History of Cabo San Lucas

From Ancient Shorelines to Modern Luxe

Long before Cabo San Lucas was a celebrity hideaway or a sportfishing haven, its shores were home to the Pericú, a seafaring people who harvested the ocean’s abundance and lived in harmony with the harsh desert landscape. Archaeological evidence of their settlements—tools, cave art, and burial sites—speaks to a civilization both ancient and adept at coastal living.

In the early 1530s, Spanish explorers arrived, led by conquistadors like Hernán Cortés, who saw Baja California as both a mythic and strategic frontier. The legend of the Seven Cities of Gold brought waves of European interest, but the terrain proved as rugged as it was alluring. For centuries, Cabo remained remote, visited primarily by pirates, missionaries, and occasional merchant ships.

By the early 20th century, Cabo San Lucas had evolved into a modest fishing village. Its isolation preserved the charm but kept it off the map—until the mid-20th century, when adventurous anglers began flocking here in pursuit of marlin, tuna, and dorado. The arrival of a small airstrip and the support of famed Hollywood stars like John Wayne and Bing Crosby put Cabo on the radar of elite travelers seeking sun and seclusion.

The boom began in the 1970s, as roads, resorts, and marinas transformed this quiet town into a world-class tourist destination. Yet despite its modern amenities and ever-growing skyline, Cabo San Lucas retains a connection to its past—where wild beauty, salt air, and a spirit of adventure still reign.