Puerto Peñasco

Puerto Peñasco is a city located in the northwest of the state of Sonora. Very close to the Arizona border. It’s a small place that joins the peninsula of Baja California with the rest of Mexico. For my Las Vegas people if you drive it’s 514 miles. Good place to go for like a 3 day weekend. The word Puerto Peñasco in English means “Rocky Point”, and has been nicknamed  “Arizona’s beach “ because it’s very close to the major cities of Phoenix and Tucson. Only recently has Puerto Peñasco become a tourist spot. But Mexico has put in lots of money to try to develop it into a hot spot for tourism. They have developed better highways to make the drive shorter for people driving from California and they have started to receive planes from Los Angeles International Airport.  New Hotels and restaurants are starting to also develop.  If you want to avoid places with big crowds then Puerto Peñasco is a place for you. About the only time when you can expect big crowds is during spring break. For the nightlife do not expect too much of it. This place is popular with retirees. But if you need to get away from the big city and relax on the beach and eat some good food then give Puerto Peñasco a try.      

Ensenada, Baja California

Ensenada is a coastal city on the Baja California Peninsula. It is located 78 miles south of San Diego. Ensenada is known as a cruise ship destination.  It is also the heart of the wine country regarded as the best in Mexico and the Americas alongside Napa Valley.  Ensenada is a perfect place for sea food lovers.  Fishing accounts for a large part of the economy.  The most important are tuna, shrimp, lobster, abalone, and sardine. Many great restaurants are situated along the coast and offer fresh fish and cooked to your desire.  Some that I recommend are the fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and ceviche.  The beaches in Ensenada are also a good place to go and relax and do some water sports. But The Ensenada Carnaval is one of the largest and thousands of people gather in the streets for 6 days and nights. Lots of shops full of souvenirs, taco stands, and lots of beer and tequila.  This festival comes around once a year and it usually in February. Next date is February 12^th, 2013. Mark your calendars.  Another major attraction is called La Bufadora. La Bufadora is a marine geyser or blowhole. The spout of sea water is the result of air, trapped in a sea cave, exploding upwards.  La Bufadora is one of the largest blowholes in North America often shooting upwards of more than 100 ft. This phenomena repeats every minute or so.  So if you are looking for a quick gateway Ensenada is a nice place to go and relax.

Mazatlan

Mazatlan is a city which is located in the Mexican state of Sinaloa.  This place is well known for its sandy beaches.  This place also has many churches and many other tourist attractions.  The city has been called the Pearl of the Pacific.  One of the most popular attractions in Mazatlan is cliff diving. I enjoy watching the cliff divers but I don’t have enough courage to attempt it. If you like the beach like I do then you will like the water activities. They have jet skiing, water skiing, surfing and other related activities.   They also have El Mercado which is one of the most important market places that you could visit. They have everything from local handcrafted items and clothes and many Mexican traditional items. If you like Spanish music called "Banda" then you are in the right place. Mostly every corner will have musicians ready to play some tunes for you. Of course for a price.   For the nightlife in Mazatlan is very good. They have places like Valentino’s and Senor Frogs that you can enjoy some dancing and drinks.   I recommend flying to Mazatlan or some of the cruises make a stop in Mazatlan.

Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is located in the state of Jalisco. It is situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahia de Banderas. One of the reason I enjoy traveling to Puerto Vallarta is you can catch a direct flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Very big for College students that go during spring break. This place offers everything. You have the great restaurants that are along the beach. One of my favorites is grilled Mahi-mahi served on the beaches and at some taco stands - the meat is skewered and cooked over coals then served with hot sauce and lime. And it goes down good with a nice cold Corona. They offer lots of excursions like snorkeling, whale watching, and zip line and much more.