Today we’re talking about first time travel tips for Rocky Point, Mexico, with young kids.
As an Arizona transplant from California I have heard over and over again about this fun vacation spot just across the US/Mexico border. I am an avid beach lover and honestly, what I was hearing seemed too good to be true.
In this post I’ll share whether it lives up to the hype and what you need to know to make your trip one to remember!
Xo,
Karlee
How’s the drive from the East Valley to Rocky Point
From my home in East Mesa it took us 4 hours and 10 minutes from door to door. It is located in the Gulf of California where the sun shines bright and the water is extra inviting after driving through the desert for 4 hours. It is just over an hour from the border to the beach.
For comparison, it takes my family 5 hours and 40 minutes to drive to San Diego and over 6 hours to arrive in Newport Beach! So far, Rocky Point wins for travel time.
Where to stay in Rocky Point with Kids
We chose to stay in a resort along Hermosa Beach in Rocky Point. It is about a 5 minute drive into town and everything is very close and accessible.
There are several resorts along this beach which makes it super friendly for tourists. In fact, the locals seem to cater to the tourists. They bring their business to you along this popular beach making it easy to buy trinkets and souvenirs and lots of yummy, fresh food! I mean who wouldn’t love a hot taco and fresh piña colada on the beach!?
Our resort was extremely family friendly! It had multiple pools, including a heated pool with a swim up bar/concession stand, a small pool with a fun slide, and several hot tubs.
The kids loved bouncing around from pool to pool and then running out to the beach and back.
From what I can tell, the resorts along this beach are all similar. They all have beautiful pools that go right up to the sand. I never worried about a kid getting lost because everything was close and easy to see.
Is Rocky Point Beach Safe for Kids?
Something I wasn’t expecting was no waves in the water! As a mom with littles, this was a HUGE relief to me. My 3 year old could go run and splash and no waves would knock him over!
Also, a pleasant surprise was how shallow the water is and how the tide works along this beach. At low tide the water goes out about 100 yards and exposes tide pools and stays shallow, up to ankles/knees, for about another 100 yards.
At high tide, it comes back up to the beach but stays ankle/knee-deep or lower for about 100 yards. It’s so wild! I wasn’t worried about my older kids going out too far or my younger kids getting knocked over! They could simply play in the water and explore the exposed tide pools! Epic spot for spotting hermit crabs and cool seashells!
The weather was fantastic. We went the second week of March and temps stayed in the low to mid 70s for the highs and the lows dipped into the 60s in the evenings. My kids were fine with pants and a t-shirt out to dinner.
Vendors on the beach are really fun, especially for the kids. We allowed our kids an allowance each day to pick out a trinket, treat, or activity. The vendors can be persistent but usually a “no thank you” is all it takes.
Is Rocky Point More Affordable than American Beach Trips?
When we were booking, I was expecting a hotel room, which is always a bit chaotic with 4 kids in tow. However, we ended up with a full condo within the resort with 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen/dining area, and 2 bathrooms. Not to mention a washer/dryer, large living room and full balcony that overlooks the beach and pools. It was perfect for our family of 6!
We paid about $1,300 for a fully equipped condo for a 5 night stay. Not too shabby compared to California prices. A quick google search showed me that a beachfront property in California during Spring break with similar accommodations, would run anywhere from $400-$1,800 PER NIGHT.
You will also want to factor in the cost of food and souvenirs. We chose to go into town each night for dinner (but we didn’t have to since we had a full kitchen) . We spent about $30-$50 per meal for our entire family of 6 depending on where we went. Let Google Maps be your friend and read the reviews of places in town. We loved everywhere we ate, especially the Churro stand for dessert!
Again, Rocky Point wins for price point.
The Border and Safety: Rocky Point with Kids
Before we went to Rocky Point my biggest hesitation was if we would feel safe or not. I heard so many mixed reviews about this, and to be honest, I was nervous.
After 2 years of going, I can report that our experience has been overwhelmingly positive both times. I think it helps that we have traveled with a large group of 4+ families and we have multiple Spanish speakers within our group.
Obviously we keep a very close eye on our kids, especially when we go into town because we are not super familiar with the area. The locals depend on the tourist economy and have all been kind and welcoming.
The border was smooth sailing for us this year. Going into Mexico we had to wait in line for about 15 minutes and on the way back into the US there was no wait at all. Border
Patrol asked us to roll down the windows so they could count heads while they checked passports and birth certificates. Both times they have smiled and teased us about having so many children in tow.
Last year, we waited about an hour to cross into Mexico and 30 minutes to reenter the US.
Tips and Tricks for Rocky Point with Kids from a mom of 4
We have been 2 years in a row during Spring Break and here are my best tips for an easy and enjoyable stay.
- Stay somewhere tourist friendly
- Do a big Costco or grocery run before your trip so you have your kid’s favorites on hand (my kids were a bit tired of tacos by day 4)
- There is a Sam’s Club in town if you do forget anything but be warned that they don’t carry the same items as in the US.
- Have proper documentation for the border! (As of March 2024 children did not need passports, just original birth certificates. My husband and I had current passports, so we used those for ourselves).
- Bring cash for souvenirs and food. Most vendors on the beach only accept cash but dont mind if it’s in pesos or dollars.
- Set expectations beforehand with your kids about souvenirs and activities. For example, we gave our kids a spending limit each day and they could choose if they wanted to speed their daily allowance on an activity, like ATV rides, banana boat, etc. or on souvenirs/treats. There will be plenty of opportunities for kids to buy jewelry, sunglasses, trinkets, get their hair braided, get a henna, or buy lots of ice cream and mangos. It made it really fun for them to figure out what everything was worth to them and gave them control over their fun. Win Win for parents and kids.
- Sand toys and bags to collect sea shells are a hit every time for all ages!
We LOVE Rocky Point and plan to make it our Spring Break tradition from now on! It definitely lives up to the hype- it is easy to get to and you just can’t beat the price and sunshine!
