Is Rocky Point Safe? Warnings & Advice for a Drive to Puerto Peñasco
THE LUKEVILLE BORDER CROSSING IS OPEN
The crossing most Americans use to drive down to Rocky Point is open and operating normally, after a stunning and sudden closure in late 2023.
People ask me all the time if it’s safe to go to Rocky Point and enjoy time along the beaches of Puerto Penasco. In general, my answer is always: YES, but only on Highway 8, which runs directly between Lukeville, AZ, and Puerto Penasco.
Key Info I’ll Explain
- The US State Department’s “travel advisories” are overly broad.
- In 2024, visitors to Rocky Point were targeted in three deadly incidents.
- No major incidents or attacks were reported on Highway 8.
- The more common issue some continue to run into is harassment by Mexican police.
- I would *not* drive Highway 2 from Nogales to Rocky Point.
Is Rocky Point Safe?
It’s a legitimate question, since the US State Department routinely issues travel advisories, asking Americans to “reconsider travel” to the State of Sonora, Mexico.
This advisory applies to the entire state of Sonora, which is quite large, and *not* specifically to Highway 8 down to Rocky Point or the beach town itself.
In general, visitors haven’t reported any safety issues on the highway from Lukeville down to Rocky Point, aside from some harassment by Mexican police. It’s an unfortunate factor drivers have dealt with over many years.
If you use common sense, you should feel safe driving the hour south of the US-Mexico border to the beaches of Puerto Peñasco.
- Don’t speed on your drive.
- Drive during the daytime.
- Never bring a gun or even any kind of ammunition.
- Avoid buying recreational drugs.
The Rocky Point area is ORANGE, which means Americans should “Reconsider Travel,” according to the State Department.
But the travel advisories apply to states. So it’s really the large state of Sonora they’re telling you to “reconsider travel” to… and not the specific road from Arizona down to Rocky Point, or the town itself.
Is it Safe to Travel to Mexico in General?
Each year, something triggers fears of visiting Mexico in the minds of Americans.
In 2023, it was the kidnapping of four friends from the Carolinas. Two of them were killed. It happened south of the border near Brownsville, Texas. One of them was traveling for cosmetic surgery, which is common.
In the days that followed, we learned: they were accidentally killed by a drug cartel in a case of mistaken identity. The cartel even turned on its members who made the mistake, and delivered them to authorities.
Nothing Has Changed
The wave of conversation about the US State Department’s travel advisories for Mexico was largely overblown and misinterpreted.
Nothing really changed, as a result of the tragedy involving those friends, and (as always) Americans are urged to use caution when traveling into Mexico (or most any foreign country).
In their map, the State Department color codes countries of the world (and individual states in Mexico):
- RED: Do Not Travel
- ORANGE: Reconsider Travel
- YELLOW: Exercise Increased Caution
- NO COLOR: Normal Caution
Mexico is made of 32 states.
In addition to the six states listed as “Do Not Travel” by the State Department, seven states are categorized as “Reconsider Travel.”
The US State Department maintains its “Do Not Travel” advisory for six states in Mexico. They include the state of Sinaloa, which is home to Mazatlan, and the state of Tamaulipas, which is where the kidnappings of four Americans occurred in March of 2023.
Is it Safe to Drive to Puerto Peñasco?
The State Department lists “criminal activity and kidnapping” as reasons to “Reconsider Travel” to Rocky Point, or Puerto Peñasco.
At the same time, their advisory also indicates: the crime happens away from the beachy touristy areas.
Americans are advised to drive Highway 8 between Sonoyta and Rocky Point during daylight hours. An hour south of the border checkpoint, you’ll be on the beach!
As I said above, as of right now, I would avoid Highway 2, which you’d take if you’re coming down from Nogales. I would *only drive down from Lukeville, AZ.
I still think Rocky Point is a great destination for families in Arizona.
It’s an easy 3.5 hours south from Phoenix to the sandy shores of the Sea of Cortez, which is home to a growing number of resorts.
Deadly Incidents in 2024
Americans were killed in three separate incidents on their way to Puerto Penasco between December of 2023 and the fall of 2024. All occurred along Highway 2, which I would advise against taking.
- December 2023: Three people were shot on Highway 2 between Altar and Santa Ana. One of the victims died in the shooting, which happened at 2:00am.
- July 2024: Two women were shot dead driving an SUV along Highway 2. They entered Mexico through Lukeville, but diverted away from Rocky Point and headed to Caborca.
- October 2024: A Marine from Arizona was shot and killed on his way from Nogales to Rocky Point along Highway 2 near Altar.
I’ve created this map to show you: the deadly attacks all occurred on Highway 2 in Sonora, Mexico. The three incidents are marked in red. There were no attacks along Highway 8, which runs directly between Lukeville, AZ, to Rocky Point.
What it’s Like to Drive Across the Mexican Border
You can check out this video we made, showing exactly what a border crossing is like, if you’ve been thinking about driving south from Lukevilly, Arizona, to Rocky Point, Mexico:
On this drive, you’ll see: we sailed through easily in about 10 minutes.
Personally, I’m more concerned about being pulled over by a bad-apple Mexican officer than I am concerned about being the victim of a cartel-related crime. I’ll go more into that later.
As for driving across the border into Mexico, it’s easier than you may imagine, if you’ve never done it before. I completely understand: it can be kind of daunting on your first drive!
The border crossing at Lukeville, Arizona (into Sonoyta, Mexico) isn’t usually too busy. You’re likely to find just a few cars and trucks in line, waiting to get through.
Pro Tip: Check border wait times: Click Here
Key Info: Extra Car Insurance
You do have to have separate Mexican car insurance for the drive down to Rocky Point.
If you’re renting a car, the company likely won’t allow you to take a rental SUV or truck across the border. However, if you’re renting a car, you can have them add the extra insurance onto your tab. I think it’s about $30-$40.
If you’re driving your own car, you can ask your own private insurance agent or stop at one of the insurance storefronts down closer to the border.
South of Ajo, Arizona, you’ll drive through a pretty desert stretch of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. From there, you’ll quickly come upon the border checkpoint.
On your drive into Mexico, chances are: you won’t even have to show your ID or passport. That said, I would never travel anywhere outside the USA without my passport.
You may be asked a question or two, and you may be asked to pull off to the side for a brief inspection.
Otherwise, you’ll follow the stop signs, prompts, and red/green lights as you progress slowly through the checkpoint. On our last trip, it was under 10 minutes.
Plus, bring some cash to put in the donation bins people will bring out to your cars. I’ve heard from several people that police watch for cars that pass through, which don’t donate anything.
After getting through Sonoyta, it’s an easy one hour drive to Rocky Point.
The famous Wrecked at the Reef bar plants the seed right away that it’s time for a visit!
Why the Crossing to Rocky Point Closed in 2023
You may remember, in December of 2023, the Lukeville Port of Entry closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
This was *not* due to safety concerns.
US Customs and Border Protection diverted the officers and staff who normally handle crossings at the port, to go help the Border Patrol process an influx of migrants along the southern border.
One month later, on January 4, 2024, Lukeville reopened.
The temporary border closure had major impacts on Rocky Point, which nearly became a ghost town.
- People driving to Rocky Point had to detour through Nogales or San Luis.
- From Phoenix, the drive to Rocky Point through San Luis (Yuma area) is 6 hours.
- From Phoenix, the drive through Nogales is 7+ hours.
It’s important to note: the border crossing on the road to Rocky Point was closed not due to violence, but due to a record number of migrants crossing the border in late 2023. These are predominantly people fleeing oppression and poverty in Central and South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, who are seeking asylum in the United States.
Is it Safe to Drive in Mexico in 2024?
In general, if you’re driving in a touristy area and in daylight, it’s safe for Americans to drive in Mexico if you take Highway 8 from Lukeville, AZ, into Sonoyta, Mexico, and straight down to Rocky Point.
The Yucatán Peninsula is the safest place for Americans to drive in 2024, according to the US State Department. In addition to Cancun and Tulum, the Yucatán is also home to the beautiful cities of Merida and Valladolid.
It is not safe, according to the US State Department, to drive in *other parts of Mexico. For instance, I wouldn’t take a road trip down the coast from Mazatlan to Puerto Vallarta right now. On the other hand, I’d definitely fly down to PVR for a few days on the beach!
If you rent a car in Mexico, follow this advice:
- Have someone with you who speaks Spanish.
- Take cash, but don’t store it all in one spot.
- Never drive with any kind of drugs, including marijuana.
- Never drive with a gun.
- Never drive with any kind of ammunition.
- Drive slowly, and obey speed limits.
- Try to travel during daylight hours.
- Expect to have to drive through police checkpoints.
My Worst Drive in Mexico
I get nervous, personally, driving in Mexico because of one incident two years ago where a couple of bad-apple Mexican federal police officers pulled me over, made up a series of allegations, and took all my cash.
Setting aside the fact that officers shouldn’t be corrupt, part of it was indeed my fault. I chose to drive out of the Tulum area after dark.
I was there for an obligatory event, but eager to go explore the rest of the Yucatán Peninsula in my rental car. So I wrapped things up at the event, and drove off after sunset. As I said earlier, it’s really best to drive in daylight in Mexico.
Just outside the city, on my way to Valladolid, I drove up upon an unlit Mexican Police checkpoint.
The group of armed officers surrounded my car and accused me of driving a suspicious vehicle. It was a standard, small white SUV you get when you rent in Cancun. I had the rental papers, etc., but they (of course) weren’t interested.
By the way, this is the suspicious SUV:
They were nervous about a surveillance camera watching them from above, so almost an hour into the ordeal they basically told me to put all of my cash on the backseat, away from the camera’s lens. One of them casually walked around the SUV, slyly opened the back door (out of view from the camera), and took the money.
I still don’t know why it took them an hour to hatch this plan.
They stole about $200. I was honestly just glad that I didn’t get hauled into the police department overnight. First, because it would have wasted my precious adventure time. Second, because I’m fairly certain they would’ve stolen my camera equipment.
Anyway, it was a nerve-wracking experience I’m sharing as a reminder that it’s really safest to drive slower than the speed limit, and during daylight hours.
Wrap: Is it Safe to Travel to Rocky Point, Mexico, in 2024?
The bottom line is: there’s always a risk in any kind of travel. All we can do is arm ourselves with up-to-date information on anything from violence to Covid, and make well-informed decisions for our own individual travel plans.
Based on the tourist loads in Cancun right now, Americans are not scared off by cartel violence: International tourist numbers in Mexico are up more than 10% over 2019’s numbers!
Avoid Highway 2, stick to Highway 8, and you should be fine!
Check out some of our other blogs and videos about travel in Rocky Point: