Tag Archives: Mexican beach vacation

Mexican getaway

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Pollo lucas

Our favorite restaurant in Puerto Penasco, Mexico called Pollo Lucas.

We went south four and a half hours for a few days. We had planned this trip after I got back from Seattle to spread my mom’s ashes — but I tested positive for COVID the day before we were supposed to leave.

We had booked a condo through VRBO and we passed the refund date. Of course. The VRBO host told me he’d try to get at least a 50% refund. After a few hours of haggling, he got us 100% money back and we promised to come back and stay in his unit in the future.

I’ve got tons of resort and beach photos, but this post will focus on food. Why not?

The first night we wandered down to the pool and had nachos at the pool bar. Eh. Then we walked down Sandy Beach to Diego’s Tiki Bar and split a shrimp cocktail which was huge. (Puerto Penasco is a fishing village and the main catch is shrimp.) I didn’t get a photo but here’s one of the Tiki Bar.

View from inside Diego's Tiki Bar

Diego’s Tiki Bar. Beautiful views, amazing staff and decent food.

Diego Tiki Bar sign

If you go by car, rather than beach, this is the sign.

Last time we were in Puerto Penasco we tried to have breakfast at a popular spot called Kaffee Haus. There was a 90-minute wait, so we passed. This time, we decided to go close to opening. We were in luck and got seated immediately.

Kaffee Haus huevos rancheros

My favorite Mexican breakfast huevos rancheros. It was delicious! Our entire married life, until we moved to Arizona, my husband and I would spend one weekend morning having huevos at our favorite Mexican restaurants in the Palm Springs area. He orders machaca and I like my huevos rancheros.

machaca at Kaffee Haus

My husband’s machaca served with beans and potatoes.

Grilled shrimp at Garufa's.

One night we decided to go fancy and we went to Garufa Steak House. It’s in the middle of the condo resorts on Sandy Beach and was delicious but pricey. Still less than what we’d pay in California or Arizona. I ordered the grilled shrimp served with potatoes and veggies. My husband had the rib eye. We also had asparagus. It was all cooked to perfection and flavorful!

Rib eye steak at Garufa's.
Asparagus at Garufa's.

The day before we headed home, we had a late lunch at our favorite Pollo Lucas. I’ve never tasted better chicken in my life. We had to wait for 20 minutes for the chicken to finish charbroiling. They must have had a huge lunch rush. We were served one whole chicken hot off the grill, steaming bowls of rice and beans, fresh made salsa and homemade tortillas. All for $20 including the sugary real Cokes.

Pollo Lucas chicken dinner.

Chicken with fixings at Pollo Lucas.

Chicken hot off the grill. Juicy, moist with so much flavor. We have tons of leftovers, too!

Real Coca Cola in bottles with tons of sugar.

What is your favorite breakfast food? Do you like to go out to or make it at home?

A weekend in paradise

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Sunset in Puerto Peñasco on Sandy Beach
Here’s the sunset view from Saturday night.

My husband has been dying to go to Puerto Peñasco (known as Rocky Point to the gringos) for at least six months. I’ve been hesitant because it’s a four-and-a-half-hour drive south and across the border into Mexico. Number one, I can’t stand long drives.

Number two, we hear all these stories of drug cartels and crime in Mexico, so I’ll admit, I was a little afraid. Then, the neighbor across the street said she and her family went to Mexico and got COVID. They had to quarantine in their hotel room for 10 days before they could come home.

She said “People think what’s the big deal, you’re in Mexico at the beach? But we weren’t allowed to leave our hotel room and we weren’t enjoying great food. It was hard.”

vendors on Sandy Beach in Puerto Peñasco
Sitting under a palapa outside the hotel, the parade of vendors selling everything from tamales to henna tattoos give the beach a circus atmosphere. The vendors aren’t allowed inside the rope fence and they do respect the boundary.

The drive wasn’t bad at all once we got out of Phoenix. I even drove part of it. We drove through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument which was beautiful.

Organ Pipe National Monument visitor center
The visitor center at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument with an Organ Pipe Cactus in front.

I absolutely love Puerto Peñasco! I loved being at the ocean. I didn’t realize how much I missed it. The food was amazing and cheap. Fresh seafood to my heart’s content at around $20 for dinner for two. The accommodations were wonderful.

I’m so thrilled I got out of my comfort zone and went exploring with my husband. We’ll definitely be back — and I’ll post more photos and details this week.

Downtown Puerto Peñasco after dinner Friday night. The young man on the drums impressed us.

Where have you been hesitant to travel to and then once there discovered you loved it?