The ancient Roman tradition of debauchery and decadence lives on in Cabo San Lucas, but instead of “bread and circuses,” it’s beer and banana boats. It’s an adult playground, an orgy of kitschy merriment, one teeming with yardstick cups of stomach-churning frozen margaritas, spring breakers working on their freshman 15, ocean adventures, lavish hotels, and the occasional wet t-shirt contest. Enough to make Caligula blush.
One familiar quote about the party town at the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula goes like this: “Cabo San Lucas: Where the party never stops and the good times roll.”
Yep, that pretty much sums it up, at least for most who wander to Cabo. But there’s much more than the party scene. Step outside the downtown drag – filled with its bars, thumping bass, and gentlemen’s clubs – and there’s a world of natural beauty. It’s raw and rugged, crawling with wildlife, world-class surf spots, thumping beachbreaks for the skimboard crowd, off-the-grid adventures, desert-meets-ocean landscapes, and more.
So, to hear more about how to make the most of your next surf trip to Cabo, outside of the main touristy destinations and activities, we hit up someone who knows the place well, someone who’s been going there since he was a young teenager: 3x skimboarding world champion and innovative soft-top aficionado, Blair Conklin. Here’s his guide.
Related: The Unconventional Surfing Life of Blair Conklin
Where to Surf
The Cape
“The main draw is the waves,” says Conklin.
For the Laguna Beach native, he comes to Cabo at least twice a year, mainly for the skimboarding scene, which is one of the world’s premier zones for sand-sliding shorebreak, but also for the plethora and variety of surf spots. From Zippers to Monuments, then everything around the East Cape and up towards Todos Santos, Cabo and its surrounding area has no shortage of surf spots. Plus, it’s location is perfect for picking up swell.
“You have lots of options when it comes to waves,” says Conklin. “You can play around in shorebreak. You can go surf a left. You can drive 45 minutes and go surf some of the best rights that I’ve ever surfed. There are these picturesque back-to-back pointbreaks. You can drive two minutes from one to the next. There’s probably six of ‘em in a row. And if it’s too crowded at one point, drive five minutes down the road. The variety keeps me coming back.”
He added: “There’s always more swell down here than in California, it’s an easy two-hour flight from home, and it’s warm water. What more could you ask for?”
Where to Eat
The Cape
In any touristy destination, there’s going to be all sides of the spectrum when it comes to culinary experiences. There’s the franchise chains, the fine-dining restaurants, the all-inclusive hotel buffets, the secret and sumptuous hole in the wall, and everything in between. Cabo is no different – whatever your budget, whatever your taste, they’ve got it. For Conklin, one spot sticks out in his mind:
“There’s this place called Tacos Guss. It’s in downtown Cabo. If you’re looking for a good Mexican taco, that’s my go-to spot. It’s pretty affordable, definitely not fancy by any means. But you can go get six tacos for $10 bucks. It’s good quality Mexican food. We used to call it ‘pink taco’ because it was painted all pink.”
Additionally, if you’ve got wheels, there’s another option: “I also like to go up to Flora Farms. It’s this really cool sort of farm-to-table experience. Really high-end.”
Where to Stay
Just like the food, the accommodations options are endless in Cabo. But if you’re looking for somewhere nice, with good food, and one of the area’s best surf spots just steps from your room, The Cape, a Thompson Hotel, is your best bet. Sitting just outside of downtown Cabo’s craziness, The Cape is a welcome reprieve. Oh yeah, and it was recently ranked one of the world’s best hotels for 2025. For Conklin:
“The Cape is one of the nicest hotels in Cabo. There’s a lot of hotels down here that have different vibes – they have all-inclusive hotels, the party hotels, all that stuff. But the quality is just not there. When you go to The Cape, everything is just five-star. There’s no comparing it to other hotels because of its location, because of the view, and there’s a wave right out front. It’s a luxurious experience. Everyone is so friendly, and goes out of their way to make sure you’re having a good time. And the food…oh my god. Some of the best food I’ve ever had. It’s baller.”
Extracurriculars
The Cape
You could just stay at the hotel, lounge at the pool, eat insanely good food, and surf the wave right out front of your hotel. Sure, you could do that. Fine. Perfect vacation behavior. But the beauty of Cabo is that there’s so much to explore – and even better, there’s so much within striking distance. So, if you’ve got a little wanderlust, Cabo has your fix.
“Just get outside and go on an adventure,” Conklin recommended outside of the standard Cabo experience. “You’ve got the Pacific side, the Sea of Cortez side. And then having Cabo as your home base – and somewhere like The Cape – everything is just like 45 minutes away. It’s super easy to get out and do some really cool stuff. I like being able to drive places, post up at a surf spot with nobody around, and just enjoy the natural beauty of it all.”