Cabo - Medano Beach options

Between Tabascos, Moxitos & The Sand Bar, which is the LEAST "spring break" - ish? I know there's no such thing as a quiet spot on Medano Beach, but trying to figure out what the most mellow option is. Looking for a place to rent a lounge chair, have lunch and a few drinks. Not interested in wet t shirt contests and the like. Don't mind some music and entertainment, just would rather avoid the wild party scene if possible.

The Medano Party Problem is over rated

Medano is a huge beach with a small party area

Tobascos is near the south end of things, very little party there

The Mango Deck and Office are 1/4 mile north (middle of party)

The sand on Medano is Unpleasant to walk in (deep large coarse grains); thus drunk partiers mostly stay put

Almost no one swims at Medano Beach

That said, there are lots of vendors, beach chairs and a beautiful bay to gaze at

Below is a pic of Medano

At the bottom center is the Marina (cruise ship tender drop off)

Most everyone takes a water taxi to Medano ($4 + $3 return pp)

The party zone is the blue beach awnings in the center of the pic

Tobascos is in the very upper TOP OF PIC beach area of the pic (where the concrete drive turn around circle is).

The Good and Bad of the Tabascos area.

The good is CHEAP food and drink and LOTS TO LOOK AT

The bad is vendors, most cruisers HATE the vendors

They are relentless - at least 1 per minute all day long will approach you

A quick confident "Gracias, NO"... GOOD IDEA

Trying to ignore a vendor... BAD IDEA

If you are a rookie, look around at how the well tanned do it, and copy them

As you can see in the picture, there are many resorts on Medano.

Most have vendor free beach areas

If we were travelling as a well dressed Couple, we might consider walking right into any of these resort beach areas like we own the place, walking right up to the beach bar, that is usually up near the pool, and order a cool drink (! TIP !). Ask to see a lunch menu. Ask the bar staff if it would be ok to stick around for a few more cool drinks. TIP FREELY. Before you know it, you are accepted guests in a vendor free area of a beautiful resort (Mexicans love to go with the flow... with generous smiling respectful blend in cruisers).

Another option is to have the water taxi drop you off before (BELOW) the BLUE BEACH AWNINGS IN THE CENTER OF THE PIC

This area has far less vendors, is very quiet, not nearly as much to see, and is resort food and drink only ($$$) a $5 beer would be average, and of course, almost no partying atmosphere

and if you don't like it there, you can always walk up past the party zone more towards Tobascos.

Visiting a Resort Reception Desk and asking to buy a day pass is not such a good idea... blending in and tipping freely is a good idea

Of the three restaurants you mentioned, Moxitos is the quietest. The owner plays nice background music. There are plenty of lounge chairs on the beach.

I don't agree with bobnsofi about the sand. I walk my dogs on the beach barefoot several times a week.

The vendor population seems to be way down since the hurricane, but perhaps it will pick up during spring break. A simple no gracias or shaking your head no is all that is required. Yes, the vendors can be annoying but they are just trying to make a living also. Sometimes, they have good junk.

We just returned from 2 weeks in Cabo. Stayed at Cabo Villas right on Medano beach. My wife and sister in law were on the beach everyday and swam everyday. All but a couple of days the water was calm and they had no trouble getting into or out of the sea. Lots of people were swimming. In the roped off area of Baja Cantina there was little interaction with the vendors. Several cruisers were in the area, so no problem as long as buying a few drinks or eating. My brother in law and I walk to Tabascos and Moxitos numerous times. Not a long walk, couple hundred yards to Moxitos and 1/4 mile or so to Tabascos. Once by the Office and Mango Deck, it was real quiet. Tabascos has be rebuilt from the ground up as it was totally destroyed by the huricane. It is very nice. We ate at Baja Cantina and Moxitos and the food was good. During the day, drinks seemed to always be two for one, $5 to $6 for two beers. Margaritas and Miami Vices were around $10 for two. It was real quiet this time of year compared to when we were there during spring break time..... :)

I'm not familiar with Baja Cantina. I like the idea of being roped off from the vendors. Do they rent lounge chairs and have food and drink like the other restaurants on Medano Beach?

Yes, the Baja Cantina has food and drinks. I don't believe the cruisers that sat by us paid for the loungers. They walked up and sat down. They bought drinks and food so the wait staff didn't care....When we stayed at other resorts we would always stop by the Baja Cantina for a drink while walking the beach.

The Baja Cantina is just below the blue beach umbrellas in the middle of the map. It is actually the first place on the beach that serves drinks/food. I believe the blue umbrellas is the Office. Then Mango Deck. There is a new place next to Mango Deck, very small with a few tables and chairs. Then Casa Dorada resort, the Sand Bar, Moxitos, ME resort (Nikki beach) - closed due to damage until January, Pueblo Bonito, Pueblo Bonito Rose and Tabascos.

Sorry, but first of all I have to disagree with bobnsofi. "Dressing up" and passing as paying guests is wrong. Period. The guests at those resorts pay $300-$1000 per night. For that money, they should be able to expect a lounge chair, or a seat at the beachside Cantina.

The beach has lots of Cantinas that are happy to provide chairs, lounges, and even umbrellas for their customers, without having to steal from paying guests at the resorts.

As for vendors...yes...a lot of them, but if you simply say "No Gracious", that is typically enough. Many of the Cantinas have a roped off area. The vendors will not cross the rope unless you invite them.

Tabascos is our favorite place. Take a water taxi there, after viewing Lover's Beach, Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, and Divorce Beach ($10-12 pp)

You'll have to jump out in the surf at Tabascos, but even with my fake knee, I have little problem. After a day of cheap (and good) beverages and food, wander out to the parking lot, and grab a land taxi (about $12-15 for up to 6 people) and enjoy the ride back to the cruise docks. Using the land cab, you will get a tour of Cabo San Lucas that you would otherwise miss.

Just my $0.02P worth.