Cabo San Lucas is one of the best places in Mexico for buying authentic arts and crafts. Markets and artisan shops are the perfect place to purchase meaningful mementos of your time exploring the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez.
Browse the galleries of Todos Santos or the souvenir boutiques of downtown Cabo to discover Mexican art pieces, jewelry, clothing, housewares, cigars, glassworks, and other gifts. Whether you venture into the malls, plazas, or markets, shopping is an enjoyable endeavor while vacationing in Cabo.
Here’s where to experience the best shopping in Cabo San Lucas and the items to look out for while you’re there.
Cabo San Lucas Marina
Cabo San Lucas Marina
A hub for recreational activities, dining, entertainment, and shopping endeavors, the Cabo San Lucas Marina is one of the best places to shop during your vacation. With a wide array of malls and shops located within the marina, it’s an ideal one-stop-retail experience in the center of downtown Cabo.
Browse Puerto Paraiso, the modern, multi-level indoor mall where you’ll find brand-name stores, trendy boutiques with swimwear and clothing, a food court, jewelry stores, a movie theater, and much more.
Head to Luxury Avenue, an indoor mall with high-end shops and designer boutiques. Here, you can even hire a shopping concierge to help you along your adventure.
Marina Mercado
Also in the marina is a flea market, called Marina Mercado, where you can find Mexican handicraft items on small, independent market stalls. Try your hand at bargaining respectfully; interacting with vendors selling local goods is all part of the experience.
Some of the top souvenirs to purchase at the marina include silver jewelry, Talavera pottery (traditional hand-thrown pottery from Mexico and Spain), textiles, beachwear, cigars, and trinkets.
Cabo San Lucas Marina
Take a break from shopping and enjoy a stroll along the pedestrian boardwalk, absorbing the scenery. Walk the entire length in about half an hour and stretch your legs at a leisurely pace.
Watch yachts bob in the water, pelicans dive for lunch, and soak up the atmosphere of this lively destination.
Seafood
Indulge in a meal of fresh seafood, smoked marlin, or the famous chocolate clam, a local delicacy, at one of the marina’s 50 restaurants and bars. Or simply sip a cocktail and people watch on a beautiful outdoor patio. You may even be lucky enough to catch one of the live performances by local artists and musicians.
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The Glass Factory
The Glass Factory Photo by Shane Smith on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Visit the only glass factory on the Baja Peninsula and be treated to an inside look at the art form through live demonstrations. Watch as recycled glass bottles are transformed into various art pieces, such as colorful animal figurines, plates, cups, bowls, vases, and more.
Marvel at the building’s vibrant stained glass windows and take advantage of the great photo opportunity at the factory entrance, adorned by a massive cactus.
After watching a glass-blowing demonstration, peruse the shop for one of the handmade glass pieces to bring home as a unique souvenir. The glass factory combines an educational experience with shopping, making it one of the best experiences in Cabo San Lucas.
La Sacristia Art & History
Mexican souvenir
Art enthusiasts will be delighted by this San Jose del Cabo gallery with traditional handmade items. Situated in the downtown art district, La Sacristia Art & Gallery is home to a wide array of Mexican arts and crafts available for purchase.
Browse pottery, ceramics, animal figurines, vividly colored acrylic and yarn paintings, silver jewelry, and kitchen items while learning about the artists who made them.
Mexican souvenir
The gallery specializes in Huichol beaded masks, a traditional folk art form where small, bright beads are affixed to the wooden mask using a long needle and beeswax.
The craft is practiced by the Huichol people in the remote states of Nayarit, Zacatecas, Durango, and Jalisco, and has been passed down through generations.
The masks are said to be like “mirrors of the gods” with patterns that resemble face-painting designs and represent life, good health and luck, and success. They’re an impressive example of the fine craftsmanship that Mexico is known for.
J&J La Casa del Habano
Cigar
Those interested in purchasing hand-rolled Cuban cigars or tequila should look no further than J&J Casa del Habano.
Well-known for its premium tequila and high-quality cigars, this shopping destination also serves delicious cocktails at the bar. Try the “Papa Mojito”, one of the signature drinks, or the mango margarita, another favorite.
Or enjoy an artisan Blue Agave tequila tasting. Cigar enthusiasts can relax in the cigar lounge and buy high-quality cigars to bring home as a souvenir. They can be purchased as a single stogie or as a full box and are sourced from top Cuban producers like Cohiba and Montecristo.
Read: Mexico Travel Tips
El Merkado
Located approximately half an hour from downtown San Jose del Cabo and billed as a “gastronomic center”, El Merkado is a large market space with arts and crafts, as well as a well-known food selection. It’s situated in the Koral Center shopping mall.
Wander its two floors, which are modeled after European markets. Unearth souvenirs such as soaps, clothing, and crafts, as well as regional flavors in the wide array of food items available for sale from local vendors.
Seafood
Culinary lovers will find a treasure trove of gourmet gastronomy to purchase; cheese, meats and produce, bakery items, honey, ceviche, oysters, sushi, coffee, desserts, a variety of prepared foods ranging from Mexican to fresh seafood and Italian, as well as spices and herbs.
Make sure to arrive with an appetite; El Merkado is one of the best places to eat and shop in Cabo.
Eclectic Array
This shop located near the marina in Cabo San Lucas is a fantastic choice for those interested in finding a gift or unusual beachwear items and accessories. You’ll find everything here from hats and sunglasses to swimwear and beach blankets.
The boutique partners with Mexican artisans to help promote and sell local products, giving back to the community with a fair trade practice. In addition to clothing and accessories for men and women, the shop carries unique pet accessories such as dog collars and leashes, as well as housewares like beautifully crafted pillows and towels or blankets.
Huichol skulls
Decorative beaded Huichol skulls are also sold in a variety of patterns and colors. Find a gorgeous piece of jewelry for a friend, treat yourself to a new dress, or pick up a souvenir that reflects Mexican culture while helping to support the artists that craft them.
Cielito Lindo Market
In the small coastal village of Todos Santos, colorful adobe houses, galleries, and artisan craft shops are a delight to explore. Once a sugar cane mill town, the village is now a haven for artists.
Market in Todos Santos Island
Wander the cobblestone streets and land yourself in the Cielito Lindo Market, in the center of town, where a boutique collection of stalls featuring vendors selling clothing, souvenir trinkets, jewelry, ceramics, and more awaits.
Find jewelry pieces, hand-painted figurines, beaded bracelets, and souvenirs like magnets and textiles. One of the items the market is best known for is its custom license plates; you can have a personalized decorative souvenir plate made on the spot. It’s also a fantastic place to take photographs, with the brightly colored arched ceiling covering the walkways; if you’ve admired Instagram shots of Todos Santos, they’re likely to have been snapped here.
Read: Best Things to Do in Cabo San Lucas
Nomad Chic
Blankets
Also situated in the center of Todos Santos village is the boutique clothing store, Nomad Chic. Shop for women’s clothing, accessories, shoes, and home furnishings and jewelry designed by local and international artisans.
Peruse their selection of blankets, reflective of Mexican culture and design; these are a perfect souvenir or gift that will be a useful addition to your home. Or choose from a wide selection of linen pieces, ideal for wearing in the hot desert climate.
Straw bags, gorgeous jewelry, and textiles are some of the other amazing things to buy here, but you might be surprised just how many treasures you’ll come across while exploring the stylish and bohemian goods in this popular boutique.
Ayla Silver Boutique
Silver jewelry
One of the top things to shop for in Cabo San Lucas is silver jewelry. Mexico is one of the leading producers, known for its high-quality silver, sourced from the mountain mines in Mexico and dates back to pre-Columbian times. Sterling silver is at least 92.5% pure silver and one of the country’s most celebrated local resources used in making fine jewelry.
Silver jewelry
Located in the marina area of Cabo, Ayla Silver boutique sells beautiful jewelry items by local artisans; pieces can be customized as well. Whether you’re interested in necklaces, bracelets, cuffs, rings, or gem jewelry, this boutique should please you.
Common themes used in crafting jewelry pieces with cultural significance in Mexico include animals, food, holidays, family, and religion. If you’d like an authentic piece, Ayla is a great place to find it.
Cobalto Pottery
Talavera pottery
Situated just a few blocks from the marina in downtown Cabo, Cabalto Pottery is one of the best places to shop for authentic ceramic pieces, tiles, and leather handbags.
This pottery shop is known for working directly with Mexican artists to sell Talavera pottery, which can only be crafted in the city of Pueblo’s “Talavera Zone” and dates back to the 17th century.
Talavera is a particular type of hand-decorated and high-fired ceramic with Chinese, Italian, and Arab influence in a variety of products, including tiles.
The pieces feature the quintessential raised design and high-gloss finish with intricate details and can only be painted using the six traditional mineral pigments of black, brown, blue, green, yellow and red.
Talavera pottery
Cobalto Pottery is one of the few places in and around Cabo where you can find 100% authentic Talavera pieces. With plates, vases, animal figures, tiles, platters, and much more in their collection of more than 200 items with 20 different patterns, there’s a wide selection to choose from.
In addition to these coveted pottery pieces, shoppers will find leather purses, wallets, address tile numbers, jewelry boxes, key chains, and more. A stop into this landmark store in Cabo San Lucas won’t disappoint.
Read: Cabo Vs. Cancun: Which Should You Visit?
Medano Beach, Cabo San Lucas
A visit to the Baja Peninsula is an amazing place to relax, make memories, and explore all that the destination has to offer, including some of the top shopping in Mexico. A cruise is a fantastic way to discover the eclectic shopping scene in Cabo San Lucas and the surrounding areas.
From Talavera pottery pieces and clothing to high-quality silver and Mexican culinary and beverage items, shopping in Cabo San Lucas will have you discovering the perfect souvenir. Browse our cruises to Cabo and book your Baja getaway today.
