I've been living in Phoenix for the past 10 years & I've never been to Puerto Penasco. my birthday is Saturday, June 11, & I plan on making my 1st trip down there that Friday. I haven't made any reservations yet because I'm still waiting on a few friends to confirm whether or not they're coming. but now, as I'm sure everyone is already aware, the U.S. has issued a travel warning. it doesn't have me too concerned, because I've done my research & I don't buy into the media fear, but a couple of my friends are now freaking out.
anyway, I have a few questions... & I might have more...
1) should I drive my car, or take a shuttle? I had planned on driving, but I do drive a pretty nice car & I don't want anything to happen to it. or, I could also rent something...
2) if I drive my car, what exactly should my concerns be once I cross the border?
I plan on leaving Phoenix 1st thing Friday morning June 10, & leaving Rocky Point June 13. if there are any regulars who are also going that weekend & would like to follow each other down, I'm very much open to that.
any tips, thoughts, anything is appreciated... even tips on where to stay on Sandy Beach, & where to go at night, & how to get around.
Drive your own vehicle.....you'll pay between $100-190 round trip with a shuttle (depends on how many people are in your "group"), and then you still need to get around in town. Just make sure you get Mexican insurance.....it's available online, from Rosie Glover (one of the regulars on here) http://www.proalliance.com.mx/ , among other companies..... If you depend on taxis to get around town, the fare within town (not to/from the condos) is 20 pesos....and it's a shared ride. BTW...gas prices are cheaper in Rocky Point (diesel is about $1/gallon less).
Plenty of places to stay on Sandy Beach....starting with Playa Bonita Hotel or several resort condos....plenty of places to hit at night...starting with the Malecon....BooBar, Sharkbite...or on the Mirador (Mannys, if still open then), SandBar, Capones, Pink Cadillac. Over by the sandy beach condos you have Wrecked at the Reef or Changos, and JJ's at Cholla.
You shouldn't have any trouble traveling the times you mention.....and have a passport, although you can get back across the border returning home without much of a hassle if you have a picture ID and your birth certificate.
If you are planning on staying on Sandy Beach you better hurry That is the weekend for the Roger Clyne concert in front of the Sonoran Sea Resort. There will be tons of Americans down for this party. I plan on attending my first one. We usually leave Thursday after lunch and drive down that way we have all day friday to relax. One suggestion is to go by the Tequilla Factory that way you can tell all the friends and family that you got shot (actually many shots) while in Mexico. Hope to see you there PM me if you have any other questions.
When driving down remember that Gila Bend - especially Ajo (coming into and going out of town) and Soyonita have speed traps. The road between Soyoniat and Lukeville is in better condition then between Ajo and Lukeville in our opinion. It is well maintained and also patrolled and there is an emergency number listed (066?) in case you have a problem - like a flat tire, etc. We have driving in at night but don't suggest it as animals on the road. Besides, it is such a lovely drive - love looking at the Organ Pipe cactus and vocanic rocks. Just made an Ajo (grocery) run yesterday and the palo verde, ocotillo, & iron wood were in bloom! We are in our 70s and have never felt unsafe on the road down here. Or, for that matter, roaming around town during the day. We don't go out at night a lot - did that when we were a lot younger.
Last weekend (Easter) there were over 100K visitors - it was great fun - lots of music - beatiful weather - no problems - just families enjoying a fantastic vacation.
Last weekend (Easter) there were over 100K visitors - it was great fun - lots of music - beatiful weather - no problems - just families enjoying a fantastic vacation.[/QUOTE said:
Sorry there were problems last weekend BooBar was closed Traffic was so bad you couldn't drive I had to walk 2 miles to get to the Malecon. There were kids playing on the beach (lot more people than I have ever seen on the beach) Oh and I didn't even mention that it was so hot that you had to wear shorts and flip flops to keep from overheating:cheers:
We took one look out the window at the traffic streaming by and put the car keys away and hit the beach - in our shorts. It was really great seeing people enjoying themselves. The banana boat guys were doing a booming business. As were all the other "play toy" rentals from what we could see.
FayeMoon, are you in fact coming to see the Peacemakers play that weekend? If you stay on Sandy Beach and don't drive, you'll have to deal with taxi rides that are a bit expensive, as in Mexico they charge per person usually, not for the entire cab. If you stay somewhere in town (even Penasco de Sol, which is technically on Sandy Beach) or in the Mirador area, cabs only charge about 20 pesos per person per trip. It's very safe to drive, though, and even though you're only driving in Mexico itself for an hour or less, the freeway there is nicer than the ones on the U.S. side!
As far as your car goes, you'll see brand new H2s and Jeeps and all sorts of expensive off-road cars down there, so you probably don't have too much to worry about. (And actually if you had an older truck with hard-to-find-parts, you'd be in more danger!) Maybe think twice about driving to the Circus Mexicus show, taking a cab is well worth avoiding the park-and-walk, especially afterward!
As far as people following you down, that's already going to happen! Just look for that classic Peacemaker petroglyph bumper sticker and wave! Also, stop at the gas station in Why, they've always got some free Penasco newspapers/coupon books/tourist guides and you'll probably meet some Roger fans in the process!
Last weekend (Easter) there were over 100K visitors - it was great fun - lots of music - beatiful weather - no problems - just families enjoying a fantastic vacation.[/QUOTE said:
Sorry there were problems last weekend BooBar was closed Traffic was so bad you couldn't drive I had to walk 2 miles to get to the Malecon. There were kids playing on the beach (lot more people than I have ever seen on the beach) Oh and I didn't even mention that it was so hot that you had to wear shorts and flip flops to keep from overheating:cheers:
Not only that, there were revelers all over the place drinking adult beverages and having a good time!
Today we had two young girls show us a baby octopus in the tide pool - there were here with their grandfather (or great) and having a wonderful time exploring the tide pools. They drove over from San Diego. We never get tired of exploring the tide pools. You have a wonderful treat waiting for you.
Fayemoon - We are going down those exact same days for Roger Clyne. We're leaving North Phoenix are 8:30 - 9am. We're meeting another group out by the 303 and possibly another group from the East side. We're leaving on Monday around noonish. Send me a message if you want to talk further. We stay at Penasco Del Sol because the pool is awesome, it's cheap and on the smaller side. We feel so stranded out at Sandy Beach. I always take my SUV down and it stays parked at the hotel the whole weekend.
There are a LOT of people going down that weekend, especially Friday morning. We've always just stopped for gas and stuff at the border and then assembled a caravan of three or four cars of folks we didn't even know to cross together and drive down. It definitely helps in feeling safe. We always just tell the people who cross with us to flash their lights if anything is out of the ordinary or makes them uncomfortable. Never had someone flash their lights...
FayeMoon, are you in fact coming to see the Peacemakers play that weekend?
no, I actually had no idea of the concert. my birthday is June 11, & I'm taking a 4 day weekend. I love the beach, but I think Cali beaches suck.
playaperro said:
Fayemoon I have some tips for you...first of all, are you male or female?
I'm a white female with red hair.
call me crazy, but I've always been fascinated with 3rd world countries. last year I spent my birthday in Cambodia. I don't consider myself your typical tourist.
Since you love third world countries, check out a film called "Last Stop For Paul" a great indie film. It's touching and funny all at the same time. Enjoy Rocky Point, you will be sad it took you ten years.
Check out my photo albums in PICTURES on the forum, It'll give you a good idear of what its like.
Have FUN! Keep your eyes open, and don't do or involve yourself in foolish activities. [:-))
You will have a good time! These are nothing like the Cali beaches, which I always end up talking new friends out of visiting. One trip to Penasco and they're hooked. Clean, spacious and no alcohol restrictions. If you or your friends have more questions or they have any other reservations about traveling, ask away!
Fayemoon - We are going down those exact same days for Roger Clyne. We're leaving North Phoenix are 8:30 - 9am. We're meeting another group out by the 303 and possibly another group from the East side. We're leaving on Monday around noonish. Send me a message if you want to talk further. We stay at Penasco Del Sol because the pool is awesome, it's cheap and on the smaller side. We feel so stranded out at Sandy Beach. I always take my SUV down and it stays parked at the hotel the whole weekend.
There are a LOT of people going down that weekend, especially Friday morning. We've always just stopped for gas and stuff at the border and then assembled a caravan of three or four cars of folks we didn't even know to cross together and drive down. It definitely helps in feeling safe. We always just tell the people who cross with us to flash their lights if anything is out of the ordinary or makes them uncomfortable. Never had someone flash their lights...
awesome! I'm going to message you! but in all honesty, almost all of my friends have bailed on me due to safety concerns, so I don't know for sure what I'm going to end up doing. I do like the idea of leaving my car parked for the entire weekend, because I don't like driving around any town or city I'm not familiar with no matter where I am.
Even if you come down by yourself you will have a wonderful time. It is soooo easy to meet people here wherever you go. Everyone (town people & visitors) almost always talk to each other. I don't think I've ever stood in line at Super Ley and not gotten into a conversation (sometimes I'm not sure that I've actually understood the whole conversation - but smiles cover a lot of ground). One day at Super Ley my friend and I were trying to load a 50 lb bag of dog food into the cart when a lady and her child indicated we should stop - the young girl ran off and quickly came back with her father - who loaded the sack for us. They are the types of people you meet here. Walk the beach and some child might show you a wonderful find, like a baby octopus, they just found in a tide pool. We know a lot of people who drive down by themselves - and there is always the shuttle since you don't want to drive around anyway. The weather is beautiful and the water warming up.
Rocky Point is best visited with a car and friends. Part of the fun for new visitors is exploring the town and various beaches. I'd hate to see your first visit be a bust.
It's ridiculous that your friends are bailing on you, but not surprising. Perceptions invariably trump reality.
There are right ways and wrong ways to visit Rocky Point. I've known people to go down there and stay in a hotel and tell me they didn't particularly enjoy the place. That's because they did it all wrong. The wrong way, in my opinion, is to be stuck in one place unless maybe it's a luxury home on the beach at Las Conchas and you bring everything with you and accept the fact that you are only getting a small part of the RP experience. I wouldn't suggest a 4-day stay in any hotel without the use of a car. RP is easy to drive around in.
What many of us Arizona touristas do is go in a group to a rented house (Las Conchas neighborhood is best by far for the idyllic ocean tranquility scene) and split the rent, take an ice chest with a few food items and supplement at the Super Ley (big grocery store in RP). You'll want to check out Cholla Bay (about a 5-mile drive to the north), the Malecon and Old Town, the bar/nightclub scene in Mirador, and various beaches, although the beach at Las Conchas is as good as any for the laid back beach experience. There are websites that advertise beach home rentals in Las Conchas (gated community, fantastic atmosphere, perfectly safe.) There are a few minor attractions in and around Las Conchas (CEDO, oyster farm at Marua estuary, the acquarium just inside the Las Conchas entrance, etc. Just remember that I did say minor.)
You still have some time to work on your friends. Or maybe make some new ones with a little more adventure in their blood.
Fayemoon....check out this "Meetup" group....... http://www.meetup.com/Weekends-in-Rocky-Point/events/17463470/ They have a planned trip to Penasco for that weekend and the Roger Clynne concert. Maybe you can hook up with them to caravan down and also not be in town by yourself.
I know there are several people from this forum who will also be there for the concert. If you are on Facebook, check out the Roger Clynne page....there will be people posting about going down...
Don't miss the fun of licking a large Thrifty ice cream cone and strolling along the Malecon in the old port. It is one of the places we take all our family and friends and they have always loved it. Looking over the side at the "beach???" at the old port you can see how Rocky Point got it's name :)
I have been so many times. This year, we have been 6. Everytime we plan to leave by two pm, we end up driving down in the dark. :-((
There have been no incidences whatsoever each time in the last 30 years after dark of any kind that I recall. Now knock on wood for that. I think its easy to tag up with others along the way.
Go. Just Go. Believe me if you haven't made it in ten years you are missing out on an experience not to be forgotten. Have fun, keep eyes peeled, watch your back, count your change, come bearing gifts of beans, rice and oil (you just might meet a local or two), tip well and bring your camera and take photos of everything you like and post on this forum.
I wish it was my first time and had the support you are getting.
You will like it, and won't wait long before your back down again...!!
thanks for all of the insight! I'm still planning on coming down the weekend of the 10th, & I'll have at least 1 (maybe 2 or 3) friends with me. I would also really like to meet up with some people here in Phoenix & caravan down together, so if anyone is going down that weekend & would be okay with this, please send me a message, or you can hit me up on facebook: www.facebook.com/kfhudson I'll also check out that meet up site. I want to leave here early Friday morning, & come home on Monday.
I know you will ply your car full of treats and whatnot, but I traveled to RP since the 80's and no one told me about the duty free shop in Lukeville. Perfume, ciggs, sunglasses, english chocolates (from time to time), AND of course A L C O H O L tax free. You probably won't regret the stop. Located on the WEST side of the road, across from the goons and the U S port of entry. Look for POST OFFICE and its in the corner. If you purchase, you must pass go, enjoy $200 of fantastic merchandise (joke), and go on to Mexico. You can however, on your way back, after US port of entry, if you have declared nothing, can purchase and then walk back around fence line on the MX side back to the US (60 seconds or less), check in as a pedestrian once again on the US side and walk back to your vehicle and go home. Keep in mind, rule of thumb: PER PERSON: Upon returning to the US 1 Liter of booze, or 1 six pack of beer, or 1 bottle of wine. No exceptions. Hope that helps!
Its good to hear you are going! Wahoo! Check out my albums in the photo section. Have a blast! Bring noodles or floaties of some kind for the ocean, you won't regret it!:bunny:
