Often overlooked by visitors to Baja California headed for the better-known resort towns such as Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, capital of Baja California Sur, is a fun, attractive city with its own set of attractions. Like Cabo, it offers good beaches such as Caimancito, Pichilingue and El Tecolote, good scuba diving (hammerheads and giant manta rays!), the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere reserve and much more. La Paz has been marketing itself as a more eco-friendly destination than Cabo. The coast is lined with marinas, and the city is a well-known marlin fishing destination.

If you’ve had enough of beaches and water, downtown La Paz is also known for some interesting colonial architecture, including the Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Paz and the natural history museum. The malecón, or waterside walkway, is worth a visit. There is also a large shopping district downtown for souvenir and gift shoppers.

The nightlife in La Paz rivals that in Cabo San Lucas as well: enjoy a dinner of fine seafood before hitting the bars and clubs. It’s also a carnival hotspot.