Looking for the perfect summer getaway from Phoenix? A road trip to Rocky Point, Mexico (also known as Puerto Peñasco) offers Arizonians a quick and scenic vacation.

In just a few short hours you’ll leave the rugged Sonoran Desert behind and arrive at pristine white sand beaches and turquoise waters where you’ll experience vibrant Mexican culture.

It’s only about a 3 hour drive to the coast depending on what part of Phoenix you live in. Which really isn’t bad at all, it’s the closest beach beating San Diego by a few more hours. 

Puerto Peñasco boasts a few beautiful beaches, amazing (and affordable) food, and the drive there is surprisingly easy.

Whether you’re looking to unwind at a beachfront resort, snorkel in the warm and calm ocean waters, or enjoy the nightlife scene, Rocky Point has a little something for everybody.

In this post, I provide you with a realistic 3 day road trip itinerary starting from Phoenix and ending in Rocky Point with tons of fun stops and attractions on the way. 

This itinerary is perfect for those of you who only have the weekends to travel as this can easily be done on a Friday night through Sunday evening.

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Day 1: Painted Rock & Organ Pipe National Monument

From Phoenix we began heading southwest taking Interstate 85 towards Gila Bend.

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site

Our first stop was to the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site.

I will say, this will add an extra hour to your drive time so if you got a late start or don’t want to take the extra time to visit this spot, then feel free to omit this attraction. 

But, it is a really cool place that was pretty much on the way. 

From Gila Bend, it is about a 30 minute drive west to the petroglyph site. 

You do not need high clearance to access Painted Rock, but you will have to drive on a gravel unpaved road for a short time to get to the site. 

Once you arrive, you will see the massive pile of lava rock where hundreds of petroglyphs are carved. 

You can walk the 0.3 mile trail that loops around the rockpile to view the petroglyphs.

This trail is flat and easily accessible for all. 

Painted Rock is free to visit so I definitely recommend stopping by sometime if you live in Phoenix. It doesn’t have to be on your way to Rocky Point, but it would be worth it if you’re into human history!

For more info on this destination, check out this blog post!

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

We then got back on the road and began heading down south past Gila Bend and towards Mexico.

To get to Rocky Point from Phoenix, you have to take Interstate 85 which goes right through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. So you have no choice but to drive through it.

There isn’t an entrance gate charging for admission like at most National Parks.

They will only charge you if you go into the Visitor Center. So you don’t have to pay just to drive through it.

We didn’t have time to do much on the first day, but we did enjoy the Desert View Trail.

This is a quick and easy level hike to the summit of a small hill in the park. From the top you get gorgeous views of the surrounding cacti forests, mountains, and you can even see the US-Mexico border. 

Camping at Organ Pipe NM for Night 1

To make this trip more budget-friendly, we decided to camp at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument for our first night.

The main campground in the park is the Twin Peaks Campground which runs for $20 per night.

If you have an access pass offered by the NPS (such as America the Beautiful Pass) you will receive 50% off.

This campground is very large and has 34 tent sites and 174 RV sites.

The Alamo Canyon Campground is another option if you’re seeking a more remote experience as there are only 4 primitive tent sites available. Sites go for $16 per night unless you are an access pass holder.

If you want to make it even cheaper, there are a few places we found on iOverlander right outside the National Monument where you can camp for free.

Either place you decide to camp will be fine, just do whatever you’re most comfortable with.

Day 2: Crossing into Mexico & Driving to Rocky Point

Once we crossed into Mexico, we headed for the coast. It is only an hour and a half drive from Organ Pipe to Rocky Point.

We checked into our hotel at noon, then we grabbed some food, got settled in and spent the rest of the day at the beach.

Best Place to Stay in Rocky Point

If you’re looking for somewhere great to stay in Puerto Peñasco, I’d highly recommend the Peñasco Del Sol Hotel which is where we stayed for our second night.

It felt safe and all the staff were wonderful. The amenities were perfect too. We loved spending time at the pool and taking in the ocean views. The overall vibe and layout of the hotel was also nice.

I know Sonoran Sun in Rocky Point is also a popular resort right on Sandy Beach which was our second choice. Next time we go I will definitely book there.

I would recommend spending the extra money on a resort instead of an Airbnb in Puerto Peñasco because they are more reliable, safer, and have easy beach access.

Restaurants & Food in Rocky Point

For lunch we stopped in at El Torro Negro for a quick bite before hitting the beach.

They had the most delicious tacos that were very inexpensive. The service was great and they had a lot to choose from on the menu. Meat, fish, and vegetarian options are all available.

Since we had all our camping gear with us, we ended up cooking most of our own meals on this trip. 

We did visit Jessy’s Fish Market to purchase some fish for dinner. Not only was it affordable, but you could tell it was fresh.

We fried it up in a skillet in our portable Coleman stove, served it with some rice, veggies, and ate it while watching the sunset at the hotel. It was lovely!

Rocky Point is big on their seafood so I highly recommend buying fresh fish from a local market, or visiting a restaurant while you’re there. 

Visit Playa Hermosa & Sandy Beach in Rocky Point

On our first day we visited Playa Hermosa and Sandy Beach in Rocky Point.

Most beaches in Puerto Peñasco are private access meaning you need to stay at the hotel/resort to visit the beach. 

So I would definitely recommend staying at a beachfront hotel for easy beach access. 

However, there is a free public beach access point for Playa Hermosa at the end of Calle Mar De Cortes where you can park and walk to the beach.

We spent the most time at Playa Hermosa because it was a great spot to snorkel, the sand was incredibly soft and you get wonderful views of the coastline.

Day 3: Leaving Mexico & Exploring Ajo, Arizona

Peñasco Del Sol offered a complimentary breakfast which was a huge plus. After eating we went back out to the beach to spend a few more hours snorkeling before we had to checkout.

Then, we had to get all packed up to leave and continue our road trip.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 

We left Mexico, only to arrive yet again to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

Since we didn’t have a whole lot of time on the first day to explore the park, we wanted to make a point to come back do more on day 3. 

We enjoyed taking the Ajo Mountain Scenic Drive. 

This scenic loop drive is a 20 mile road located in the park that takes you around the Diablo Mountains giving you phenomenal views of the Sonoran Desert.

This road is not paved. High clearance would definitely make this drive easier and quicker, but it would still be doable with a sedan or 2WD SUV.

Expect this drive to take around 1.5 hours depending on how fast you take it and if you stop off anywhere on the way.

Also, keep an eye out for an arch formed in the rock at the top of the mountain! It’ll be around the halfway point on the drive.

Ajo, Arizona

On your drive to Puerto Peñasco, you will travel right through the little Arizona town of Ajo. 

This charming town has a few neat places to explore to help split up your drive a little bit. 

It is only about a 30 minute drive from Organ Pipe.

New Cornelia Mine

Our first stop in Ajo was the New Cornelia Mine.

This mine is known for being one of the earliest large-scale open-pit copper mines in the U.S. Its mining operations began around 1917, and it remained a significant copper producer for many decades. This pretty much put Ajo on the map. 

Today, the mine is no longer in use but you can drive up to a cool viewpoint and see the remains of it. 

It’s really a cool sight to see. It’s free, and one of the best things to do in Ajo.

Ajo Plaza + Artists Alley

Next, we spent some time walking around the Ajo Plaza.

This is a cute little part of town where you’ll find beautiful white buildings with the gorgeous mountains in the backdrop.

You can walk around the park area and browse the shops. 

If you wander to the back of the plaza, you’ll see a sign painted on a brick building reading “Artists Alley” with an arrow pointing down the alleyway.

You can walk or drive through the alley to view all kinds of murals painted by local artists.

After hitting these quick stops in Ajo, it was time for us to head back home.

We really enjoyed our trip to Rocky Point and I think it’s one of the best road trips from Phoenix.

This 3 day road trip itinerary is perfect for 9-5ers who want to make the most of their weekends or anyone living in Arizona in need of a quick vacation to the beach!

I hope you got some valuable information from this post and ideas on how to make your trip to Puerto Peñasco a little more exciting. Thank you for reading!