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Puerto Peñasco - "Rocky Point"
Puerto Peñasco was nicknamed "Rocky Point" by the British in the 18th century. Rocky Point is located just 66 miles south of the US border on the North end of the Sea of Cortez. From Phoenix and Tucson, the 210-mile drive takes approximately 4 hours.
Rocky Point started as a fishing village in the 1930's after Mexican fisherman discovered an abundance of shrimp beds in the area. Rocky Point is surrounded by the Sonora Desert on one side and the Sea of Cortez on the other. An interesting and unusual feature of the Puerto Penasco area is the extreme tides produced in the area. In Cholla Bay, 5 miles from the heart of Rocky Point, the difference between low and high tides can be as much as 24 feet, which make Rocky Point an excellent place for exploring the countless tide pools. Puerto Penasco has two main beach areas. To the west of the Old Port area, there is a wide, flat area known as Sandy Beach. This is the home to several large hotel/resorts, and more are under construction. East of Puerto Penasco, there is a long coast with several areas, known in parts as La Mirador, Playa del Oro and then Las Conchas, an area of beachfront and near-beach condos, homes and timeshares.
The beautiful beaches, which stretch for 100 kilometers along the surrounding coastline, have long been a popular weekend getaway for RVers and Arizonans. The warm, sunny climate and the abundance of ocean wildlife add to the appeal of this seaside retreat. You can watch the sunrise and the sunset on the same ocean horizon. Rocky Point is sunny almost year-round with practically no rainfall. Rocky Point offers many sporting events including; Swimming, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, water skiing, parasailing and other water sports that can be enjoyed virtually all year long, not to mention the wonderful fishing, shopping and amazing Rocky Point Restaurants. We offer driving directions and a map of Rocky Point.