There is no single December event in Los Cabos greater than the collective Guadalupe–Reyes Marathon, the uniquely Mexican monthlong binge of festive holiday season parties between the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Dec. 12, and Three Kings Day, on Jan. 6. But one comes close — the official start of the local whale watching season on Dec. 15. New Year’s Eve merits a special mention, too, thanks to the spectacular annual fireworks show over Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas.
Aside from these though, what other activities can you expect this month in Los Cabos?
Gastrovino Food and Wine Festival
Okay, so this one isn’t in Los Cabos. But it’s a short one-hour road trip up the coast from Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos, where this annual food and wine-focused festival is staged. And since there’s no Sabor a Cabo — the big food festival in Los Cabos — scheduled this December, it’s the one monthly opportunity for visitors to sample world-class wine from Mexico’s best vineyards and world-class food courtesy of some of the region’s best chefs.
Date: Dec. 1
Location: Todos Santos Cultural Center
Cost: 85 pesos per person
Los Cabos International Film Festival
🎥✨ ¡Ya están aquí las 11 películas seleccionadas para #FICLosCabos2024! 🎞️ Del 4 al 8 de diciembre, ven y sumérgete en lo mejor del cine en un escenario inolvidable. 🌅📽️ #cine #ficc #encuadresmexicanos pic.twitter.com/XCapMSqsOv
— Festival Internacional de Cine de Los Cabos (@LosCabosIFF) November 15, 2024
Held annually since 2012, this film festival has hosted dozens of big-name actors and directors, including Liam Neeson, Nicole Kidman, Robert De Niro, Ewan McGregor, Edward Norton, Diego Luna, Virginia Madsen and Matt Dillon. However, the focus remains on strengthening collaborative ties between the North American film industries. Screenings this year will take place, as in past years, at Cinemex at Puerto Paraíso in Cabo San Lucas, but also in several locations in San José del Cabo, including Plaza Mijares and the Wirikuta botanical cactus garden.
Dates: Dec. 4 – 8
Location: Cinemex Puerto Paraíso and other screening sites
Cost: Check the website for price and ticket availability at individual venues.
San José del Cabo Art Walk
The historic Art District in San José del Cabo takes center stage each Thursday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. during high tourist season — November through June — when residents and visitors alike are invited to stroll its cobblestone streets and peruse the many eclectic fine arts galleries. The many superb bars and restaurants nearby also benefit, since the event finishes around dinner time.
Dates: Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26
Location: Gallery District in San José del Cabo
Cost: Free
Whale watching season
Every winter, more than 5,000 blue, gray, humpback and other whales migrate from their Arctic feeding grounds to breed in the shallow water coves and inlets of beautiful Baja California Sur. In this regard, these leviathans of the deep are very much like the snowbirds who flock to cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo to escape frigid winter temperatures in the U.S. and Canada. They’re just much, much larger.
Dates: Dec. 15 – April 15
Location: Sea of Cortés and Pacific Ocean
Cost: Free, with tours available at various price points
New Year’s Eve party at El Squid Roe
The place to be in Cabo San Lucas when the clock strikes 12 to usher in a New Year is near Medano Beach to see the annual fireworks show in all its spectacular glory. However, the place to be the rest of the night is El Squid Roe, the best nightclub in town since it opened in 1989. This year partygoers can expect an indoor firework show, not to mention drinking, dancing and all the convivial atmosphere for which the bar is famous.
Date: December 31
Location: Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas, Cabo San Lucas
Cost: From 109 pesos per person
New Year’s Eve white party at Marquis Los Cabos
Costume parties are a New Year’s tradition in Los Cabos. Luxurious Tourist Corridor-based all-inclusive resort Marquis Los Cabos keeps the tradition alive this year, requesting White Party-themed apparel to enjoy its many other offerings, including a four-course meal, a bottle of Taittinger Champagne, and a live band and DJ providing mood-appropriate music as couples elegantly dance their way into 2025.
Date: December 31
Location: Carretera Transpeninsular Km 21.5
Cost: New Year’s Eve night accommodations from 1,400 pesos
New Year’s Eve Party at Mandala
Paradise Found, Hotel Marquis Los Cabos, Mexico 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/ga3NLgd14l
— Natural Views On Earth (@OfEarth8) September 13, 2024
Like El Squid Roe, Mandala is a titan on the Cabo San Lucas nightlife scene.
To see the strobe light-painted glitterati atmosphere here at its shimmering best, visit on New Year’s Eve when highlights include acclaimed DJs, bottle service-style drinks and a dazzling light show. Reservations for this one aren’t cheap. The cheapest ticket package provides four access passes for 12,000 pesos. If you want a table, the number goes up. If that sounds steep, the asking price at La Vaquita across the street is a little more modest — but only a little. But who wants modesty on New Year’s Eve?
Dates: Dec. 31
Location: Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas, Cabo San Lucas
Cost: From 150 pesos per person
Swimming with whale sharks season
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, reaching up to 40 feet in length and weighing as much as 47,000 pounds. There’s no risk in swimming with them, though, as these gentle giants subsist solely on plankton. Baja California Sur’s capital city of La Paz is the premier place to indulge in this unforgettable wildlife adventure, with round-trip transportation from Los Cabos provided by many of the area’s best activities purveyors.
Dates: October – May
Location: La Paz, with transportation available from Los Cabos
Cost: Varies according to the adventure company
Surf season on the Pacific coast
Summer may be the best time to find great waves off Los Cabos’ Sea of Cortés-facing beaches. But beginning in November, the surf scene is centered around Pacific coast beaches like Cerritos, La Pastora and San Pedrito. Surfing is indeed good year-round in this part of Los Cabos— La Paz municipality, to be exact. However, conditions are at their peak from November to March, thanks to seasonally bigger and more consistent swells. Several local activities companies offer lessons for those who need to brush up on their wave-riding skills. Or learn some.
Dates: November – March
Location: Pacific coast surf beaches like Cerritos, San Pedrito and La Pastora near Todos Santos
Cost: Varies according to the company for lessons and rentals
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
