Day 5 itinerary for Los Cabos: Palmilla Beach and Self-Guided Walking Tour of San Jose Del Cabo
Today we will explore Palmilla Beach right outside San Jose del Cabo in the morning and then we will drive into town and explore it with a self-guided San José del Cabo walking tour.
If possible, come to San Jose del Cabo on a Thursday, as you will then be able to participate in the San José del Cabo Art Walk.
Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we typically promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the Viator tours below.
Palmilla Beach / Playa Palmilla
With a length of 2,800 ft (850 m), Palmilla Beach is one of the longest beaches in the Los Cabos area.
It has mostly soft white sand, but also some patches with coarser sand. Parts of the water, especially in the southern part, are roped off for swimming.
Located right outside San Jose del Cabo, Palmilla Beach is located right off Highway 1.
On Highway 1, take the exit to Palmilla Resort, drive through the resort grounds, and follow the signs to Playa Palmilla. The parking lot sometimes fills up to capacity during high season, so come before 11am if you can.
Don’t blindly follow google maps – the location of the parking lot is here.
The only area that is good for snorkeling is at the southernmost point by the submerged rocks under the Palmilla Resort buildings. Be careful and protect yourself and your camera as the ocean current can sometimes push you up against the rocks.
Everything you need to know about snorkeling can be found here.
Self-guided walking tour of downtown San Jose del Cabo
Your self-guided walking tour of downtown San Jose del Cabo Lucas starts at Plaza Mijares. This is a busy area with lots of narrow one-way roads and limited parking and chances are that you will need to park a few blocks away from the plaza.
This really is not a problem, as this entire area is really picturesque and you may discover some cute little galleries or stores along the way.
Plaza Mijares / San Jose del Cabo Central Plaza
Plaza Mijares is a fairly typical Mexican central plaza. It has a central kiosco (gazebo), a wide area for people to assemble (especially at night or during holidays), several restaurants and stores, a mission church on one side and city hall on another side.
For Christmas, the plaza is beautifully decorated.
During the heat of the day, the plaza is usually nearly empty. In the evenings, however, the plaza becomes a public meeting point and live music is often played here.
Letras San Jose del Cabo / San Jose del Cabo Sign
The San Jose del Cabo sign is located right in front of the Mission of San Jose del Cabo Church (Misión de San José del Cabo Anuiti).
This is a popular photo spot. Be advised that the sign is long and that it can be difficult to get the whole sign in a photo if there are cars parked on the street.
Mission of San Jose del Cabo Church / Misión de San José del Cabo Anuiti
The San Jose del Cabo sign is located right in front of Mission of San Jose del Cabo Church (Misión de San José del Cabo Anuiti).
This church has an interesting history:
When Jesuit priest Nicolas Tamaral founded the Mission of San Jose del Cabo in 1730, it was the southernmost Jesuit mission that was established during the colonial period in Baja California. The location was different from where today’s church is – it was near the ocean at Plaza la Mision (map).
The location was chosen to serve as a port and safe haven for ships that were going to undertake the long journey to Asia, or return from Asia.
However, armed conflicts with the local indigenous people were common and Father Tamaral was killed during the Rebellion of the Pericúes in 1734, and the mission was destroyed, but immediately rebuilt closer to the coast.
The conflicts went on until the indigenous people were mostly extinct in 1768.
After the expulsion of the Jesuits in the late 18th century, the mission was taken over by the Dominican order.
Over time, mission was moved farther inland to Santa Rosa (probably in 1753), and in 1840 to its current location. The church building that you see today dates mostly from 1918, and is a reconstruction after the original structure was severely damaged by a hurricane. The original structure and some of its walls are original.
The mosaic above the front portal of the church shows the uprising in which Father Tamaral was killed in 1734.
The interior of the church is relatively plain.
In the left transept stands an altar with three statues. The statue on the right represents Saint Charbel Makhluf, and in front of it is a rack with lots of white and colorful ribbons.
People write petitions to the saint on a colored ribbon, and tie it to the rack. To give thanks they write on a white ribbon.
Regular services are held in Spanish every day, and an English Mass is held on Sundays at noon.
San Jose del Cabo Gallery District and Art Walk
The San Jose del Cabo Gallery District, or San Jose del Cabo Art District, comprised about 2 blocks north and 2 blocks west of the Mission of San Jose del Cabo Church along Jose Maria Morelos and Alvaro Obregon streets (#4 and #5 in the map below).
You will find plenty of art galleries on those streets.
Every Thursday evening from 5pm to 9pm, this area hosts the Art Walk, an event where the (nowadays) 13 art galleries who sponsor it stay open until 9pm.
If you have time before the Art Walk, then you could check out the shopping and dining street Blvd. Antonio Mijares.
Blvd. Antonio Mijares Shopping and Dining Street
Conveniently located directly south of Plaza Mijares, Blvd. Antonio Mijaresis a beautiful tree-lined street with lots of stores, restaurants and coffee shops. It is a good place to get some food before you participate in the Art Walk.
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Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel
Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.
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