Puerto Penasco and San Carlos Travel Guide

Puerto Penasco is a popular vacation destination with miles of beautiful sandy beaches where the Sonoran Desert meets the crystal clear water of the Sea of Cortez.  It is also called Rocky Point and sees about 2.5 million visitors annually.  Located only about 60 miles (100km) south of the Mexico-Arizona border, it has become an important vacation destination for people from Arizona who sometimes call it "Arizona's Beach".

San Carlos is the sailing capital of Sonora, it is known as a good diving sport due to its clear waters and has recently become popular for skydiving.  While Puerto Penasco has become very touristy and has lots of nightlife activities, people seeking a more authentic Mexican flair and relaxation have been flocking to San Carlos.  San Carlos’ southern location ensures warm weather, while it can get downright chilly at night in Puerto Penasco in winter.

This travel guide provides lots of information for a trip to Puerto Penasco and San Carlos.

We have added lots of photos to help you understand what you will see so that you can decide for yourself what is of most interest for you.

This is not an in-depth guide. With this guide, we like to help you prepare for your trip so that you can make Memorable Moments on a relaxing vacation!