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While I have been to Mazatlan and Guaymas (San Carlos) I have never been to Rocky Point or Puerto Penasco. From these articles it sounds like all the Gringos hang out at Sandy Beach and Las Conchas, Old Port and Malecon in Rocky Point.
Puerto Penasco: A first-timer's guide to affordable Mexican beach town Dawn Gilbertson, Arizona Republic Published 4:00 a.m. MT June 25, 2018 | Updated 3:01 p.m. MT June 25, 2018 PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico — I fell in love before sunset. The sparkling Sea of Cortez was dreamier than I expected. (Although the dusty drive into Sandy Beach was not so entrancing). The high-rise resort we checked into was Cabo-like but cheaper, a sprawling beachfront complex with pools, hot tubs and a swim-up bar, all steps from the sand of Rocky Point, as Puerto Peñasco is also known. Wrecked at the Reef, a popular waterfront bar and grill, was a 1-mile walk down the beach and the perfect spot for a lazy welcome dinner and live music. An eager young waiter named Omar swooped in, asked where we wanted to sit and brought a white resin table and chairs to a spot in the sand with nothing in front of us but the ocean. To our left was a sand volleyball game. Behind us, a country singer from Phoenix was on stage, and on the TVs in the bar the Arizona Diamondbacks were beating the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I was not expecting it to be so nice and so cheap.” Allison Bonifacio Things were going so well on my first visit to Puerto Peñasco in 30 years (save a quick overnight visit for a wedding a few years ago) that I started gushing to friends and family about how pleasantly surprised I was by a place alternately cherished and feared. Yes, my expectations were relatively low, tempered in part by years of sporadic reports of drug-related crime, including a deadly shootout on popular Sandy Beach in 2013, and, most recently, reports of a late-night shooting Easter weekend that left two Mexicans dead and a 19-year-old Phoenix woman grazed by a bullet on a street known for its strip clubs and prostitutes. Rocky Point is always mentioned in the U.S. State Department’s Mexico travel warnings, but the tone of the advice has become less ominous the past few years and now it simply says to exercise caution, drive during daylight hours and use the Lukeville border crossing. Yes, I've been to enough tourist spots in Mexico to know that it isn't Hawaii, that residents just outside the tourist zone live in poverty. And yes, I’m easily entertained in any beach town. Laid-back, affordable beach getaway Wide and long beaches and a low tide make for a great soccer game on Sandy Beach in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. (Photo: Cheryl Evans/The Republic) But the Rocky Point I experienced for five nights in mid-April with azcentral.com photographer Cheryl Evans is worth visiting for a laid-back beach vacation easier on the budget than Southern California and more polished Mexican resort destinations like Cabo San Lucas and Cancun. Allison Bonifacio was similarly impressed. The 21-year-old Tempe resident visited Rocky Point in April with her boyfriend, Robert Adams, to celebrate their one-year anniversary. He’s been visiting Rocky Point since he was 14. In their first 24 hours, they hung out at the pool and beach, got henna tattoos, ate fresh mangoes with chile on the beach and rode jet skis. Renting ATVs was also on the agenda. Bonifacio said she thought the place was “sketchy’’ on the drive to their hotel but the feeling quickly dissipated: The couple planned to extend their trip by a day. "I was not expecting it to be so nice and so cheap,’ she said. 1. Budget about 4½ hours of drive time from Phoenix if it's your first trip and you plan to make stops. Speedy regulars brag they make it in 3½ hours, but why pressure yourself? Don't feel like driving? Check out shuttle services, such as Head Out to Rocky Point. Shuttle prices vary on the number of passengers. It's $200 per person for two passengers, $160 per person four passengers. 2. The best time to visit Rocky Point is spring or fall. Summer weather is similar to Phoenix's, complete with heat, monsoon storms and high humidity. Mexican vacationers are Puerto Peñasco's biggest source of summer visitors. 3. There are two main beachfront options: Sandy Beach and Las Conchas. Sandy Beach, a 3.5-mile stretch dotted with high-rise condo resorts, a few hotels and a couple of RV parks, is the spot if you prefer the amenities of an upscale resort and a variety of restaurants and bars within walking distance. Las Conchas, a sprawling residential community, is a haven for beach-house rentals and perfect for family reunions and more laid-back getaways. There are vendors on both beaches but they don't swarm you and they do take no for an answer, unlike in certain parts of Cabo San Lucas. 4. U.S. dollars and credit/debit cards are widely accepted. Some restaurants, vendors and taxis only accept cash, so bring some. Try to avoid ATMs in resort lobbies because the fees can be onerous. I took out $200 at one of the Sonoran resorts and $20 in fees were added. The front-desk clerk just shrugged when I asked about it. Some places, including the condo reservation service we used, do not accept American Express. 5. Bottled water is recommended over tap water. Bring a case or two from home to drink. [F*ck bottled water - Drink coke or cerveza] 6. Going into "town" means visiting the Old Port. This is where you'll buy fresh seafood in season; be (politely) bombarded with offers for fishing trips, sunset cruises and other activities; and depart for said activities. The area includes the Malecon, the popular seaside boardwalk with restaurants, bars and tacky souvenirs galore. It's 10- to 15-minute drive from Sandy Beach. Some travelers will find one trip into town more than enough. Others will love the atmosphere and return regularly. Taxis are pricey but recommended if you plan to bar hop and don't have a designated driver. 7. Activities won't break the budget. Our two-hour sunset cruise, which had an open bar, was $25 per person. A massage on the beach is as cheap as $20. If fishing and other boat activities are on your list, keep an eye on the weather because winds closed the port on two consecutive days of our April trip. 8. Don't expect a foodie paradise. We had some great street tacos and a good breakfast burrito or two, but thebest meal we had in Puerto Peñasco was shrimp scampi and shrimp cocktail made in our condo with shrimp from Marco's Fish Market and fixings from grocer Super Ley. Wine choices are limited, even at the "fancier'' restaurants, so bring the good stuff for your condo or beach house and settle for "Red or White?'' at many restaurants and bars. 9. Low tide is something to savor. The Sea of Cortez retreats much farther out than most bodies of water, giving walkers, runners and shell-seekers an impressively wide swath of flat sand to enjoy. The steep slope of the sand during high tide leaves even the most fit visitors out of breath. 10. No, you can't board a cruise ship in Rocky Point. At least for the foreseeable future. There are grand plans for a cruise ship port at the western end of Sandy Beach near Wrecked at the Reef restaurant, but many locals wonder if it will happen in their lifetime.
Driving to Rocky Point, Mexico? Use these passport, insurance and travel tips Dawn Gilbertson, Arizona Republic Published 4:00 a.m. MT June 25, 2018 Puerto Peñasco fans love to brag that the Mexican beach town is closer to Phoenix than San Diego’s surf and sand are. So it’s fitting that the 215-mile road trip from central Phoenix to Rocky Point, as the northern Sonora destination is commonly known in the United States, starts out the same as the 350-mile trek to San Diego. Head west on Interstate 10, get off at Exit 112, chug south along State Route 85 for 30 miles, make a pit stop in Gila Bend. The similarities end there, though. Instead of taking I-8 toward Yuma and San Diego, travelers bound for Puerto Peñasco continue south on SR 85 all the way to the Arizona-Mexico border in Lukeville. There are plenty of other differences, of course. Travelers headed to Rocky Point need passports and Mexican auto insurance, must convert speed limits to kilometers, heed U.S. State Department warnings about travel to Mexico and navigate roads with poor signs and drivers who often make their own rules. It’s enough to make a first-timer hesitate. But that would be a mistake for beach lovers looking for a relative bargain. The drive to Rocky Point is fairly easy, although longer than you may expect, thanks to varying speed limits. 13 tips for driving to Puerto Peñasco 1. You need a passport. So do your kids. Passports for border crossings by land have been required since 2009. We were only asked to show ours when we re-entered the United States. (Some parents have reported getting across the border with young kids by showing their birth certificates, but the State Department says passports are required.) Find out more at travel.state.gov. 2. Drive during the day. The State Department says travelers headed to Rocky Point should travel during daylight hours and use the Lukeville/Sonoyta border crossing, which is 150 miles from central Phoenix and 80 miles from Gila Bend. The crossing is closed from midnight to 6 a.m. Arizona and Sonora officials in late 2016 designated the stretch of highway from just past the border to Puerto Peñasco a "safety corridor." There are bilingual signs, surveillance cameras and, during busy periods like spring break, a law-enforcement presence and security checkpoints. (We saw no law enforcement or checkpoints in mid-April.) 3. Buy Mexico auto insurance. If you plan on traveling to Puerto Penasco, Mexico Most U.S. policies don't cover incidents in Mexico. Policies are sold online, by AAA and other agencies and along the way to the border. The sales pitch starts at gas stations in Gila Bend and ends at the Gastrak station in Lukeville. The biggest cluster of shops is in Ajo, one of them a drive-thru festooned in the colors of the Mexican flag. We bought ours at Mexico Trip Insurance in Ajo. Prices don’t vary significantly among insurers. They're based on the value of your car (have that figure and other car details handy), length of stay in Mexico and type and amount of coverage. Liability coverage is required. We opted for full coverage (liability, collision and theft) and paid $71 for five nights for a 2012 Volkswagen Beetle worth about $10,000. Liability alone cost $60. Be prepared to show your registration and driver’s license. Keep the policy in your car and the insurance contact info, including roadside assistance, handy in case you are in an accident or break down. Police reports must be filed in Mexico for any accidents or incidents. 4. Watch for U.S. border patrol checkpoints. Be on the lookout for border patrol immigration checkpoints in Arizona and slow down as you approach them. You might be asked questions or waved through. These are separate from the border crossing. 5. Slow down as you approach the border. The speed limit here decreases rapidly. On a Saturday afternoon in mid-April, there were no lines and we were waved through. Expect lines during peak vacation season, such as spring break and long holiday weekends. 6. Plan your bathroom/snack breaks. There are no services between Gila Bend and Ajo, and few from the border to the beach. The last stop before Mexico is the Gastrak station steps from the border in Lukeville. Fill your tank in Arizona, too. Gas is much more expensive in Mexico. 7. Stock up on essentials. Ajo has an IGA grocery store and two dollar stores that sell bottled water, coolers, beach chairs, soda and more. The Why Not Travel Store in Why is a great stop, too, with some of the nicest bathrooms en route and a good selection of beverages and snacks, including seafood from Rocky Point on the trip home. Pick up free tourist brochures, including maps. 8. As border towns go, tiny Sonoyta is no Nogales or Tijuana and is easily skipped. It's a blink-and-you-miss-it town and the signage isn't great. Watch your speed and pay attention to road signs, where they exist. (Ditto in Rocky Point.) If ever there's a disorienting "We're not in Phoenix anymore'' moment of the trip, this is it. The drive through Sonoyta is short and before you know it you're on Mexico 8. 9. Give a little. Drop a couple dollars into the Red Cross (Cruz Roja Mexicana) collection bucket shortly after you enter Sonoyta, Mexico. A volunteer will give you a sticker. The owner of the Sandy Beach condo we rented suggested it for good karma and our trip was flawless. 10. It's about 65 miles from the border to Rocky Point. It can take more than 80 minutes if you follow the varying speed limits on the route. 11. Driving the Mexico 8 highway. The nearly 60-mile stretch of Mexico 8 that takes you to Puerto Peñasco is a relatively smooth two-lane highway and a so-called hassle-free zone or safety corridor. The desert landscape will remind you of the drive from Phoenix to Tucson. The speed limit ranges from 40 to 90 kilometers per hour, or 25 to 55 mph. We were passed multiple times. 12. Drive carefully. Don't get pulled over. If you get pulled over for speeding or other infractions, any fine levied should be paid at a police station. Don't hand cash to the officer. Mexican officials have been distributing "Stop Bribery'' brochures to address travelers' concerns about rogue "police'' officials. We had no issues on an April trip and saw a very limited police presence. 13. Hang on, you're almost there. Don’t question your vacation decision as you approach Sandy Beach, home to the biggest cluster of hotel and condo high-rises in Rocky Point. The sandy road is dotted with rusty shells of buildings, half-finished projects and other eyesores. You’ll forget them as soon as you pull into your complex and catch the first glimpse of the shimmering Gulf of California, also called the Sea of Cortez. 14. Visit Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. This park just a few miles north of the border is an International Biosphere Reserve. It has a visitor center, scenic drive and hiking trails. Arizona Republic/azcentral outdoor guru Roger Naylor says the remote attraction should be on your bucket list.
Beyond the beach in Rocky Point, Mexico: 6 things to do in Puerto Penasco Dawn Gilbertson, Arizona Republic Published 4:00 a.m. MT June 25, 2018 PUERTO PEÑASCO, Mexico — Tacky T-shirts, NFL blankets, tequila and tchotchkes galore are peddled to tourists on the seaside Malecon. Glenn Dennis prefers to catch his souvenirs. The haul on a trip with his grandson Zane in April: five triggerfish and a sea trout. They cooked the sea trout at their condo and brought the triggerfish home. "We usually catch enough to take back to Phoenix,'' Dennis said. The retired draftsman, who splits his time between Edmonton, Canada, and Glendale, loves how affordable the charter fishing trips are in Rocky Point compared to Florida and other vacation spots. He's been fishing with a company called Shark Boy for 10 years and as a longtime customer he pays $120 for a half-day trip for two people to go up to 12 miles off shore. Fishing is one of the big draws in Rocky Point, a once-sleepy fishing village that is still a major commercial shrimp producer. “In the morning, come and find a boat, get on it, go fishing.” "In the morning, come and find a boat, get on it, go fishing,'' he said. "It's like, what do you call it? Hassle free, if you know what I mean.'' JJ's Cantina, located in Cholla Bay serves up tacos, burgers and beer in Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Cheryl Evans/The Republic Rocky Point doesn't have must-visit theme parks or other major tourist attractions, but there's plenty to do when you're sick of the sand or pool. Visit popular areas of town including the Old Port and the Malecon and street vendors will bombard you with pitches for fishing trips, sunset cruises, tours and other activities. Tourism officials recommend booking activities through established companies like Rocky Point Fishing Club and other operators, directly or through the activities desk at your condo resort or hotel, for the best service and safeguards. Plenty of visitors, though, simply show up before their planned activity and negotiate the best deal. 6 popular things to do in Puerto Peñasco 1. Go fishing. Visitors can book in advance or just show up in the parking lot by the boat ramp early in the morning. A sure sign you're in the right place: the ramp is littered with fish heads. Check the weather report before you head to the Old Port. Hinds closed the port two consecutive days during our April visit. Most boat operators will clean and package your fish as part of the price, so bring a cooler. David Mann, a 35-year-old visitor from Colorado, caught eight fish including triggerfish, sea bass, tilapia and rockfish on a four-hour April trip. He gave some of the fish to the captain, brought some to Flavio restaurant in the Malecon to be cooked for dinner and saved the rest. 2. Take a sunset cruise. Book a sunset cruise in Hawaii and you'll pay about $70 per person. Our two-hour Rocky Point sunset cruise on EcoFun Rentals' newest catamaran, the Sol Express, was just $25 per adult and included margaritas, beer and other alcoholic beverages. Two honeymooning couples, one from Tucson, celebrated with tequila shots and dancing but our weeknight trip in April was not a raucous party boat. The sunset cruise travels from the port to Sandy Beach and back, stopping for sunset selfies, giving first-time visitors a great, relaxing introduction to Rocky Point from the water. Other companies offering sunset cruises include Senorita Rita. Other cruises include whale watching (in the winter) and day-long adventures to Bird Island, aka the San Jorge Islands, including kayaking and snorkeling. 3. Get a massage. Spa treatments can eat up a vacation budget in most destinations. But you can get a massage in Puerto Peñasco and still have money left for dinner and drinks. The best part: You can walk from your condo or vacation rental. Stroll Sandy Beach or the beaches in Las Conchas and you're likely to find massage tables set up and waiting. We booked massages with a woman named Adela in front of Las Palmas resort on Sandy Beach on a late Tuesday afternoon in April. The price, before generous tip, was $20 per person. Massage prices vary depending on the day, location, length and season. Don't want a massage in public? Some resorts on Sandy Beach have spas that offer massages and other treatments. 4. Play golf. If desert golf with ocean views is your thing, Rocky Point has three public courses. The most popular, given its central location, is The Links at Las Palomas Beach & Golf Resort on Sandy Beach. Las Palomas bills it as the only links course in northwest Mexico. The Arizona Diamondbacks held a charity golf tournament there in 2017. The other two: The Club at Laguna del Mar, designed by Jack Nicklaus, and The Nicklaus Design Course at Vidanta Puerto Peñasco at the all-inclusive Mayan Palace Resort. The Vidanta course was named to Golfweek's 2017 list of best Caribbean and Mexico golf courses. Greens fees fall as temperatures rise. Golfers will pay $60 during the week and $75 on the weekend during the summer at The Links, for example. Las Palomas guests receive a discount. 5. Go off-roading. Bring your own ATVs or quads or rent them. Don't forget helmets. Phoenix sisters Nancy Soyka and Tamara White, frequent Rocky Point visitors, said they were almost ticketed on an April trip due to a new law requiring head protection. The activities desk at your condo resort or hotel has information on rentals, or you can stop when you see a roadside stand renting them. There is one behind the Sandy Beach resorts. 6. Take a horseback ride. Sure, you could go parasailing, ride jet skis (as cheap as $30 for an hour) or hop on a banana boat. But if you're looking for something different to do at the beach, check out horseback riding. We were in Rocky Point less than two hours when we saw Clemente Vasquez Montoya and his horse, Morro, on Sandy Beach near the Sonoran Sun resort. He offered a 40-minute ride for $20.
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