Baja California Sur · Pacific Coast · Surf & Beach
Cerritos Beach
45 min on Highway 19
From Cabo
Beginner to intermediate
Surf level
Laid-back, uncrowded, unhurried
Vibe
Year-round · swells peak Oct–Mar
Best time
The Beach
Baja's best beginner wave and the most honest Pacific sunset —
no crowds, no pretense, no nightlife required.
Cerritos Beach sits on the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula, 45 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas on Highway 19. It is not famous. That is the point. The surf break produces a consistent, forgiving wave that breaks over a wide sandy bottom — exactly what beginners and intermediate surfers need. The beach faces due west, meaning every evening ends with the sun dropping directly into the open Pacific, producing some of the most reliably dramatic sunsets in Baja. A cluster of boutique hotels and palapa restaurants has grown around the break without overwhelming it.
The defining characteristic of Cerritos is its lack of hustle. The water taxis don't operate here. The vendors don't work the beach. The resorts haven't arrived yet. What you have is a wide arc of dark Pacific sand, a wave you can learn on, fish tacos from a kitchen that sourced the fish that morning, and a fire pit at dusk. That formula has been working in Baja for a long time and Cerritos is where it still operates uncomplicated.
What to Do
Is Cerritos Beach worth visiting from Cabo San Lucas?
Yes — Cerritos is 45 minutes north of Cabo on Highway 19 and worth every minute. It's Baja's best beginner surf break, faces due west for the most dramatic Pacific sunsets in the region, and remains genuinely uncrowded. The drive through Baja's Pacific foothills is scenic enough to justify the trip alone.
Baja's Most Accessible Pacific Break
Cerritos produces a consistent, forgiving wave that breaks over a wide sandy bottom — the combination that makes it ideal for beginner and intermediate surfers. The paddle-out is easy, the peaks are multiple, and the crowds are thin compared to more famous breaks. Surf lessons and board rentals are available directly on the beach. The wave improves significantly during northwest swells from October through March.
Wide, Clean, and Almost Always Uncrowded
The beach itself is a long, wide arc of dark Pacific sand facing due west — the orientation that produces Baja's most reliably dramatic sunsets. There are no vendors working the shoreline the way Médano Beach operates. The pace is entirely self-directed. The water is cooler than the Sea of Cortez side (wetsuits are comfortable October through April) and the Pacific energy is present — waves, wind, the sense of open ocean.
Fire-Pit Bonfires and Volcanic-Orange Skies
The west-facing orientation means every evening ends with the sun descending directly into the Pacific horizon. On clear evenings, the sky goes through yellow, orange, and deep red before the color fades. Several of the beach restaurants set up fire pits on the sand as the light drops. It is one of the simplest and most satisfying evenings available in Baja — no nightlife required.
Boutique Hotels Over Beach Clubs
Cerritos has developed a small collection of genuinely good boutique properties — Rancho Pescadero just north of the beach is the most recognized, a farm-and-sea concept with an excellent kitchen. Smaller guesthouses and rental properties cluster closer to the break. The accommodation category here skews toward the thoughtful independent traveler rather than the all-inclusive resort guest.
Palapa Restaurants and Beach-Side Kitchens
The dining along the Cerritos stretch is palapa-roof casual — fish tacos, ceviche, cold beer, and the occasional chef-driven menu at the better hotel restaurants. Prices are significantly lower than Cabo San Lucas. The fish is local. The shrimp is caught that morning. The margaritas are generous. It is the kind of food that tastes better than it has any right to because the setting is doing half the work.
45 Minutes on Highway 19 — Easy Day Trip
Cerritos is 45 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas on Highway 19 through the Pacific foothills. The drive is scenic and straightforward. It works as a day trip from Cabo or as its own overnight destination. The town of Pescadero, two kilometers inland, has a small but useful infrastructure of markets, hardware stores, and local restaurants that supports both the farming community and the beach visitors.
Photo Gallery
Cerritos Beach
Plan Your Visit
Find Cerritos Beach
45 minutes north of Cabo on Highway 19. Surf lessons and board rentals on the beach. Best swells October through March.
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