The Pericú People lived in the area that is now San José del Cabo for thousands of years and called the area Añuitní, which means “area between the palm trees”. They were hunters and gatherers, and also relied on the abundant provisions provided by the Sea of California. Explorer Hernán Cortéz arrived from Spain in the early 16th century, followed by Jesuit Priests in 1730, with the intention of claiming then area for Spain, and to convert the local population to Catholicism.
The priests established a mission and named it Mission San José del Cabo. Just a few years later in 1734, the situation between the Pericú and the Jesuits was very tense, and a rebellion occurred, resulting in the deaths of two priests. The Jesuits eventually regained control only to be expelled from the area in the mid 1760s when Franciscan Priests took control of the mission. Click here for a more in depth history.
The original mission suffered much damage over the years due to conflicts and natural disasters, but was rebuilt in the 1940s.



Today, San José del Cabo is a popular tourist destination and is much more relaxed than neighboring Cabo San Lucas, with a focus on art and cuisine rather than being a party town. We enjoyed some delicious meals here, including the dinner we had on our first evening at award winning Don Sanchez.




Here we enjoyed some tuna ceviche, mushroom risotto and several palette cleansers between courses.




Another favorite was Casa Don Rodrigo where we had a delicious lunch including ceviche, enchiladas and a Caesar salad.



On my birthday, we went to a Michelin rated restaurant at Acre Resort in Los Cabos. It is located in the jungle, way off the beaten path.

It looks like an incredible place to stay with tree house accommodations hidden among the vines. However, the hostess mentioned that they do get snakes on the property which nearly had me running for the hills!


The service was impeccable, but we didn’t think the food was worthy of a Michelin award. We usually have a glass of sparkling wine or Champagne on special occasions, but at close to 90.00 USD per glass, we opted out. However, theTravelsketcher told the server it was my birthday, and at the end of the meal they brought us each a glass of Champagne with our dessert; on the house.








Last week theTravelsketcher wrote about our stay at a beach front resort; click here to read that post. The food there was hit or miss, but one evening we had dinner at their Japanese restaurant, which was quite good.



As usual, we enjoyed strolling through the city and capturing some images.









We enjoyed our stay in San José del Cabo, but found it to be extremely expensive; 35.00 USD for a glass of Chardonnay; 25.00 USD for five posts cards? Crazy! Keep this in mind if you plan to visit.
We have enjoyed other locations in Mexico and I recently found some old snapshots of previous trips there which I will share in the coming weeks.
So what do you think of San José del Cabo? As always, I would love to hear from you so leave a message if you’d like.
Wishing you grand and affordable adventures,
Tricia
It was a real treat to read this sunny post on a really miserable day here.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it; thanks for your comment.
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I’ve never been to San José del Cabo, but it looks like a great choice if you value culture, art, luxury, and a relaxed pace with traditional Mexican flair, and don’t mind higher prices for premium experiences. I looked up Acre Resort and loved their open-air treehouses and jungle setting. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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Yes; San José del Cabo is a lovely place, but expensive. Acre Resort is so inviting, until they mention the snakes; yikes! Thanks, Aiva, I hope you have a good day too.
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🥰🥰🥰
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I’m beginning to wonder a bit about all the Michelin stars that are beginning to light up the sky as more and more restaurants get one or two – are there too many? Has the standard dropped off? I don’t have answers; just mulling it over it a bit as a good friend of ours recently had a disappointing experience at a newly starred restaurant in Vancouver.
Interesting about the high prices and agreed, those are breathtakingly high! I’ve heard talk about the prices increasing all over because so many Canadians are starting to go to Mexico for holidays or for the winter months. Not sure if this is the case but it sounds like a possibility.
It looks like a lovely spot, though. I would like to visit for sure! Thanks for taking us along, Tricia. Cheers.
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Interesting points, Lynette, about the Michelin stars. They do have quite a reputation to uphold, so it seems like they wouldn’t be overly generous with the stars. But then your friend’s experience seems to counter that. Hmm.
We did meet many Canadians while there. Many said they would normally go to California or Florida but are avoiding the US right now; understandably so! But then, there were a lot of US citizens too.
Thanks as always, for sharing your thoughts; I always appreciate them!
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Gosh the wine was expensive! The food looks good though. I think you have mixed feelings about the trip? Of course the turtles were a highlight.
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Indeed it was; crazy expensive! We always enjoy Mexico, but it’s just too expensive right now, so yes, we do have some mixed feelings. The turtle was definitely the highlight. Thanks for stopping by!
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Well that was nice of the restaurant, $90 nice 😊 The Jesuit/Franciscan Mission is in amazing condition. It must have contined to operate as a church for the next couple hundred years. Having just visited a few, I can see influences from both. Maggie
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We were quite surprised when they gave us each a glass. It was quite generous. 🥂 🍾 The church was actually rebuilt in the 1940s, so it’s fairly new. Thanks, Maggie!
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One picture is worth a thousand words but numerous pictures of the food certainly makes your few words about the cuisine look very accurate.
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Thanks, Dave!
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Beautiful captures of the scenery, sights and food. My eyes watered when I read over the cost of a glass of wine. Glad you ended up with a complementary one for your birthday though!
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Thanks so much. We were quite shocked at the price of wine; crazy! But the complimentary Champagne was very nice. Thanks again!
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Nice place for a birthday, if you have the budget, Tricia. You must have felt a little special xx
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That’s correct, Jo; if one has the budget. Thanks!
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Wow, prices! Our trips to Mexico have all been fantastically cheap, until you reach the area around Cancun when suddenly everything has changed. I used to enjoy Michelin starred restaurants, but have stopped going now, the whole “project” has got far too up itself where theatre and presentation have taken over from quality eating (in my humble opinion!).
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Our previous trips have also been very inexpensive, so we were quite surprised. Resort towns like Ixtapa and Cancun, like you mentioned, are quite expensive though, and best avoided to get a better experience. Good point about Michelin restaurants. This one was recommended by a local though, which is why we went there. Thanks for commenting!
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Damn, food in San José del Cabo is expensive! Probably even more than dining in Los Angeles, which is already quite pricey! All the same, it’s great you got champagne on the house for your birthday, and the food looks delicious. Regardless, San José del Cabo is a beautiful and more-tranquil spot to enjoy your special day, and I’m glad you had a good time, Tricia!
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It sure is, and more than what we spend here in Portland; crazy. The Champagne and mango popsicles were a nice treat though. It was a very enjoyable birthday getaway. Thanks, Rebecca!
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Wow, all the food looks absolutely incredible. So delicious 🙂 The michelin restaurant looks like it would be home to beautiful accommodation!
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It is a great destination for foodies, with lots of good restaurants to choose from. The treehouse rooms look wonderful, except for the possibility of snakes; yikes! Thanks, Hannah!
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$90 a glass? That’s up there. Your husband mentioned how expensive the area was. I guess Mexico isn’t the inexpensive destination it once was? Or do you think it was just that area?
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Yes, crazy! I think it was probably the area, rather than all of Mexico. Thanks!
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Seems like a really beautiful area, especially being not as touristy as the neighbor Cabo San Lucas…but its crazy how expensive it is! But it’s good to know to come prepared for higher ticket prices than expected
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It is a beautiful place, and so nice to escape the winter weather for a bit. Thanks for commenting!
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We just had dinner, but I’m seriously drooling while looking at your food pictures. I’m not entirely sure if I want to share my accommodation with snakes (I’ll meet you on the hill😁) and USD90 for a glass of champagne is a bit above my budget! I’m glad you enjoyed your getaway in Mexico—despite how expensive it is … I would suggest you come and enjoy the cheap(er) and great wines here in South Africa!
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We didn’t realize until we arrived that it was a popular foodie town; we lucked out on that amenity. It was unfortunate that the wine was so expensive though. I’ve enjoyed the SA wines I’ve tried; maybe someday we’ll visit. If there’s a snake nearby, I know where to meet you! 😂
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Acre Resort looks amazing! How generous of your waiter to give you and theTravelsketcher two $90 glasses of champagne for your birthday. That Terry sure knows how to persuade! 🙂
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Doesn’t it though? It was quite generous of her, and, there were two other birthdays there that day who also received Champagne! Thanks, Lisa!
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