Baja California Sur (Mexico)
Todos Santos is a Pueblo Mágico on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, a small art town with a walkable historic center and some of the peninsula's best-known surf beaches within a short drive.
This guide covers the essentials for a first visit: the plaza and old town, the mission church founded in 1733, Hotel California and its real history, the Siglo XXI Cultural Center, the gallery scene, Playa Los Cerritos near El Pescadero, the fishing beach at Punta Lobos, the seasonal sea turtle releases, a guided horseback ride on the beach, surf lessons, the secluded beach at San Pedrito, a guided hike and a glamping camp in the Sierra de la Laguna and the local farm-to-table dining scene. The eight stays range from a beachfront hotel at Punta Lobos and a boutique art hotel in the center to a surf hotel at Cerritos and a simple downtown budget stay.
Playa Los Cerritos
A long Pacific beach near El Pescadero known for beginner-friendly surf, beach bars and sunsets. Free to enter, with lessons and board rentals on the sand and a strong respect for the ocean required.
Misión Nuestra Señora del Pilar
The town church on its small esplanade, descended from the Jesuit mission founded here in 1733. Free to see from the outside, calm in the early morning and a good first stop on a town walk.
Todos Santos Art Galleries and Studios
The art scene that made the town a creative hub: galleries, studios and a hands-on clay activity, taken as a private, roughly four-hour walking tour that starts at the historic theater.
Horseback Ride on the Todos Santos Beaches
A guided horseback ride along the beaches near Todos Santos, passing Playa La Cachora, with a qualified instructor, saddle and private transportation included.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
The walkable heart of the Pueblo Mágico: a small plaza, a historic mission church, a 1940s cinema-theater, galleries in old adobe and brick buildings, and cafes under shade trees. Free, flat and best on foot.
FreeThe town church on its small esplanade, descended from the Jesuit mission founded here in 1733. Free to see from the outside, calm in the early morning and a good first stop on a town walk.
The historic hotel in the center that opened in 1950 and became famous for a song it says it did not inspire. Come for the courtyard, the bars and the stories, whether or not you stay.
The art scene that made the town a creative hub: galleries, studios and a hands-on clay activity, taken as a private, roughly four-hour walking tour that starts at the historic theater.
A cultural center in the former rural teachers school, with small museums on regional history, a photography museum, an art gallery of work donated by resident artists and a replica traditional house.
FreeA long Pacific beach near El Pescadero known for beginner-friendly surf, beach bars and sunsets. Free to enter, with lessons and board rentals on the sand and a strong respect for the ocean required.
The working fishing beach closest to town, where fishermen launch and land their boats, and the trailhead for a steep hike to the ruins of the old sugar port. Free, photogenic and best in the morning.
In season, local volunteers protect nesting beaches and release hatchlings at sunset. A seasonal, ethical wildlife evening: confirm dates with the group and follow the staff, with no handling of hatchlings.
A guided horseback ride along the beaches near Todos Santos, passing Playa La Cachora, with a qualified instructor, saddle and private transportation included.
A secluded surf beach in El Pescadero, framed by rocky cliffs and reached by a short dirt track off the highway. Quieter than Los Cerritos, with a serious wave and a lot of room to walk.
A one-hour lesson with an experienced local instructor at Playa Los Cerritos, with board, wetsuit and rash guard included. The easiest way to turn a beach day into a first ride.
A guided day in the mountains behind Todos Santos: cooler air, oak and pine forest, birds, swimming holes in the right season and big views toward two seas. Book a guide and go early.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Punta Lobos, Pacific Coast
A beachfront Bunkhouse hotel at Punta Lobos on the Pacific, a short drive from the center of Todos Santos. The splurge pick, for sunsets, surf and whale season views.
Check rates →Historic Center
A 14-room boutique hotel and art gallery in the historic center, with a rooftop terrace, a spa and a Pacific beach club reserved for guests. The upper-mid pick for walking to galleries and dinner.
Check rates →
$$$Historic Center
The landmark hotel in the center, open since 1950, with a pool, a rooftop terrace, two restaurants and a garden. A characterful mid-range base with history to match its fame.
Check rates →Playa Los Cerritos, El Pescadero
A beachfront surf hotel at Playa Los Cerritos near El Pescadero, with a swim-up pool bar, an on-site restaurant and a spa. A lively mid-range pick for surfers and beach days.
Check rates →Historic Center
A 14-room downtown hotel with an outdoor pool, a pizza bar and air conditioning, a short walk from the plaza. The budget-friendly pick, with self check-in and no on-site parking.
Check rates →El Pescadero, Pacific Coast
A wellness-minded resort in El Pescadero, close to the surf beaches south of Todos Santos. The full-service pick for a spa, pool and resort comforts with the Pacific coast on the doorstep.
Check rates →Desert outskirts, Todos Santos
A desert-setting retreat near Todos Santos focused on wellness and reconnecting with nature. The quiet, design-minded pick for a slow stay outside the busy center.
Check rates →Historic Center
An intimate boutique inn in the historic district with a bohemian feel. The small, central pick for guests who want to walk to galleries, the plaza and dinner.
Check rates →What to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and how the plaza, galleries, surf beaches and seasonal turtle releases fit together on a first visit.
Choose between the walkable historic center, the Punta Lobos shoreline and the surf scene at Los Cerritos, with eight hotels from the center to the coast.
A relaxed three-day plan for Todos Santos and El Pescadero, balancing the historic center, the Pacific beaches and one outdoor adventure, with tips on pacing and transport.
A guide to the food scene around Todos Santos: farm-to-table restaurants, fresh Pacific seafood, courtyard bars and how to plan meals around the day.
How the seasons shape a trip to Todos Santos: weather, surf, whale and turtle seasons, festivals and the quieter months, with advice on when to go for what you want.
Plan the active side of a Todos Santos trip: surf lessons, mountain hikes, glamping in the Sierra de la Laguna, horseback rides and quiet beaches, with safety and planning notes.
