Cabo San Lucas has plenty of resorts, but most of them sit on Pacific coastline where the surf is too strong for swimming. Medano Beach is the exception — a sheltered bay where the water stays calm enough for kids to wade and snorkel without constant worry. The hotels that line this beach range from the five-diamond Casa Dorada to the budget-friendly Los Milagros, and the gap between them is wider than the price suggests. Some properties have invested heavily in kids’ programming; others just happen to be near the sand.
It depends on your budget and whether you want all-inclusive. Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas offers the strongest all-inclusive family package right on the beach. Casa Dorada has better room quality and a solid kids program but isn’t all-inclusive. If you’re on a tight budget, Solmar Resort gives you a waterpark and kids club for around $104 a night — but expect older facilities.
Most of the coastline around Cabo San Lucas faces the Pacific, where the undertow is strong enough to make swimming dangerous for adults, let alone children. Medano Beach curves along the sheltered side of the Baja Peninsula, inside the bay, which means the water stays calmer. During winter months, humpback whales are visible from shore — a free show that beats any organized excursion for a kid’s attention span.
The beach itself runs for roughly two kilometers, lined with resorts, restaurants, and water-sports vendors. It is the only beach in Cabo San Lucas where you can reliably swim, kayak, or paddleboard without driving to a different part of the coast. That convenience is the reason families base themselves here.
The table below covers the resorts within walking distance of Medano Beach that actively market to families. Rates are the lowest published starting prices found across booking sites; actual costs depend on season, room type, and whether the property offers an all-inclusive package.
| Resort | Distance to Medano | Starting Rate/Night | Kids Club | All-Inclusive | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas | Beachfront | ~$250 | RiuLand Kid’s Club | Yes | All-inclusive families who want variety |
| Casa Dorada | Beachfront | $320 | Casa Kidz | No | Families who prioritize room quality |
| Pueblo Bonito | Beachfront | $250 | Not specified | Optional | Cultural experience seekers |
| Solmar Resort | Few steps | $104 | Yes, with waterpark | No | Budget-conscious families |
| Marina Fiesta | 10-min walk | $152 | Yes | No | Families who want downtown access |
| Los Milagros | Walking distance | $69 | Yes | No | Ultra-budget stays |
| Hacienda Beach Club | Beachfront | $660 | Not specified | No | Luxury with kitchen access |
The table skips Breathless Resort (adults-only) and properties like Hacienda del Mar that sit half a kilometer from the beach — close enough to walk but not the same immediate access. For families who prefer to step directly onto the sand rather than walk from a property set back from the shoreline, the beachfront entries above are the real options. If you are planning a longer stay, consider the five-day Cabo San Lucas itinerary to see how the beach fits into a full week.
The Riu Palace sits directly on Medano Beach with a view across the bay toward the Arch. It is a five-story all-inclusive with nearly 700 rooms, a glass-pyramid lobby, and extensive gardens. A reviewer who stayed there twice — the only all-inclusive they returned to — described consistent food quality across nine restaurants and genuinely premium drinks included in the rate.
The kids club, RiuLand, runs daily activities and a mascot program. The two main swimming pools are each roughly the size of a competition pool, with a shallow infinity-edge section and in-water lounge chairs. Parents should note the depth: a uniform 145 centimeters (about 4 feet 9 inches), which is fine for most adults but deep for small children. There is a separate kids pool, though you will likely want flotation devices for younger swimmers.
Dining is where the Riu Palace separates from other all-inclusive options on the beach. The Misaki Japanese restaurant serves consistently good sushi and tempura. The El Médano Steakhouse offers a full rack of ribs as a single portion — enough for a hungry eight-year-old to eat half. The buffet at Mar de Cortés runs a make-your-own taco station at breakfast and a chocolate fountain at dinner.
The beach itself has a segregated area for resort guests, which keeps the vendors who walk the public stretch of Medano at a distance. Red-flag warnings are common when the undertow picks up, so check the flags before letting kids go in deep.
Casa Dorada holds a five-diamond AAA rating and sits on the same stretch of Medano Beach as the Riu Palace, but it is not all-inclusive. That means the starting rate of $320 per night buys just the room — meals and drinks cost extra. What you get instead is better room quality: private balconies or terraces, plush bedding, and the option to have breakfast baskets delivered to your room.
The Casa Kidz program keeps children occupied with supervised activities while parents use the fitness center or book a tee time at the adjacent championship golf course. Water sports on the beach — jet skiing, parasailing, paddle boarding, snorkeling — are all available through third-party vendors. Early booking discounts reach 25 percent, and guests receive a discount on meals and beverages (excluding room service and the minibar). For more dining options near the resort, the family-friendly restaurants along the beachfront give you alternatives without leaving the sand.
For families who want the beach access and the room standard of a luxury property without paying for an all-inclusive package they will not fully use, Casa Dorada is the better pick than the Riu Palace. The kids club is smaller, though, and the dining options are limited to what is on-site rather than the nine-restaurant variety of the Riu.
Solmar Resort sits a few steps from Medano Beach and has played a role in Los Cabos tourism development since the early days of the corridor. The starting rate of $104 per night is competitive with Los Milagros, but Solmar adds a miniature waterpark with two slides and a rope swing, a winding saltwater lagoon for paddle boarding and kayaking, four swimming pools, and six hot tubs. That is a lot of water for the price.
The kids club runs standard programming. Weekly events include a market with live Mexican music, movie nights under the stars, and cooking and mixology classes. Every suite has ocean views — the property is built into the hillside above the beach, so the sightlines are better than some of the flat-beachfront resorts. The listing for Solmar highlights the variety of pools and the weekly market as key draws for families.
The limitation is that Solmar is not all-inclusive, and the facilities show their age in places. At this price point, you are paying for the location and the water features, not for modern finishes or premium dining. The restaurants on-site are adequate but not destination dining.
Los Milagros is not a five-star resort, and it does not pretend to be. The property centers on a flowering courtyard with a fountain, palm trees, a plunge pool, and a rooftop deck. Single rooms start at $69 per night. Doubles are $79, and there is a small charge for a third person. Cash payments earn a 4 percent discount.
The resort includes a kids club, morning yoga on Medano Beach, bicycle rentals, and a seafood restaurant. Excursions to El Arco and the marina are available through the front desk. The rooms have mini-fridges, ceiling fans, and flat-screen TVs — basic but clean. Optimos Travel notes that Los Milagros is not a five-star property but offers unique charm through its courtyard and rooftop deck.
For a family on a strict budget, Los Milagros puts you on Medano Beach with a kids club for less than $100 a night. What you give up is any pretense of luxury — the plunge pool is small, the rooftop deck gets hot, and the restaurant is a single venue rather than a choice of options.
Winter and spring — December through April — bring the best weather and the highest rates. Humpback whales are visible from Medano Beach during this window, and the water is warm enough for swimming. Summer is hot and humid but less crowded, and rates drop significantly at most properties.
Book Casa Dorada directly through the resort for early-bird discounts of up to 25 percent. Riu Palace rates fluctuate less, but the property offers group discounts for multiple rooms — useful for extended-family trips.
Los Cabos International Airport is about 40 kilometers from Medano Beach. A taxi or pre-booked shuttle runs roughly 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. The resorts on the beach are within walking distance of downtown Cabo San Lucas — the marina, restaurants, and the main shopping street are all a 10- to 20-minute walk from the eastern end of the beach. You do not need a rental car if you stay on Medano Beach.
If you want to book excursions — whale watching, glass-bottom boat tours, or snorkeling trips — the vendors on Medano Beach are plentiful, but booking through a platform gives you cancellation flexibility. There are options for kid-friendly tours in Cabo San Lucas worth browsing before you arrive.
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The undertow at Medano Beach can be dangerous after storms or during strong tidal shifts. Check the warning flags before letting children go in the water — red flags mean stay out entirely, even if the beach looks calm.
Is Medano Beach safe for young children?
Yes, when the green flag is flying. The beach is the calmest swimmable stretch in Cabo San Lucas, but the undertow can shift. Stay in the resort’s segregated swimming area and watch the flag system.
Which resort on Medano Beach has the best kids club?
Riu Palace has the most structured programming with RiuLand, but Casa Dorada’s Casa Kidz program is better for younger children who need closer supervision. Los Milagros has a kids club too, though it is more basic.
Are there any all-inclusive resorts on Medano Beach?
Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas is the only true all-inclusive directly on the beach. Pueblo Bonito offers an all-inclusive option but it is not mandatory — you can book room-only and pay per meal. Skip Breathless Resort — it is adults-only and does not allow children.
What is the cheapest resort on Medano Beach that works for families?
Los Milagros starts at $69 per night for a single room, $79 for a double, with a kids club included. Solmar Resort starts at $104 and adds a waterpark — better value if you can stretch the budget.
Do I need a rental car if I stay on Medano Beach?
No. The marina, downtown restaurants, and excursion desks are all within walking distance. If you want to explore the Corridor or San José del Cabo, a taxi or shuttle is cheap enough that a rental car is not worth the hassle.
Whichever resort you pick, the real advantage of Medano Beach is that you can walk out your door and be in the water in under five minutes — no shuttle, no drive, no debate about which beach is safe today. For families, that simplicity is worth more than any upgrade. If you are looking for meal options beyond the resort restaurants, the restaurants that work well for families along the beachfront give you alternatives without leaving the sand.
Sources and further reading
Best Resorts Near Medano Beach. Optimos Travel, 2024.
Best Cabo All-Inclusive Family Resorts. Kids Are A Trip, 2024.
Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas Review. Family Can Travel, 2024.
Cabo San Lucas Family Resorts. Family Adventures Blog, 2025.
