Find cheap, tasty eats at local taquerias. RELATED LINKS City Guide: Cabo San Lucas

The southern Baja coastline from Cabo San Lucas to San Jose del Cabo is one of five destinations in Mexico targeted for high-end resort development by FONATUR, a government agency created in the 1970s to boost the country's overall revenues from international tourism. As in Cancun, Ixtapa, Loreto and Huatulco, visitors to Los Cabos should not be surprised to encounter north-of-the-border price tags for hotels, meals and services at places that cater to foreign tourists.

Some budget-rate accommodations are available in Cabo San Lucas, beach access is free, and you can always find a cheap meal by seeking out a local taquería or cafeteria, but peso-pinching travelers will generally find that their money goes farther in less developed parts of Baja.

For the best deals on Los Cabos resort accommodations, shop around for discounts typically offered during the summer low season in August and September. This is the time of year when tropical storms known as chubascos are most common in southern Baja. The weather is generally of little concern, but in rare instances these storms evolve into full-blown hurricanes, as actor Brad Pitt and his colleagues learned the hard way when Hurricane Marty tore through outdoor sets constructed near Cabo for the 2004 summer blockbuster Troy. Keep an eye on the weather reports, however, and it's perfectly safe to travel to Baja at any time of year.