Vacation in San Carlos and Guaymas, Mexico
Twin Cities on the Sea of Cortez Offer Variety of Holiday Choices
Jun 30, 2009
The tourist-friendly state of Sonora, in Mexico, offers many reasons to visit. High on this list are two neighboring towns on the beautiful Sea of Cortez, San Carlos and Guaymas.
The Deep Water Port of Guaymas in Sonora, Mexico
Guaymas is a colonial city established in 1703. A natural deep water port provides ferry service to Santa Rosalia in Baja California, and is being developed as a cruise ship destination. Guaymas is home to the largest commercial fishing fleet on the Sea of Cortez, and offers a full range of sport fishing as well. While San Carlos attracts more tourists and expatriates, nearby Guaymas is the area center for shopping, commerce and banking. Tourists, however, can still find plenty of reasons to visit Guaymas.
Tourist Activities in Guaymas, Mexico
The deep water port and fishing fleet are found on the east side of Guaymas. The west side, looking across San Francisco Bay to San Carlos, holds the golden sand beaches and hotels at Miramar on Bacochibampo Bay. Bacochibampo Bay is also home to Perlas del Mar de Cortez, a pearl farm and jewelry business that offers daily tours.
From Bacochibampo, the road traverses a rocky point and leads to Delfinario, on the way to San Carlos. Delfinario is a sea life center, with dolphin and sea lion shows and interactive programs involving dolphins and sea lions, both for education as well as for neurological disability therapy.
Other activities available in Guaymas include mountain bicycling, kayaking, golf, birding and boating. Guaymas also boasts a large number of excellent restaurants in addition to many shops selling fresh fish and shrimp.
Getaway-Oriented San Carlos
San Carlos is smaller than Guaymas, but is more popular with North Americans looking for a vacation home or just a weekend getaway. San Carlos is an easy six hour drive from landlocked Tucson, Arizona, and its location on the Sea of Cortez makes it a favorite destination for Arizonans. The town is surrounded on three sides by ocean, from the calm waters of San Francisco Bay on the south, to the many harbors, bays and inlets around to Algodones Beach on the north and west. San Carlos overlooks these waters, and the tile and stucco homes have a distinctive Mediterranean look.
Tourist Activities in San Carlos, Mexico
Water sports predominate in such a setting, and include boating, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking and fishing. Algodones Beach provides long stretches of inviting sand for sunning and relaxing, and inland hiking trails lead through rocky desert hills to palm-circled oases. Golf, tennis and mountain biking are popular, and the combination of seashore and treed desert provide excellent birding. Some of the many other activities include beach horseback riding, shopping, jeep tours and mo-ped rentals.
The movie Catch 22 was filmed here, and the airstrip and movie set remains are open to the public. Ambitious tourists can also climb Mount Tetakawi, which towers over the town. San Carlos also boasts a variety of excellent restaurants, including Rosa's Cantina, where Americans leave U.S. destined mail for returning tourists to send once they get home.
Getting to San Carlos and Guaymas, Mexico
An international airport is just outside Guaymas, with several daily flights from the U.S. Both cities are an easy 6 hour drive from Tucson, Arizona, on an excellent divided toll road. Driving requires automobile insurance, but tourists can drive as far south as Empalme, just south of Guaymas, without an auto permit.
The San Carlos/Guaymas area is a beautiful, sunny oceanside destination well worth visiting. The towns are tourist-friendly, safe and an easy day's drive from the U.S.
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