Puerto Peñasco, Baja Ca Sur, Mexico ~ 48 hours in a sleepy Mexican town

One of our favorite Mexican weekend getaways is Puerto Peñasco. It’s about a 5 hour drive from San Diego and 4 hours from Phoenix or Tuscon. It sits on the Northeast corner of the Sea of Cortez directly across from San Felipe as a crow flies. Puerto Peñasco (or Rocky Point) was a town my father spent a lot of time in when he was young so it is really special to us. 

There are a dozen or so high-rise hotel/resorts to the north of the main town that are pretty much all the same place. They are all high-rise buildings with patios and ocean views. They have full amenities, restaurants, large pools, rental offices. You can book boat trips and rent beach gear at most of them. They all sit on a beautiful beach that goes for miles. There is snorkeling, swimming, shelling, and fishing. If you’re here for a beach vacation, they are perfect. 

The Dream Weaver Casitas

Our favorite place to stay in Puerto Peñasco is the charming Dream Weaver Palapa Casitas. Their casitas sleep from 2-9 people. This little piece of paradise is located on of a small hill on the south side of Old Port and a block from the Malecón. Two of the casitas have a private balcony with a magnificent view of the Sea of Cortez.

The location of the Dream Weaver puts you walking distance from restaurants, bars and shopping. The party on the Malecón at night emits the classic feeling of Old Mexico. Families line the walkway, mariachis play, street vendors with everything from souvenirs to elotes hawk their wares and the vibe is bewitching. 

Our favorite restaurants in Puerto Peñasco

• Max’s is on the Malecón and breakfast on the patio is a perfect way to start the day.
• The Point sits on stilts over the water. The fresh seafood is heavenly. Choices range from whole fish to shrimp stuffed avocado salad. The view is serene and it is a great spot to enjoy a delicious meal and a sunset. 

• Pedros is a little hidden gem just off the Malecón. The quaint restaurant features fresh local seafood, great margaritas and excellent service. 
• The Tekila bar is a tiki themed restaurants. There are a few tables on the back deck. Another great spot for a cocktail and sunset. 

We have two main things we love about Puerto Peñasco. Firstly, the fresh seafood. Secondly is the beaches. There are miles of them with easy access. There are many places to snorkel, swim and fish. 

Our 3 favorite beaches in Puerto Peñasco

• Sandy beach ~ There are a lot of activities available at this beautiful beach area, including swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, water skiing, parasailing, jet skiing, surfing, fishing and more.
• Tucson Beach ~ Located in Cholla Bay this small stretch of beach is perfect for wading and swimming due to its very calm waters when the tide is in.  When the tide is down it will reveal its rocky landscape where it’s common to see families of sea lions relaxing on these rock.
• Playa La Joya/Playa Encanto ~ These two beaches lie next to each other and are about 12 miles from Puerto Peñasco. Both of them offer beautiful scenery and serenity. They are the perfect beaches to go for a walk, swimming, shelling and relaxing in the sun. These two beaches are less inhabited than the others therefore, they are much more peaceful.

When you visit Puerto Peñasco, be sure to bring a cooler. You’ll want to take home some of the fresh Mexican prawns that are available at the outdoor fish market in the middle of Old Puerto.  Dozens of stalls line this street and the local fisherman have seafood fresh every  morning. They’ll pack it in a double bag and give you some ice to keep it fresh for the ride home. 

Be sure to check out our other blogs of places to visit in Baja, Ca. Sur.