New Year's Eve in Cabo San Lucas: how to plan December 31 around the water
How to spend December 31 in Cabo: the last sunset from a boat, anchored in the bay until 10 PM, the Médano Beach show and the three countdowns.
In this guide
The best way to spend New Year's Eve in Cabo San Lucas on the water is a late afternoon charter. On December 31 the sun sets at about 5:44 PM, boats sail until 8 PM, and yachts from the marina can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM, in front of Médano Beach with the town lights on. Midnight happens on land, so most groups pair an afternoon on a boat with a dinner or a party at night.
New Year's Eve in Cabo, hour by hour
| Time in Cabo | What happens |
|---|---|
| 4:00 PM | A sunset charter leaves the marina |
| 5:44 PM | Last sunset of the year |
| 8:00 PM | Boats stop sailing; marina yachts can anchor in the bay. In 2025, the first Médano show started at this hour |
| 10:00 PM | Ball drop in Times Square; latest time to be back at the dock |
| 11:00 PM | Midnight in Mexico City and Chicago |
| 12:00 AM | Midnight in Cabo, on land |
Cabo San Lucas forecast
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The last sunset of the year from a boat
Leave around 4 PM and you reach the Arch when the light is low, then watch the sun go down from the water. On a 4-hour charter you're sailing until 8 PM, and from the marina you can anchor in the bay for the last stretch. The typical evening on December 31 is clear and cool, around 68°F (20°C) after dark, so bring a light layer.
More on timing and routes is in our guide to the best sunset cruise in Cabo and on the sunset cruise page.
Anchored in the bay in front of Médano Beach
Yachts that leave from Marina Cabo San Lucas can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. That puts you in front of Médano Beach, the long beach in town with its row of beach clubs facing the bay, where the crowd gathers on December 31.
To ring in 2026, the Médano business owners replaced the fireworks with "Luz del Vigía", 25 lasers projected onto Cerro del Vigía. There were five shows, starting at 8:00 PM and running until 11:50 PM, visible from the beach, the hotels and boats in the bay, according to Posta. The format changes from year to year, and nothing had been announced for December 31, 2026 as of November 4.
Don't bring your own fireworks. In December 2025 the municipality ran a "Navidad sin pirotecnia" operation against fireworks sales, El Congresista reported.
The Sea Ray 65 is the exception: it boards at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and has to be back by 8 PM, when the terminal closes.
Three countdowns: New York, Mexico City and Cabo
Cabo San Lucas stays on UTC-7 all year. In winter that puts it 2 hours behind New York, 1 hour behind Mexico City and Chicago, and 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles. When the ball drops in Times Square it's 10 PM in Cabo, the same hour boats have to be back from the bay, so East Coast families usually toast with home by video call from the dock or the dinner table. Mexico City and Chicago reach midnight at 11 PM Cabo time, and Cabo's own midnight comes an hour later.
Dinner and the party on land
Hotels and restaurants in Los Cabos hold New Year's Eve dinners, usually with a set menu and a table that has to be booked ahead. Before you pay, ask for the full price, what's included and when the last seating closes.
If you'd rather eat on the water, see our private dinner cruise guide. Dinner on board is an early dinner, since the boat is back by 10 PM at the latest. For the party, Médano Beach is where the crowd goes; leave with time to spare and don't count on finding a taxi at the last minute.
January 1: whales and breakfast at sea
The official 2026 to 2027 whale-watching season runs from December 15, 2026 to April 30, 2027, and the first humpbacks arrive in November. A quiet morning trip on January 1 or 2 is a good way to start the year. Breakfast can be ordered from our menu in the planner: chilaquiles with beans or huevos rancheros, yogurt with granola, or French toast or banana pancakes, MXN 325 each in cash, plus 16% by card. See whale watching in Cabo for the season.
What to book for New Year's Eve
| Plan | Yacht and hours | Price per boat |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset for two to six | Bayliner 30, 2 h | USD 549 / MXN 10,499 |
| Sunset and the bay, up to 12 | Sea Ray 40, 4 h | USD 1,499 / MXN 28,499 |
| New Year's Eve dinner, up to 12 | McKinna 70, 4 h | USD 5,999 / MXN 113,999 |
A 6-hour McKinna 70 evening, for example 4 PM to 10 PM with the last hours at anchor in the bay, is USD 8,599 / MXN 163,399. Its crew of five, including a chef, cooks a multi-course menu on board and serves complimentary drinks. Prices are per boat, with 16% tax included; the customary 15% crew tip is not. We don't sell alcohol on board, and guests 18 and over can bring their own. Every boat in the fleet, ranked by price, is on our boat rental in Cabo San Lucas page.
Book December 31 early
Each boat takes one group, and December 31 is one of the first dates to fill. Send your date, group size and plan through the planner. We reply in writing within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, and a secure Stripe link holds the date once it's confirmed.
Arriving earlier in the week? Our Christmas in Cabo guide covers posadas, the tree lighting and family days on the water, and Cabo in December has the whole month.
Yachts in this guide
Questions people ask
Are there fireworks in Cabo on New Year's Eve?
To ring in 2026, Médano Beach replaced fireworks with Luz del Vigía, a show of 25 lasers over Cerro del Vigía, with five shows from 8:00 PM to 11:50 PM. Nothing had been announced for December 31, 2026 as of November 4, 2026.
Can I be on a boat at midnight on New Year's Eve in Cabo?
Not on our charters. Boats sail until 8 PM, and yachts from the marina can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. The Sea Ray 65 has to be back by 8 PM because the Cabo Escape terminal closes. Midnight is on land.
What time is it in Cabo when the ball drops in Times Square?
10 PM. Cabo San Lucas is on UTC-7 all year, which in winter puts it 2 hours behind New York, 1 hour behind Mexico City and Chicago, and 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles.
What time is sunset on December 31 in Cabo?
About 5:44 PM. A boat that leaves around 4 PM reaches the Arch in low light and watches the last sunset of the year from the water.
How early should I book a boat for New Year's Eve in Cabo?
As early as you can. Christmas to New Year is the busiest stretch of the year on the water and each boat takes one group, so send your date as soon as your flights are set.
Plan your day on the water
Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.
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