An abundance of glass-bottomed tour boats depart frequently from the marina and from Playa El Médano 9 A.M.–4 P.M. each day. The standard 45-minute tour costs US$8–12 per person and covers Pelican Rock, the famous Land’s End arch, and the sea lion colony.

For no extra charge, the crew will let passengers off at Playa del Amor near the arch; you can flag down any passing boat from the same fleet and catch a ride back to the marina later in the day. Be sure to see the boat you will board before you pay, as engines can be old and unreliable, and you may not get your money back if the trip is aborted due to engine failure.

Dos Mares (tel. 624/143-4339) is one of the oldest fleet operators; Esperanza’s Fleet (tel. 624/144-4666, US$12 or US$22 with snorkeling gear rental) is another option, with four large glass-bottomed panga boats.

A handful of larger boats head out of the harbor in the late afternoon to catch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. The usual route is to head out to the arch and around the point, up as far as the Hotel Solmar and Pueblo Bonito hotels. These sunset cruises usually include all the beer and margaritas you can drink, which can make for an entertaining boat ride. You can make reservations directly through the cruise companies or at any hotel in town (for no extra charge).

The all-the-margaritas-you-can-drink sunset cruise aboard one of the Pez Gato (Camino Del Cerro 215, El Pedregal, tel. 624/143-3797, www.pezgatocabo.com, Mon.–Sat.) catamarans is a memorable experience. The tunes are all from the 1980s—from Toto and Abba to Bon Jovi—and the crowd is a mix of older couples and families. A hardworking staff from the mainland sees that drinks are replenished and no one falls overboard.

Jungle Cruise Tours (tel. 624/143-7530, www.cabobooze cruise.com, US$35 pp) does a similar cruise, except it’s adults-only. Boats leave from the marina at 6 P.M. in spring and summer and 5 P.M. in fall and winter.

A larger cruise ship, Caborey (Blvd. Marina, inside the Wyndham Cabo San Lucas Resort, tel. 624/143-8269, toll-free U.S. and Canada tel. 866/460-4105, www.caborey.com) runs a dinner cruise for US$89 per person and a margarita cruise with appetizers for US$45. Kids under 10 are half price.

Two modern-day pirate ships take passengers back to the days when the English stalked the Spanish Manila galleons from hiding spots behind the rocks at Land’s End. The 29-meter Buccaneer Queen (Dock 1, Cabo San Lucas Marina, near the Hacienda Resort, tel. 624/144-4218, www.buccaneerloscabos.com, US$45–69 pp) races around the bay and heels like it’s racing in the America’s Cup (passengers must wear life preservers). Choose among the whale-watching, snorkeling, or sunset tours.

The Sunderland (tel. 624/143-2714, www.pirateshipcabo.com.mx) is a historic tall ship built in 1885. Tours are family friendly, except for the loud noise from the cannon.

Whale-Watching

During the winter months, adult and juvenile gray whales entertain resort-goers all along the Los Cabos coast with their spouting and breaching. Many of the glass-bottom boat operators also offer whale-watching cruises to get you a little closer to the action; however, note that these are not the close encounters that you can have in the breeding grounds farther north.

If you are determined to touch a whale, you’ll need to head to Bahía Magdalena, Laguna San Ignacio, or Laguna Ojo de Liebre near Guerrero Negro.

In business for more than a decade, Cabo Expeditions (Blvd. Marina, Wyndham Cabo San Lucas Resort, tel. 624/143-2700, www.caboexpeditions.com.mx, US$85 pp) does a better job than most at training its staff in safety procedures and knowledge of marine life. Guides must be PADI-certified rescue divers with emergency response training. The organization is active in whale rescue, beach cleanup, and other local conservation programs.

Tours on inflatable Zodiac boats depart at 8 A.M., 10:30 A.M., 1 P.M., and 3:30 P.M. mid-December–mid-April. In addition to whale-watching, Cabo Expeditions offers snorkeling, parasailing, and some underwater experiences for noncertified divers: “snuba” (underwater helmet diving) and rides aboard a semisubmersible vessel, Cabo Submarine (painted bright yellow, of course). Look for the Cabo Expeditions office inside the Wyndham Cabo San Lucas Resort on the marina.

Boating

The Cabo San Lucas Marina (Lote A 18 de la Dársena, tel. 624/173-9140, www.igy cabosanlucas.com) is now owned by Island Global Yachting, a company that develops and manages luxury marinas around the world. Its 380 slips line the inner harbor and can accommodate yachts up to 200 feet in length. Services include 24-hour security, wireless Internet, and a desalination plant for water. There is a swimming pool, laundry facilities, hot showers, storage, a two-lane boat ramp, and a state-of-the-art fuel dock with both diesel and gasoline.

The on-site boatyard and 75-ton lift can handle just about any standard repair. Rates are US$340 per week or US$1,250 per month for a 20-foot boat, and up to US$2,814 per week or US$10,325 per month for a 79-foot boat. Reservations are accepted online. Office hours are 9 A.M.–5 P.M. Monday–Saturday, 10 A.M.–3 P.M. Sunday.

Cabo San Lucas offers a greater variety of shops, restaurants, and services within walking distance of the marina than the new Puerto Los Cabos marina at La Playita near San José. As an official port of entry into Mexico, Cabo San Lucas has a port captain’s office (Calle Matamoros at 16 de Septiembre).

Cape Marine (Plaza Marina, Local J2 3, tel. 624/143-4970, 8 A.M.–6 P.M. Mon.–Sat.) carries hardware, apparel, yachting supplies and tools, and fishing equipment. Credit cards are accepted.