Rocky point, also know as Puerto Peñasco is a small town located on the northern shores of the Sea of Cortez in the Mexican state of Sonora.

Puerto Peñasco is a resort town and a beach destination for a lot of Arizonians. It is even called Arizona’s beach as it is the closest beach to the state of Arizona.

While laying by the beach on a beautiful sunny day and enjoying good Mexican food is everyone’s dream, there are a few things you should keep in mind before traveling to Rocky Point.

Getting to Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco is about 213 miles southwest of Metro Phoenix. The drive can take from three to four hours depending on where in the valley you are starting from.

You will drive through a town called “Ajo” and another town called “Why”  before you arrive to the Mexican/American boarder.

Puerto Peñasco is 62 miles away from the American/Mexican border. As always, google maps does a good job of getting you there. Don’t forget to download an offline map in case the service gets interrupted. 

Crossing the American/Mexican border

Before crossing the border, there are a few checkpoints between 25 and 75 miles of Mexico. The checkpoints are in place to detect any illegal activities that may have bypassed the official Mexican/American border crossings.

You can either be stopped and asked a few questions or waved through. Just make sure you slow down, and follow instructions. If you don’t know something, ask.

What documentation do I need to cross the boarder?

If you are an American citizen, you definitely need your passport with you. If you are a USA resident, it depends on your country of origin.

As a Moroccan citizen, I was able to get in and out of Mexico by showing my Moroccan passport and my Green card. For USA residents on a work or student visa or similar scenarios, you want to make sure that: 

• Your country of origin allows you to enter Mexico without a visa, otherwise you need to apply for one. 
• Make sure you have a visa and/or necessary documentation to enter back to the USA 

Not that you will be asked at the boarder, but the other important thing that you definitely need to have on you is a Mexican Auto insurance. The majority of American auto insurances don’t cover incidents happening in Mexico and I am sure you don’t want to get in trouble because of that 😀 

The insurance can be purchased either online or from a gas station on the way. The last place you can purchase insurance from is Gastrak in Lukeville right before crossing the border.

We purchased ours from CSI Insurance for $70 https://www.progressive.com/agent/local-agent/arizona/phoenix/csi-insurance-85029/ 

And as a rule of thumb, always have your Driver’s License and your Vehicle Registration. 

 To sum it up, here is what you need: 

• Passport 
• Proof of residency in the USA (For non USA citizens) 
• Driver’s License and Vehicle Registration
• Mexican Auto Insurance

Driving in Puerto Peñasco

As you cross the border and enter Mexico you will notice a considerable difference. Be prepared to learn and be out of your comfort zone. That’s what travelling is about, right?

Road Signs 

The speed limit in Mexico is in Kilometers per hour instead of miles. your speedometer will probably have an option to display your speed in metric parameters. Otherwise, keep in mind that 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers. 

When it comes to road signs, you want to make sure that you understand the following, other than that, signs with photos are self explanatory. 

• ALTO = STOP
• CEDA EL PASO = YIEDL
• CUIDADO CON EL TREN = BEWARE THE TRAIN

Road Conditions

The roads are not bad but don’t expect them to be as maintained and smooth as in the USA. I noticed that speed bumps are quite high in the city. Not that it is necessary but it is a good idea to drive a high clearance vehicle just to be on the safe side. You might have to drive on a sandy road to park your vehicle to get to the beach.

Drivers 

Drivers in Puerto Penasco are not the most aware drivers so make sure to drive with caution, keep your distance and keep in mind that not everybody follows the rules.

Money

Cash, cash and cash, you absolutely need that cash as most of places don’t accept credit or debit cards and I am sure no checks either 😀 . Make sure you have enough cash. Dollars are enough, so don’t worry about converting your dollars to pesos.. unless you want to keep a coin or two as a souvenir. 

It is embarrassing to say, but cash totally skipped our mind. So yeah, we arrived to Puerto Peñasco with no cash at all.

If you happen to be in a similar situation, don’t you worry. There are ATMs pretty much everywhere. Otherwise, If you are more comfortable using a bank, there is one that we used called Banamex Puerto Peñasco

In case it is possible to use your credit card in a restaurant or a bar, be careful who do you hand your card to and how much you are being charged.

What to eat in Puerto Peñasco

Restaurants 

There are plenty of restaurants all around Puerto Peñasco. Because the main income for locals besides tourism is fishing, Puerto Peñasco is a seafood heaven.

Street Food

There are food stands in the city and even at the beach. They are cheaper than restaurants, so if you are on a budget, that’s the way to go.

Food stands offer sea food dishes, tacos, juices, cocktails, coco water, pina coladas…  

Grocery Stores 

If you are more into cooking your own meal, there are plenty of grocery stores. You will find a SiX grocery store on pretty much every corner. There is also a Sam’s club in Puerto Peñasco. Seafood is available to purchase at the fish markets.

Public Restrooms

I saw public restrooms in the plaza center of Puerto Peñasco . They are not the best public restrooms but surely better than nothing. I had to pay 5 Pesos to use them. I didn’t find any soap, so maybe you want to make sure you have hand sanitizer at all times.

Internet

This depends on your service provider and the plan that you are on. You might be able to use your data or you might have to pay an additional daily fee. Either way, you will receive a message right at the boarder.

There is WiFi available in some restaurants. All you have to do is ask for the password. 

Do I need to know Spanish? 

You don’t have to know Spanish to have a good experience in Puerto Peñasco . There are plenty of tourists especially in the high season and a lot of people who speak English. You will be just fine! But it doesn’t hurt to learn a few words such as gracias (Thank you), perdoname ( excuse me), Cuando cuesta (How much does it cost?)  locals will appreciate it.

How about safety?

From my personal experience, I felt safe most of the time. Follow the law and don’t be an idiot. Be respectful towards the country and its people because things can get pretty messed up. I’d heard stories of people ending up in jail for getting wasted, not paying their bills at a bar or doing some dumb things. Stay safe, be respectful and you will be fine. 

Bringing goods to the USA

 I was  able to bring in seafood with no issues. This is one of the most asked questions and rightfully so. Who wouldn’t want to bring home some fresh camarones (Shrimp)?

This was my first time in Mexico and in Rocky Point. I had a lovely trip overall. Would I do it again? Absolutely!

If you are already planning for a trip to Rocky Point, be sure to read about  Things you absolutely should do while in Rocky Point  

If you need help planning for your adventure in Rocky Point, we offer one on one Adventure Travel Consultations to answer your questions and help you plan hustle free.