4Cata - 6-20-2015 at 12:37 AM
Friends are putting an rv group together to go to Puerto Penasco. Haven't been there. They are making reservations at an rv park on beach. Any hints,
recommendations? How does it compare to Loreto, La Paz, San Felipe? More upscale or comfortably Baja? Not into yuppies, druggies or geezers,
either. Though I are one! Want a beer/michelada, fishing crowd. Will I find one on the beach?
bajaguy - 6-20-2015 at 06:35 AM
Stop by JJ's Cantina
http://www.jjscantina.com/
AKgringo - 6-20-2015 at 09:22 AM
I hesitate to talk much about Puerto Penasco/Rocky point, because I have not been there since January 1999, and it may not be the same place I
enjoyed.
My parents used to head down there after an annual rock hound convention at Quartzite AZ, and on one trip my dad had a dental emergency which led him
to an excellent dentist.
I needed quite a bit of dental work, so I spent a week there, and enjoyed the town, the beaches, the food, and the prices, which I am sure have shot
up by now.
Someone must have more current info for you, but at the time I was there, I would give it a thumbs up! By the way, my five porcelain crowns are still
solid and fit well.
Stayed in PP January 2015
Howard - 6-20-2015 at 10:14 AM
There were about 5 or 6 of our rigs this last January ranging from truck campers to a 35 foot class A. We had reservations or intentions of staying
at one of those RV parks that had a hotel with it and are we ever glad we did not stay in one of those parks. Wall to wall people, very crowded and
noisy.
We wound up at "The Reef RV Park" and was very happy. Very reasonably priced, extremely friendly staff and they have many spots right on the water.
Full hook ups with 2 restaurants/bars within 500 yards. They also had a very basic store with all your essentials.
I highly recommend this place over all the other RV parks.
Oh yeah, as far as fishing goes it's very weak. I asked about it and you had to travel a long way out and at the time there was maybe 10-15 LB
Yellowtails but it was a hassle to arrange a trip. Save your fishing energy to other places.
[Edited on 6-20-2015 by Howard]
4Cata - 6-22-2015 at 12:58 AM
Heard that Playa Bonita has an rv park but looked at its website and it looks really boring. Park with nose on curb to the walkway, everything behind
it just in rows. Does anyone have any experience there? How close to the Reef is it? Does it differ much from the Reef? Are either of them
kayakable? Do they rent kayaks or do I need to bring my own?
Hook - 6-22-2015 at 05:04 AM
A Mexican resort area without geezers? Good luck with that. 
bajabuddha - 6-22-2015 at 05:57 AM
I can tell you what to expect there of the 'when' issue: if it's any kind of long holiday weekend (Stateside) or even worse, spring break, the area is
like living in a beehive of little quad ATVs by the thousands. There's the big Sand Mountain just west of the Reef RV beach, and there are dozens of
rental vendors in and near town, and half of Tucson, Mesa, and Phoenix are all right there having high octane noisy fun and thick as blowflies. Also,
the Sonoita crossing is a 3 hour wait if trying to come back end-of-weekend; otherwise, easy-peasy mid-week.
Used to do PP back in the 80s and early 90s. The Reef was a free beach then, gorgeous sands, but high crime if you left your 'stuff' unattended and
unlocked. Now it's an RV park may be considerably safer; i'd check it out. Also for fishing, where Sand Mountain comes down to the sea (where I used
to camp out on the granite bluffs... can't now, fenced off) could be good in-shore fishing with lighter tackle for trigger, grouper, etc., but I
wouldn't expect any of the Big Boys they used to catch back in the Good Ol' Days. That whole stretch of SOC has been fished out for 20 years. The
old tymers were lamenting it even back when I was hanging at JJ's (still have my ''NO SNIVELING'' license plate). It btw is out at La Joya (spelling
correct) about 5 miles west of PP.
I also seem to remember a commercial 'oyster-farm' about 8 miles east of town. Dunno if it's still in operation, but talk about some fresh sliders!
Worth finding if still there.
One more side-attraction is El Pinacate Nat'l Park... big volcanic area northwest from PP. We used to boondock it and camp out there, but not safe
any more with the narco-traffickers (kind of like Organ Pipe Nat'l Mon., great campground especially springtime, but all the backroads are "travel at
your own risk"). However, there are day tours available in vans if you have a bunch of folks to split costs... wonderful volcanic lava flows, big
calderas, great scenery. You'll see the Park HQ as you're driving towards town.
ehall - 6-22-2015 at 06:25 AM
Some friends stayed at the Reef tv park last month and said it was fine. They always stay on the row closest to the beach. PP is a very busy place so
be prepared. JJs is a good place to go to get some tacos and a beer and relax.
AKgringo - 6-22-2015 at 07:05 AM
The oyster farm was still thriving in 1999, can't get any better than harvested on order!
About the kayaking, sounds like fun, but remember that PP has huge tides, and at least in the winter a strong onshore breeze blows up every afternoon.
At least in mid winter it did, spring may be different.
4Cata - 6-24-2015 at 12:44 AM
Thanks for all the advice. Checked out a tour by Russ? which still included oyster farm. Yes, JJ's will definitely be on my list. I'm assuming
tides might be similar to San Felipe? As for geezers, I am one of the feminine gender . Just looking for an age diversified environment cause I
refuse to grow up.
Luxury camping on a shoestring
durrelllrobert - 6-24-2015 at 10:16 AM
Last time we went to Puerto Penasco we had a coupon from Resort Condominiums International (RCI) for a full weeks all-inclusive stay at the Mayan
Palace for only $500 USD. When we checked in they offered a $500 award for stuff that wasn't part of the all-inclusive package (spa, golf, fishing
boat, Seados, highend restaurants, etc) with the usual stipulation that you go to the time-share presentation.
I said no, I wasn't interested but the clerk insisted we didn't have to actually attend because he would put a note in our folio saying that we
attended but were not interested.
So after 7 days in a luxury 2 bedroom condo, not attending any presentation and using up about $400 worth of the extras our only cost at check out was
about $25 for tax or something.
4Cata - 6-24-2015 at 07:51 PM
very cool. you did good, glad you enjoyed it. I used to have a time share in pv & mazatlan. Not interested in another time share. Thanks for
info and I'll pass it on to fellow Elks.
bajabuddha - 6-24-2015 at 09:55 PM
4Cata, if time-shares, push-type crowds and tranquilidad es su tema, I recommend doing PP over the course of a mid-week; as in, going for a week?
Start on a Monday or Tuesday, stay 7 - 10 days, and get the heck out BY Friday, and avoid Norte holidays. Used-to-was a great little fishing village,
some of the 'old stuff' still survives (on Rocky Point itself), otherwise timeshare hotels w/hawkers and hand-outs, 18y.o. weekend drinking bingers,
ATV's, a golf course built in the middle of a multi-acre sand-dune, but........ STILL worth seeing if you've never been there. Depends on your
tolerance level of humanity.
You don't need a tour for the oyster ranch, just ask around; simple graded dirt road, flat ground out to it. You should have a guide for El Pinacate
for the day, I recommend it; great stuff if you like back-country and recent volcanic geology. Also, ask directions to La Curba restaurant, who
taught me how to make perfect Chile Verde Nopales in the 80's. The quality is almost as good as it used to be; fame got it, and they expanded, but
still worth TWO meals there.
Sandy beach used to be a 5-mile-long beach from 'The Reef' east to town; was a little-known treasure and wonderful stroll (IF you had someone to
'watch your stuff')...about 2/3rds of it now are all condos and timeshares, and of course, the golf course. Still a gorgeous beach.
Last time there was Thanksgiving weekend '07 for me; my Better Half loved it, she was new to Mexico. Too many people for me, holiday weekend. We
stayed at one of the oldest hotels in Rocky Point, built right into the lava slopes on the east end of "Shak's 5th Avenue", the ever-present shopping
mall.... left Saturday to avoid the Sunday jam at the border, still waited 3 hours in line. Hence, plan your trip around a mid-week LEAVE and
you'll be fine.
Buena Suerte, mujer. 
bb
JZ - 6-24-2015 at 11:21 PM
Don't do it OP. Head straight for San Carlos. It blow PP away and it's not relatively close.