Boho charm & laid-back vibes: Explore Todos Santos, Mexico

Are you traveling to Los Cabos? Then you’ve probably heard of Todos Santos. The little town on the Pacific Coast is known as one of only two Pueblos Mágicos (magic towns) located on the Mexican peninsula Baja California Sur (BCS). Its laid-back vibe, unique accommodations, and unspoiled coastline mostly attract independent travelers, creatives, and surfers.

In this travel guide to Todos Santos, I cover things to do in Todos Santos, restaurant and hotel tips, and ideas for day trips.

Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored, though I did receive a special rate to stay at La Bohemia Baja Hotel Pequeño. However, and as everywhere on this blog, I only share things I absolutely recommend and think my readers will also love!

How to get to Todos Santos?

Todos Santos is only 47 miles (75 km) north of Cabo San Lucas and 65 mi (105 km) away from San José del Cabo if you take Los Cabos Toll Road and La Paz can be reached within 1:10 hour. Even though the short drive makes Todos Santos an easy day trip, I’d recommend making Todos Santos your hub, stay a couple of days in this tiny and soak in the town’s unique character.

Free Things to do in Todos Santos

1. Explore the “Pueblo Mágico”

Compared to Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, Todos Santos is a charming town that you can explore in only a couple of hours on foot. Exploring the town’s center with historic buildings, cobblestone streets, and colorful flags is probably your first activity, not only because it’s a free thing to do in Todos Santos, but because it’s the reason you came: To soak up the laid-back vibe of this pueblo mágico.

2. Stroll through art galleries and boho shops

When strolling through the streets of Todos Santos you will quickly recognize the many boho-style boutiques, art galleries, and delicious food options. You’ll probably end up spending much more time in the historic center of Todos Santos than you had expected when considering the town’s size.

3. Visit Todos Santos’ beaches

High waves and strong currents at the Pacific side of Baja California Sur’s beaches don’t make all beaches around Todos Santos ideal for swimming. Therefore, the Pacific Coast is a surfer’s paradise. Even though you aren’t riding waves you shouldn’t miss putting your feet in the sand of this unspoiled coastline and watching incredible Baja sunsets.

Depending on what type of beach person you are, here is a selection:

La Cachora Beach

• Located right in front of Todos Santos
• Perfect for sunsets in particular

La Pastora Beach

• Located north of Todos Santos, 10 min drive from town
• Rocky beach, not recommended for swimming, but a great spot for surfers, watching sunsets, and whales swimming by in winter

Punta Lobos

• Local fishing beach frequented by local families
• Witness traditional pangas (fishing boats) as they fly out of the water onto the sandy beach
• Swimming is possible when waves are small

Palm Beach

• Great for swimming and sunbathing
• From the parking lot, it’s a short walk through an oasis of palm trees

San Pedrito Beach

• Located just before Pescadero, a small village offering surf camps
• Popular with advanced surfers

Cerritos Beach

• Becoming popular for surfers of all levels as well as swimmers and sunbathers
• Gained attention from visitors from Cabo and La Paz, so weekends can get crowded

4. Release sea turtles into the ocean

When visiting Todos Santos in winter check out the turtle release project of Tortugueros Las Playitas A.C. It’s an environmental conservation organization with the mission to protect, conserve, and replenish the fragile marine ecosystem of Mexico’s Baja California Sur. The organization runs the northernmost greenhouse in Baja California Sur, where vulnerable Olive Ridley and black sea turtles as well as endangered leatherback turtles hatch in winter and spring.

Usually, around sunset, the volunteers release freshly hatched turtles from the beach into the Pacific Ocean. Everyone interested is invited to observe this spectacle and watch these tiny critters making their journey into the vast Pacific Ocean. If they survive, they will return to this beach in 10-12 years to lay eggs.

Knowing that only one out of 1000 hatched turtles will make it and grow up makes me observe this happening with a laughing and a crying eye.

Watching the turtle release is a fee activity, donations to support the volunteers are welcome though. They cruise a stretch of 22 mi / 36 km every night on their quads to find egg-filled nests to take to their protected greenhouse in order to save the eggs from predators. They even offer programs for kids like becoming Biologists for a Day.

For the most recent information check their Facebook page.

5. Watch whales swimming by from the beach

When traveling to Los Cabos in winter you have great chances to see whales from the beach without going on a whale-watching tour. As humpback and gray whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico between December and April, the shore of Baja California Sur is their highway traveling south.

While a whale-watching tour is an incredible experience (I totally recommend joining one), it’s amazing to see the marine giants breaching and blowing while you are just sitting at the beach. Even from a distance, this natural spectacle is hard to miss. It happened to us when chilling at the pool at El Faro Beach Club while having lunch at Green Room and beaching at Santa Maria Beach at The Corridor. So, chances are quite high…

For more details on whale-watching in Los Cabos check out my guide “5 reasons to visit Los Cabos in winter” (Coming soon)

Where to eat in Todos Santos

Lunch at The Green Room

Todos Santos is home to restaurants with exquisite cuisine and The Green Room definitely is one of those. If you have a rental car, check out this beachfront restaurant.

They serve elevated Mexican seafood at a casual vibe and you sit either right on the beach or at the bar with ocean views. You might need a reservation in the evening (especially when they have live music). We checked in for lunch and plenty of spots were available. We even saw whales swimming by blowing and breaching.

While the location is quite hidden and no signs on the main road will tell you the entrance, but your GPS will guide you there. The paved road leading north changes into a sandy dirt road shortly after you have left Todos Santos to the north. Eventually, the Green Room is on your left, onsite at the Villa Santa Cruz Boutique Beach Resort, 5 mi (8 km) north of Todos Santos’ center.

Open daily, 1 pm – 9 pm

Dinner at Barracuda Cantina

You might know Barracuda Cantina from the Netflix series Taco Chronicles (Season 2 Episode 7 “Fish Taco”). We didn’t but found ourselves there as Barracuda Cantina was a hint from Alberto at La Bohemia Baja. He seems to know the local cuisine very well as he also recommended The Green Room. The cocktails are outstanding and the shrimp burrito was the best I’ve had in my life, honestly!

The original Barracuda Cantina is located at Cerritos Beach, 20 min south of Todos Santos. Barracuda Cantina’s urban outlet definitely brings beach vibes into the center of Todos Santos. The food is prepared in a fish taco truck and crafted cocktails are served in a laid-back, atmosphere. On the shaded patio, you sit with sand, and palm trees.

Restaurant tips for Todos Santos

• Barracuda Cantina: fish tacos, shrimp burrito & crafted cocktails
• The Green Room: elevated Mexican seafood at a casual vibe
• Taqueria Los Paisas de los Cabos: authentic Mexican street food, specialized in chorreada y vampire tacos al pastor (marinated pork on a spit) or asada (grilled steak strips)
• Restaurant & bar La Santeña at Hotel Casa Tota for mezcalitas and margaritas

Day trips from Todos Santos

Spend an afternoon at El Faro Beach Club & Spa

Just 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the historic center of Todos Santos you’ll find El Faro Beach Club, a Mediterranean-style oasis. Here you can lounge at the pool enjoying drinks, soak up the sun, explore the beach, dine, get a massage, and watch incredible Baja sunsets.

El Faro Beach Club is open Wednesday through Monday, from 11 am to 7 pm.

A day pass to access El Faro Beach Club is 500 pesos ($26) per person. For 650 pesos ($35) per person, you can rent an ocean-view cabana. Access to El Faro Beach Club is free when staying at La Bohemia Baja Pequeño. (Scroll down to the section Where to Stay in Todos Santos).

Visit Baja California Sur’s capital La Paz

La Paz, the capital of BCS is only a little over an hour away from Todos Santos. There there are several reasons why you want to make a trip:

1. Your money goes a long way in La Paz: Food, accommodation, etc. is much more affordable, especially compared to Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.
2. The famous Balandra Beach is located 30 minutes north of La Paz and you should not miss the natural beauty of this shallow cove with sand banks and turquoise water looking like the Maldives or Seychelles
3. In winter you can swim and snorkel with whale sharks
4. La Isla Espiritu Santo is home to a sea lion colony to swim and snorkel with, too.
5. In case you want to explore Mexico’s mainland, La Paz is the place to go as it’s the only location in BCS with a ferry connection to Mexico’s mainland

Distance Todos Santos – La Paz: 53 mi (85 km) / 1:10 hrs

The Arch and Land’s End at Cabo San Lucas

The southernmost tip of Baja California Sur is probably the most popular sight in Los Cabos. At Land’s End, the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez meet. The Arch marks the very end point of the peninsula of Baja California Sur and is the reason why so many people visit Cabo San Lucas.

Iconic rock formations characterize this piece of land, attracting hundreds of day visitors, sunset cruisers, beachgoers, snorkelers, and divers daily.

In case you are road-tripping Los Cabos you will come by The Arch at some point. Also, if you’ve decided to stay in Todos Santos (probably for good reason), you might want to consider visiting Land’s End for a day and see the postcard motif with your own eyes.

Distance Todos Santos – Cabo San Lucas: 47 mi (75 km) / 1 hrs

Explore San José del Cabo

San José del Cabo is less crowded and busy than Cabo San Lucas and offers some unique things to do like farm-to-table dining, swimming, snorkeling, diving, and whale watching in quieter surroundings. If you enjoy Todos Santos for its laid-back vibe then you will love San José del Cabo for its gallery district, small shops, and cafés, and Thursday art market, too.  

For details check out my separate blog post (coming soon).

Distance Todos Santos – San José del Cabo: 65 mi (105 km) / 1:15 hrs

Where to stay in Todos Santos?

Todos Santos is home to a couple of unique Bed & Breakfasts, small boutique-style hotels as well as glamping spots. Compared to Cabo San Lucas this is the place where you can truly unwind and enjoy tranquility even while staying in town.

Boutique Hotel: La Bohemia Baja Pequeño

We stayed at La Bohemia Baja Hotel Pequeño, Todos Santo’s first Bed & Breakfast. Back in 1993, it was called Las Casitas. In 2014 the actual owners Erin and Andy Wheelwright stumbled across the place and turned it into what is now known as La Bohemia Baja Hotel Pequeño. They created something totally new by keeping the style and integrity of some of the oldest buildings in town.

Today, La Bohemia Baja Hotel Pequeño is a lush oasis in the center of Todos Santo’s center. Its backyard is filled with all types of amazing trees and plants attracting different species of birds. Some of them sticked around from the days when La Bohemia Baja Pequeño was a luscious nursery. You will hear them sing and probably wake up with the occasional rooster call.

Amenities La Bohemia

• The boutique hotel hosts up to 21 guests in 9 rooms and 2 suites, making it an intimate hideaway.
• There is an outdoor pool, a lush tropical garden, and an open space with a palm-thatched roof (palapa).
• Daily farm-fresh breakfast is included, served under the palapa between 8 and 10 am daily. It’s a rotating menu cooked by chefs born and raised in Todos Santos.
• Beach + pool towels are included as well as the rental of beach umbrellas and chairs.
• Purified water is available on the property and some rooms have their own water dispenser.
• Free street parking outside the property

La Bohemia Baja Pequeño also offers massage services. As Sofi is not always on the property make sure to give them a heads-up so they can arrange it.

I loved the boutique hotel for its bright style and interior. Items you can find in the room are for sale in the boutique, ranging from Mexican floor mats, scarves, blankets made from Peruvian alpaca wool, bathrobes from Guatemala colorful cow skulls, etc.

Also included in your stay at La Bohemia is complimentary access to El Faro Beach Club. (Reservation is required, just ask at the front desk).

Todos Santos Glamping

If you like the vibe of La Bohemia Baja Pequeño and are looking for a glamping experience, check out their sister property Gypsy Canyon Glamping at the beach (currently under construction, status January 2023).

Cien Palmas is a bohemia-style glamping spot, located in the center of Todos Santos that’s worth checking out.

More travel guides for Los Cabos, Mexico:

• Travel Cabo San Lucas independently: Things to do + What to avoid in Cabo’s tourist center

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QUESTIONS & COMMENTS?

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