Best and Closest Pacific Ocean Beaches to Phoenix Area (Buckeye: apartments, condos)

[locolife]

I'll add another vote for rocky point, I just went again last month and can't beat the bang for your buck you get down there plus the water is actually pleasant. We stayed at Los Conchas and it was basically like being in a Phoenix subdivision on the water there. If yore worried about the drive take a bus, they have all kinds of ride services from Phoenix. I drove and had no issues, the locals are very nice, the food was amazing, seafood is insane and we made friends with quite a few neighbors from arizona who own properties there.

By the way, not speaking Spanish is not an issue, everyone can speak English well enough and several restaurants are even owned by expats.

[Hal Roach]

San Carlos is closer for Tucsonans, and is worth a look, but Rocky point offers excellent value. Sports book, good cigars, cold beer, better place for adults. I have a message for the governor of California: "IF IT IS BROWN; FLUSH IT!"

[pbenjamin]

Have never been to Rocky Point (Puerto Peñasco) but have been to San Carlos which was a nice place but an uncomfortable trip. As to the Southern California beaches, a lot depends on what you plan to do. We have been going to Newport Beach since the late 80s. We rent a place on the (cement) boardwalk and like the beachfront lifestyle. If we were staying inland and driving to the beach we'd probably go elsewhere as parking can be a hassle. This year will be our 17th rental on the Newport Beach peninsula.

The water temperature issue varies with what you are used to. If you are accustomed to the Atlantic coast where the Gulf Stream makes the water much warmer, the Pacific will be a shock to you. If you are accustomed to Lake Michigan, it's comparable.

Don't go to Southern California beaches prior to July as "June Gloom" makes for cloudy overcast days. Don't go the Newport Beach on the 4th of July unless your idea of a good time is a drunken frat party.

[tony_Philly1979]

Thanks for all of the feedbacks on the SoCal beaches. My friend from back east just called me and told me to visit Huntingdon Beach and look into Newport, Clemente beaches as well since he once lived there. Rocky Point sounds like a blast but with possibly limited time now in the Phoenix Area because of being on stand-by for a job assignment in Texas, I may head to SoCal beaches for what ever it's worth and say I've been there.

[Beardown91737]

You will definitely enjoy those SoCal beaches. In our 24 years in Inland CA, we visited beaches from Seal Beach in OC to Mission Beach in San Diego.

We also enjoy Hermosa and Manhattan beaches in the LA County South Bay area, but you have to deal with a lot of traffic to get there.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

Rocky Point sucks. Not only is it risky as hell to drive across the Mexican border, the beaches of Puerto Peñasco are very unappealing (at least to me anyway). It can be hot there in the summer, and not exactly a cool, refreshing getaway. I've said previously that Arizona should have acquired that part of Mexico down to the Gulf of California. Again, not a favorite location of mine ... however, it would have given AZ a true "coast", it would have been part of the U.S., and there wouldn't be as many delays due to no international border to have to cross.

Hooyah! That's right Aberdeen Washington, we should be able to take over any damn territory that we want. Cause we are AMERICAN's, dammit. USA USA USA USA! (If you are not clapping your hands, you are a TERRORIST)! lol


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV0hYm_fW7Q

[wilberry]

San Diego is only 4 hours away with 3 public beaches . Mission beach right now it is 70 degrees .....

[DougStark]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

The Gulf Stream on the east coast and the California Stream on the west coast are pretty much exact opposites when it comes to temperatures and directions. With the California Stream pulling cold water south from British Columbia to Baja California and the Gulf Stream pulling warm waters north from the Caribbean and Florida.

Yeah, that "cold" water on the west coast is the reason coastal CA has mild weather and not hot, sticky weather like Fla.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by DougStark

Yeah, that "cold" water on the west coast is the reason coastal CA has mild weather and not hot, sticky weather like Fla.

It also causes the blue dome skies and lack of thunderstorms that CA gets due to the air being cooler at the surface than in the sky, or inversion layer. It causes the air to be stable

[pbenjamin]

Originally Posted by wilberry

San Diego is only 4 hours away with 3 public beaches . Mission beach right now it is 70 degrees .....

A bit of an exaggeration. Mission Beach is 359 miles from central Phoenix. You'd have to either be starting somewhere out in the desert west of town or averaging 90 mph.