Santos). We travel all over Mexico (my wife's family is from Mexico). The Cabo area is among the 'safest' as far as minimal cartel activity, compared to many other areas that are more disputed. Of course consider all the normal travel precautions one would take anywhere (ie, dont wear flashy clothes, jewelry, etc etc), but we've never felt unsafe.

As far as hotels/resorts that are family friendly, look into ones that have kids clubs / activities such as the Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos (all-inclusive), Marival Residences, Fiesta Americana, etc. Many, many choices depending on what you are aiming for.

Instead of starting a new thread, I am just going to tag on my question to this thread:

It's been ages since we had a cruise stop in Cabo and spent part of the day there. So really I don't know anything about the area. But we are thinking of visiting for a week in January to get away from the colder weather in the Pacific Northwest. Got a reasonably good deal on flights on AS (BOGO) during their BF sale.

So now I am looking at where to actually stay. We are a couple that is not particularly interested in partying all night (or dealing with the impact of others doing that). We also prefer to look for local independent restaurants instead of paying for all inclusives. Wasn't planning on renting a car (unless people think I should... I have rented in Baja before, so not completely unfamiliar with it). So ideally would like a smaller, quieter non-all-inclusive resort in an area that is walkable and has restaurants, shopping nearby. Near beach. I am fairly hotel chain agnostic. Have Hyatt and Hilton points, but also willing to pay cash rates. Probably would keep the room cost in the $250-300 per night range.

So any recommendations for where to go (Cabo San Lucas or San Jose Del Cabo)? Any properties or general areas that you could recommend?

Thanks!

I didn't go to San Jose Del Cabo so can't speak for it. For Cabo San Lucas, most decent restaurants are around the Marina and it's very walkable. That's also where most activities (e.g. snorkeling, whale watching, boat ride to the arch etc.) would start. However, there doesn't seem to be a lot of resorts near the area and it's a bit far from beaches other than El Medano, which is a little crowded. I stayed at a boutique hotel and an apartment rental near the Marina and was pretty happy about both of them, but they're definitely not beach resorts.

Most resorts are near the beaches, but they're a bit far from the Marina and you'll most likely have to take a taxi or Uber to get there (at a relatively cheap price). And if you stay at the Tourist Corridor between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo, it's gotta be all-inclusive since there're no restaurants or shops nearby. So I guess there's gotta be some trade-off here, as a restaurant you can walk to from a beach is usually overpriced, too touristy, and not so good.

1) Is it a good place with lots of activities for toddler?

No, the town of CSL is party central for SoCal and the western states. Particularly on weekend. While it is perfectly safe for a family to walk the streets, I would say it is even less family friendly than Las Vegas.
Now the resorts are a different matter. Many of the non-adults-only resorts have kids programs (e.g. Villa del Palmer) that will watch your kids while the parents relax at the pool. However some may require that the child be out of diapoers.

2) is it safe, free of cartels?

Yes, in general CSL and SJD have not had the same levels of random violence that we have seen at Riviera Maya, Cancun, Acapulco, etc. While no place in Mexico is 100% safe (neither are most US cities) the chances of being hit by a stray bullet are almost nil at any of the resorts along the CSL-SJD hotel strip. The properties all have excellent security, gates, etc.

3) what is the best time to visit?

Summer is super hot and humid and very uncomfortable unless you like that (think US South and Southeast). December to May is generally very pleasant. August-November is hurricane season and they do occasionally hit.