Meagan Drillinger
Just an hour south of the U.S. border lies Puerto Penasco, which could be called Arizona's riviera. The Mexican fishing town on the Sea of Cortes in the state of Sonora is well known to Arizona's land-locked residents, at least those seeking a sleepy seaside respite. But beyond that, Puerto Penasco has remained essentially off the radar. Grupo Vidanta, however, is in the process of reinventing the destination.
Vidanta owns 30,000 acres in the region, with more than three miles of beachfront. Its Vidanta Puerto Penasco resorts sit on a piece of land nearly twice the size of Manhattan.
The resorts' location overlooks the Sea of Cortes as well as an expansive desert, giving it a similar vibe to Los Cabos. Currently, Vidanta has two resorts on its expansive stretch of property, the Grand Mayan and the Mayan Palace. Half of the Grand Mayan is currently under construction to be completed later this year. A pool area has five pools, a lazy river, the Brio Spa & Fitness Center and five restaurants and bars. The resort is also known for its Jack Nicklaus Golf Course, an 18-hole, par-72 sand dune course with water on three sides.
But the game-changer for Grupo Vidanta, and ultimately Puerto Penasco, is the airport it has on property. The privately built facility, one of the first in Mexico, launched flights to the northern Mexico region via TAR Aerolineas, a domestic carrier, on July 21. TAR offers three new flights, two times a week into Puerto Penasco from Juarez, Tijuana and Hermosillo.
There are development plans in the long term for portions of the 30,000
acres of land, according to a spokeswoman for the company, but not all
have been finalized. A high-end resort hotel, gourmet market and
shopping complex, entertainment and a wellness center will be added in 2017, although details about those projects have not been released.
Outside of the resort area, Puerto Penasco has a population of 30,000, but its sprawling layout makes it feel much more sparsely populated. The original settlement dates to the 1920s, when the town was a cluster of American enclaves, including Playa Hermosa, Playa Bonita, Sandy Beach and Cholla Bay. In recent years it was an escape for the RV and camper crowd, but with the continuing development of Vidanta and other hotels in the region it now brings an increasing number of resort-oriented vacationers. Puerto Penasco, often referred to as "Rocky Point," is within Sonora's Free Trade Zone, meaning visitors do not need to comply with vehicle importation requirements nor is proof of citizenship/tourist card required. However, it is always a good idea to carry proof of citizenship.
The main tourism corridor of Puerto Penasco was recently remodeled, with souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and cantinas. The beach in town has become a space for both tourists and locals, where many popular festivities are celebrated, including Cinco de Mayo (though it's more about the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla and not the raucous celebration Americans associate with May 5). Others include the anniversary of the foundation of the port as well as Holy Week and other religious festivals. Sundays are often filled with pier parties where local bands play live music.
This report was updated to include information about plans for development on the property in 2017.