Rocky Point

Rocky Point, Mexico--or Puerto Peñasco--is a favorite destination for many Phoenix area residents because it is the closest beach we have. Rocky Point is also very popular during Spring Break, so if you are considering a visit, take that into account. If you aren't a student traveling with your friends, Spring Break is a great time to avoid going to Rocky Point!

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Rocky Point, Mexico

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I'm so glad we decided to go to Rocky Point! It was a total blast ... in a laid back, lazy sort of way.

We loaded up the pickup and hit the road from Cottonwood on Friday morning at 7am. The drive was pretty easy, and went really fast. We rolled through PHX right at rush hour, but it really wasn't too bad. Then we hopped on the 85 south through Gila Bend, Ajo, Why, and crossed the border at Lukeville. We just got waved through the border, so we rolled on through. We passed through Sonoita, and then it was about an hour to Puerto Penasco. We got there by noon.

We found the condo [deleted by About.com Phoenix] and tried to check in. But the manager was nowhere to be found. We moved all of our stuff into the cab of the truck, locked it up, and found a nice balcony for some cervezas. We sat up there, under an umbrella, and watched dolphins. After about an hour, we wandered back down to the Casa, but she still wasn't there. We located her phone number and called her. Before we left the US, I had AT&T Wireless add Mexico service to my cell phone -- thank goodness!

She let us in, we cranked up the A/C, and dropped off our stuff. That place is soooo cute! Very unique, decorated with all sorts of bright paint and tile, and antiques and crafts. Too bad they are selling all the units. We got one of the last 4 that are for rent, and we had the whole top floor to ourselves. Up there, there's a big grill, chairs, a sitting area, and loads of plants. Plus you can see the church and the ocean from there.

After getting settled, we wandered the waterfront (a block away) and sampled the Sol and tacos at various establishments. We finally settled on the Sailing Parrot and camped out there for a few hours, nibbling on tacos and an immense shrimp cocktail. After sitting and sweating and watching the pelicans, we went back to the room, cooled off in the open, brightly tiled shower, found some English language tv, and crashed at 8 pm.

Oh, I almost forgot ... we tracked down Miguel, based on the recommendations from the Rocky Point message board. He came over to the truck, and we arranged a fishing outing for Sunday at 7 am. He usually requires a 3 person minimum, at $55 per person. But he'd take just the two of us for $60 per person.

We woke up early Saturday morning and sought out breakfast. Apparently only gringos get up early. Besides the garbage men and the stray dogs, we were the only ones out. The earliest breakfast was 9 am. The Rocky Point Times mentioned a place near the resorts that served breakfast, so we headed to that part of town. That area must be where all the college kids hang out during Spring Break. It was kinda shady and full of strip clubs.

That place wasn't open yet, but we found an American style BBQ places that was, and had a passable eggs and bacon type deal. After, we wandered down to the beach, and it was pretty quiet. The merchants were just setting up their shelters, and there maybe a dozen tourists poking around in the tidal pools. The tide was out, so there was plenty of flat wet sand, and the reef was exposed. The water was only about knee deep until you hit rocks again. So we just crawled and floated and sat in the ebb. We explored the tidal pools and found shells, critters, and beach glass. After a couple of hours, we headed back to the Old Port.

It was getting pretty hot, so we were due for a midday shower and lie-down before venturing out again. Then we decided to check out some of the shops in the Old Port area, *off* the waterfront. The ones on the waterfront all sold the same touristy crap -- sling shots, hammocks, shell necklaces, cheap vanilla, etc.

There's only one shop in that area that has the market cornered on Mexican stuff. This guy has it ALL. His place is filled with ceramics, glassware, mirrors, and metalcraft. I found loads of stuff I'd like to take home, but, of course, nothing had a price on it and I hate negotiating. We zoomed in on one particularly cool and unique item, and decided to go for just that one. He wanted $28 and was stubbornly sticking to it when we offered $20. He eventually backed down, and we took our prize back to the Casa.

Next Page >> Rocky Point Weekend, Part 2

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