Puerto Penasco/Rocky Point was fun, if not exactly my cup of tea… This was my first time to Mexico, so we weren’t exactly seasoned travelers, but we got by and actually had a good time.

Our friends rented a house for the weekend at $100 a night in a “gated community” near Las Conches. And indeed there was a gate, just no fence surrounding the place. Like the hotels being built near Puerto Penasco (which stand empty with motionless construction cranes next to them), housing development screeched to a halt when the money from the U.S. dried up. So this house and one other sit in a lot surrounded by nothing but sand. We never felt unsafe at the house, though; guess it was just too out-of-the-way for shady types to come near.

The weather was gorgeous, but the water was too cold for (much) swimming. So we practically had the beach to ourselves, though of course we were occasionally pestered by locals selling trinkets. The shells to be found were pretty mundane, but I was pleased to see any at all (I’m sure they’re much more picked-over in the busy season). On another afternoon we headed out to Cholla Bay, where miles of sandy bottom are left exposed when the tide recedes. We found a sea slug, some crabs (who seemed very annoyed at the attention), and lots and lots of seagulls (they love tortilla chips).

Shopping was fun once we had the hang of bargaining. The sellers didn’t even bother pretending the Coach bags and Oakley sunglasses were genuine, but we were only interested in the handicrafts anyway. $5 bought some nice windchimes for Diana’s mother, $15 got a Mexican wrestler mask for Lenny, brilliantly airbrushed metal wall hangings were $25 apiece. If we’d had extra cash I’d have bought an alabaster chess set and a $10 poncho, but the ATMs all dispensed pesos and I didn’t want to mess with the money exchange again. (Pretty much every tourist place quoted prices in dollars.)

I’d recommend Puerto Penasco even to the non-adventurous, but do a bit of homework before you go. The locals all have friendly advice (and a bit of English), but of course many have something to sell you. You’ll do better if you know where to eat, shop, and bank beforehand. If you’re lost, ask a fellow tourist - many are frequent visitors.

If you haven’t been to a beach in eons, renew your passport and go. There’s no better vacation out there at this low a price.