Rocky Point Beaches: A guide to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico

BY JARED DILLINGHAM

TRAVEL GUIDE: ROCKY POINT BEACHES

The Rocky Point beaches are seeing a rise in post-pandemic travel. If you’ve never been to the shores of Puerto Peñasco, let’s take a look at what the different beaches there have to offer!

It’s tradition for Arizonans to flock to the shores of Orange County and San Diego in the summer, but the greenish-blue waters off the Rocky Point beaches are cleaner, warmer, and two-hours closer!

The tourism industry in this part of Sonora, Mexico, has grown exponentially over the last 20 years. First-time visitors might be pleasantly surprised by what they find.

Key Takeaways

The beaches of Rocky Point line the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California.

They’re not a great place for surfers, since the sea delivers very weak waves (if you can even call them waves).

On the other hand, Puerto Peñasco is great for swimming, fishing, and jet skiing! Plus, the sea life is abundant. Snorkeling isn’t great, but you’ll spot sea lions, dolphins and whales in the water off-shore.

Select dates to see prices for rentals in Rocky Point.

Keep in mind: Many condos in the resorts on the beach rent as VRBOs:

Map of Rocky Point Beaches

To organize this blog, I’m going to go down the list of Puerto Peñasco beaches, beginning in the west. Again, I’m not going to hit all of them, and there’s no way to include all of their nicknames, but this will give you a good idea of what to expect on the beaches of Rocky Point!

Cholla Bay (AKA: Tucson / Playa Pelicano / Choya Beach)

Cholla Bay refers to Rocky Point’s far-western tip of land, which hooks up to create a bay. The neighborhood itself is known as La Choya.

The beach around this part of Puerto Peñasco is known by many names, including Cholla Beach (also spelled Choya Beach), and also Tucson Beach. Others call it Playa Pelicano, or Pelican Beach.

As I write this in 2023, Google Maps labels this spot as “Choya Bay” or “Tucson Beach” … AND … says it’s permanently closed. This is incorrect! Access isn’t easy, but Rocky Point’s Choya Beach is still open to the public.

You’ll find a mix of tourists renting the homes in La Choya, and local families swimming and searching for shells along the coastline, which is a mix of rocks and sand.

How to Get to Cholla Bay / Choya Beach

Driving west from the resort area around Las Palomas, you’ll hit the sand roads by the popular “Wrecked at the Reef” bar and restaurant.

Continue down the sand road to the neighborhood known as La Choya.

The area is bustling with all kinds of home construction, so parking may be limited. There are no parking lots at Cholla Bay, so you’ll have to find a spot on the street.

Find your way to the public access walkway down to the beach off Av. Caballito de Mar, along Las Palmeras. It’s a narrow stretch of sand from the road down to the beach, and this is where you’ll also find the lone outhouse.

Rocky Point’s Sandy Beach

In Puerto Penasco, Sandy Beach refers to both the dunes and a stretch of the coast west of the city, and west of the Las Palomas resort area.

The water here is usually clean and clear. You’ll always find people at Wrecked at the Reef, but the the stretch of coast along Sandy Beach is so long, it’s also easy to find some beachside calm and quiet.

Playa Arenosa

People include Rocky Point’s Playa Arenosa in the Sandy Beach area.

Arenosa refers to the pretty blueish-green waters near the pier, which juts out from the beach next to the “Wrecked at the Reef” restaurant and RV park. Wrecked at the Reef is an expansive bar/restaurant/beach complex, which is open from morning to midnight.

The pier is made of hundreds of giant, square-shaped concrete blocks. It’s interesting to check out on its own!

From above, you can see how beautifully greenish-blue the water is along Rocky Point’s Sandy Beach:

You’ll find people walking their dogs here, or surf-casting from the beach or pier.

How to get to Sandy Beach, Puerto Peñasco

Head down Paseo de la Duna, which translates to “Dune Ride,” and you’ll find parking at Wrecked at the Reef. Once you pas Las Palomas and the other tall hotels, the paved road turns to packed sand, which cars can easily handle.

Playa Hermosa & Playa Bonita

Moving west to east in Rocky Point, Sandy Beach turns into Playa Hermosa, which leads town to Playa Bonita.

Playa Hermosa and Playa Bonita are the main beach areas in front of the large hotels and condo complexes in Puerto Peñasco. They’ll run all the way down the coast, east to the Rocky Point marina.

The string of resort hotels in front of Playa Hermosa will include:

• Sonoran Sun
• Las Palmas
• Sonoran Sea
• Sonoran Spa
• Princesa de Peñasco
• Las Palomas
• Puerta Privada
• Casago
• Playa Bonita Resort

Beach Activities at Playa Hermosa, Puerto Peñasco

You can relax along the shore at Playa Hermosa, or take part in a variety of water activities.

You’ll find banana boats, jet skis, beach volleyball courts, and more.

Plus, several of the resorts will have vendors along the beaches. They’re not intrusive, and setup their displays to go check out on your own. You can usually find someone offering beach massages, too.

The beach vendors in Rocky Point are regulated, and abide by the rules to spread out and avoid inundating certain areas.

Playa Hermosa is popular with dog-walkers! You’ll always find dogs exploring the beach, especially at sunset and low-tide.

How to get to Playa Hermosa & Playa Bonita

While it’s easiest to access these beaches if you’re staying at one of the hotels, you could also go to lunch at one of their many restaurants and head down to the beach. The guards at the gates are likely to grant you permission to enter.

Playa Mirador

As we move west to east along the coast of Puerto Peñasco, Playa Mirador is the first beach on the other side of the Malecon and Rocky Point’s “downtown” area. It’s home to the longtime Rocky Point favorite: Manny’s Beach Club:

It’s a short drive from the Malecon, but a world away from the noisy chaos there! I was pleasantly surprised by how calm Playa Mirador was, considering its proximity to downtown Rocky Point.

The sandy beach was pretty clean, and the water was a nice clear blueish-green.

How to get to Playa Mirador in Rocky Point

You’ll have to find street parking, which isn’t too difficult along Calle Mariano Matamoros.

Public access down to Playa Mirador can be found along Av. Chiapas.

Las Conchas

Las Conchas is a lengthy stretch of Rocky Point beach, east of the downtown area. It’s long been a favorite for vacationing families, and is lined with rental homes.

It’s one of my favorite Puerto Peñasco beaches because it’s both conveniently located to town, and less-crowded.

The water is beautiful, and (as you might imagine from its name) Los Conchas has one of the best collections of shells among all of Rocky Point’s beaches.

Las Conchas is lined with some of the biggest vacation homes you’ll find along Rocky Point’s beaches.

The reef here is exposed at low tide, and the sunsets are stunning (as they are along all of Puerto Peñasco’s beaches).

Also in Las Conchas, you’ll find CEDO, an environmental group focused on biodiversity and ecosystems in both the desert and the sea. They have an awesome visitor center, which is worth checking out!

Hot to get to Las Conchas, a favorite Rocky Point Beach

Las Conchas is an easy 10-minute drive east of Puerto Peñasco.

One of the public access points is on the map below, on a street labeled “Pesca Concas.” You can also try getting down to the beach from a spot farther east, labeled Playa del Este on Google Maps.

Playa Encanto & Rocky Point’s La Jolla Beach

Playa Encanto is a popular community east of Rocky Point, full of rental homes.

You’ll have to be self-sufficient in terms of snacks and drinks. You won’t find much in the way of facilities in the area.

A huge new resort is under construction, called Encantame. They’re bound to have beachfront dining options. Plus, the Santo Coyote Ocean Cantina is driveable down the beach.

How to get to Playa Encanto from Rocky Point

It’s an easy 30 minute drive through the desert to Playa Encanto, which runs into Rocky Point’s La Jolla Beach.

The beach itself is lined with homes. After parking, you’ll have to look for one of a few public access points to walk down a sandy path to the beach.

La Ultima Playa / Mayan Beach

You guessed it: “La Ultima Playa” translates to “The Last Beach,” and it refers to the final stop on our tour of Rocky Point Beaches.

It’s a stretch of sand near the upscale Vidanta resorts: The Mayan Palace and The Grand Mayan.

Access to La Ultima Playa isn’t overly easy for the public. My best advice is to head to the gated entry for The Vidanta / Mayan resort compound, and tell the guard you’re heading in to have lunch at one of the restaurants. La Balche has tables outside for a casual lunch.

There’s no fee to park at the hotel lots, and you’ll likely want to enjoy drinks or a meal at one of the beachside restaurants at La Ultima Playa.

Directions to La Ultima Playa from Rocky Point

It’s a bit of a haul from downtown Puerto Peñasco to La Ultima Playa. The drive is about 45 minutes east of town through a rural stretch of desert.

Follow signs for “The Mayan,” and the guards and gates will appear out of nowhere. From the guard shack, it’s another several miles down to the hotel parking lot.

Rocky Point Beaches: The Tides

Tides vary depending on various factors, but in general the Sea of Cortez will have two high tides and two low tides per day. You can use tide charts online to check them daily.

The tides in Rocky Point range from about 1 to 3 feet in height, with higher tides occurring during full or new moons. It’s important to be aware of the tides, since they’ll affect water activities. Low tides will expose 100-yards of reef, rock, and beach in some spots.

Puerto Peñasco’s tidal pools are fun to explore, especially for kids, at low-tide.

A note of caution: beware of the currents, which can be dangerously strong. Sadly, two people died while kayaking in strong currents off Rocky Point just before Christmas in 2022.

Rocky Point Beaches: Water Temperature

The water temperature in the Gulf of California varies month-by-month. It gets really warm during the summer, and (at least for me) too cold to swim for a few months during the winter!

Here are the average water temperatures you can expect each month on Puerto Peñasco’s beaches in the Sea of Cortez:

• January: 63-68°F (17-20°C)
• February: 62-68°F (17-20°C)
• March: 63-70°F (17-21°C)
• April: 67-74°F (19-23°C)
• May: 72-79°F (22-26°C)
• June: 79-84°F (26-29°C)
• July: 84-88°F (29-31°C)
• August: 84-89°F (29-32°C)
• September: 82-87°F (28-31°C)
• October: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
• November: 70-77°F (21-25°C)
• December: 64-70°F (18-21°C)

Snorkeling in Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco’s beaches have clear water, but I’ll be honest: compared to other spots, the snorkeling here isn’t great.

Tourists usually choose Sandy Beach, Cholla Bay, and Las Conchas for snorkeling, and can spot fish, turtles, and different kinds of coral along the reefs.

One popular spot for snorkeling in Puerto Peñasco is Bird Island, just off the coast. This small island is home to a variety of seabirds and marine life, including sea lions and colorful fish. Visitors can take a boat tour to the island, to snorkel and explore the underwater world.

Wrap: The Closest Beach to Phoenix: Rocky Point!

It’s worth a drive down to Puerto Peñasco any time of year. The Malecon and downtown area might be a bit rowdy for some people, but the beaches are clean and enjoyable!

The drive to Rocky Point from Phoenix, Arizona, is about 3.5 hours. The Lukeville / Sonoyta border crossing typically sees very light traffic. It’s usually just a five-minute wait to cross the border.

From Tucson, AZ, the drive to Rocky Point is usually close to 4 hours.

Check out our other blogs and videos about Rocky Point and travel in Mexico: