Best Cabo San Lucas shore excursions
The top-rated independent excursion in Cabo San Lucas is "Los Cabos Arch & Lover’s Beach Tour + Snorkeling Tour" (4.9★ from 373 reviews, from $66). The biggest saving against the ship is beach break / beach club: $91 per person less than NCL. Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Ranked from real traveller ratings: each tour's star rating weighted by how many reviews it has, so a 4.9 with 3,000 reviews beats a 5.0 with 25. Only tours we matched to a tour type in Cabo San Lucas are included.
Top-rated independent excursions
| # | Tour | From | Rating | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Cabos Arch & Lover’s Beach Tour + Snorkeling TourBeach break / beach club | $66 | 4.9★373 reviews | 4/5 |
| 2 | Los Cabos: The Arch and Lover's Beach Kayaking + SnorkelingKayak / paddle | $93 | 4.9★334 reviews | 4/5 |
| 3 | Cabo San Lucas: Beach & Desert ATV Tour with Tequila TastingATV / buggy / jeep | $74 | 4.4★296 reviews | 4/5 |
| 4 | Los Cabos: Shared Sunset Sailing CruiseParty / sunset cruise | $84 | 4.9★138 reviews | 4/5 |
| 5 | Cabo San Lucas: Catamaran Tour of the Annual Whale MigrationCatamaran / sail & snorkel | $97 | 4.7★132 reviews | 4/5 |
| 6 | Cabo: Beach & Desert ATV Adventure with Tequila TastingATV / buggy / jeep | $53 | 4.5★136 reviews | 4/5 |
| 7 | Cabo San Lucas: Sunset Pirate Ship Cruise with Dinner ShowParty / sunset cruise | $99 | 4.4★126 reviews | 4/5 |
| 8 | Cabo San Lucas: Sunset Party Cruise with Unlimited DrinksParty / sunset cruise | $97 | 4.3★131 reviews | 4/5 |
| 9 | Cabo San Lucas: 4-Hour Snorkeling Cruise with Open BarSnorkel tour | $124 | 4.5★111 reviews | 4/5 |
| 10 | Los Cabos: Kayaking and Snorkeling in Two Pristine BaysKayak / paddle | $93 | 4.9★71 reviews | 4/5 |
Best value against the ship
| Tour type | Line | Ship | Independent | Saving for 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach break / beach club | NCL | $158 | $66 | $365 |
| Submarine / glass-bottom | Carnival | $99 | $21 | $311 |
| Whale watching | NCL | $163 | $90 | $291 |
| Snorkel tour | NCL | $128 | $64 | $257 |
| Beach break / beach club | Carnival | $121 | $66 | $218 |
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | NCL | $153 | $100 | $211 |
Where the ship is cheaper
- City / island tour on NCL: $79 on the ship vs $82 independent.
- Food & tasting on Carnival: $85 on the ship vs $90 independent.
- City / island tour on Carnival: $71 on the ship vs $82 independent.
- Scuba / helmet dive on NCL: $148 on the ship vs $213 independent.
Without a tour: near the pier
- El Arco (Land's End): ~10 min by road (1.6 km).
- Medano Beach: ~15 min walk (952 m).
- Marina boardwalk: ~5 min walk (84 m).
Cabo is a tender port. The tender pier is in the marina, where most boat tours also depart.
Questions
What is the best excursion in Cabo San Lucas?
On ratings, "Los Cabos Arch & Lover’s Beach Tour + Snorkeling Tour" leads with 4.9 stars from 373 reviews. On value, beach break / beach club saves the most against the ship ($91 per person).
What is the cheapest well-rated excursion in Cabo San Lucas?
"Cabo: Beach & Desert ATV Adventure with Tequila Tasting" from $53 per person (4.5★, 136 reviews).
What can you do in Cabo San Lucas without booking an excursion?
Within about 20 minutes of the pier: El Arco (Land's End) (~10 min by road), Medano Beach (~15 min walk), Marina boardwalk (~5 min walk).
All Cabo San Lucas prices and pier guide · Carnival in Cabo San Lucas · NCL in Cabo San Lucas