Protected by a cove, Playa Palmilla, at One & Only Palmilla, has one of Cabo’s few swimmable resort beaches—strong riptides and undercurrents render most too dangerous, at least for inexperienced swimmers. Other (relativey safe) beaches include: Playa Médano, a bar-lined stretch of sand in Cabo San Lucas and the Corridor’s pink-tinged Santa María beach—both are big water sports destinations. The more secluded Playa Las Viudas, located just west of the former Twin Dolphins resort, is a popular and pretty picnic spot, whose concealing rock formations attract “au naturel” sunbathers. Surfers head north to Playa Costa Azul, near San José del Cabo, and to Los Cerritos and San Pedrito, south of Todos Santos.

Cabo del Sol’s two eighteen-hole courses - Ocean and Desert - rank amongst the best in Los Cabos, a dream destination for devout golfers. Some will tell you it’s hard to find better courses in all of Mexico. The 18-hole desert course was designed by Tom Weiskopf, and the championship ocean course by Jack Nicklaus, who also masterminded the 27-hole Palmilla Golf Club.

The chance to wrestle marlin and tuna has lured fearless anglers to Cabo for decades; for a more serene (and child-friendly) experience, there’s the Cabo Dolphin Center. Located in the Cabo San Lucas Marina, it offers hour-long swims as well as a Trainer for a Day program, where participants learn feeding and behavioral training techniques and receive a DVD and diploma at the end of the session. As with most everything else in Cabo, the experience comes with a hefty price tag.

Other golf giants to come down to Cabo include Robert Trent Jones Jr., who designed the 18-hole Cabo Real, home to two PGA Senior Slams as well as a host of other tournaments.

This ten-acre farm in the shadow of the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains has become a must-visit for families and food lovers visiting Cabo. The family-owned enterprise grows organic vegetables and fruits and has expanded from a produce stand to include a Field Kitchen restaurant and a cottage community. The Field Kitchen restaurant serves freshly baked bread, salads fresh from the garden and meats that all come from the owner’s nearby 150-acre ranch. For farm tours and meals, you should reserve in advance.

Jack Nicklaus’ first Latin American venture, this twenty-seven-hole course offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortez from every tee. The Palmilla Golf Club is a short ride from the One & Only but open to non-guests as well.

Baja Norte—the northern state of the Baja California Peninsula—has long been the wave destination for SoCal dudes, many of whom camp out just twenty miles south of the U.S. border at Rosarito Beach. Southern beaches with the best barrels include Playa Costa Azul near San José del Cabo and Los Cerritos and San Pedrito, both located along the rugged coastal town, Pescadero, close to Todos Santos. Arrange for private surf instruction through your hotel concierge; these are fairly expert waters and best explored with professional help.

Every visitor to Cabo should take a half-day or more to visit Todos Santos, an artsy pueblo a half-hour's drive to the north (and home to the romantic Rancho Pescadero). One & Only Palmilla's Cecilia Aragon shares her recommendations for the visit:

"Todos Santos is full of great little art galleries, coffee shops, pastry shops and small hotels, like the well-known Hotel California. In regards to restaurants, I would suggest Café Santa Fé (4 Calle Centenario, 52-612-145-0340), a home-style place that draws people from as far as La Paz. The menu is northern Italian and they serve lunch and dinner. I also like Los Adobes de Todos Santos (18 Calle Hidalgo; 52-612-145-0203), located in a hidden courtyard behind a one-hundred-year-old adobe building. You dine on a shaded garden terrace surrounded by beautiful local flora. And for excellent Mexican food, try Restaurant Las Fuentes (Corner of Degollado and Militar, at the only stoplight in town; 52-612-145-0257), which has colorful tablecloths, ceiling fans, fountains and lush plantings. Their specialty is grilled lobster with garlic.”

California-based starlets and movie execs flock to Cabo every winter but January through March, the region receives another kind of Northern visitor—pregnant gray whales that migrate to Baja’s warmer waters to give birth. Some excellent eco-outfitters operate safari-style camps near breeding sites (contact Indagare’s bookings team to plan your stay), but day-trippers can also do three-hour trips via air to Magdalena Bay sanctuary, where a guide leads travelers to nursing and breeding locales.