Puerto Peñasco Hangout (SOLD OUT/Waiting List)

Yes. Every attendee (including children) must have a valid passport with an expiration date of April 4, 2023 or later. (To be able to obtain your FMM online, your passport must be valid for at least six months after that date. If it’s not, you can obtain your FMM at the border crossing.)

If you are a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you don’t need a visa. However, you do need a FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple), basically a Mexican tourist card, for each attendee. You can obtain the FMM online within the month before our border crossing. The cost is about US$30 a person, depending on the current exchange rate. We will provide each attendee with detailed instructions for how to do this. You must bring your printed FMMs and payment receipts with you to check-in. We will have the Mexican authorities stamp our FMMs when we cross the border into Mexico.

Mexican federal law requires that you have vehicle liability insurance issued by a Mexican insurer. This insurance covers bodily injury to and damage to property of third parties while you’re driving. The minimum required coverage level is 50,000 pesos (about US$2,500) in property damage costs and 100,000 pesos (about US$5,000) in personal injury expenses, but for their own protection, most visitors purchase at least $100,000 in coverage.

Each self-propelled vehicle that you plan to operate in Mexico must have its own liability policy. If you have a motorhome and a toad, that means you’ll need two policies. Owners of towed trailers will need liability coverage only on their tow vehicle.

The cost for the required liability coverage can be US$100 or more per vehicle, depending on your vehicles and the options you select. In the past, some Escapees members who have motorhomes with toads have saved money by insuring their motorhome for just the two driving days. You’ll want liability coverage on your toad or tow vehicle for the entire duration of the Hangout so that you can drive it while you’re there.

You may also need or want insurance coverage for damage to your RV or other vehicles if your U.S. insurance doesn’t already provide it. (Many insurers include this coverage for destinations within 75 or 100 miles of the border, which Puerto Peñasco is.) The cost for this coverage depends mostly on the value of the insured vehicle(s)–more expensive vehicles cost more to insure.

It’s important to understand that your U.S. policy has two main parts: liability to third parties (bodily injury and property damage), and damage to your own vehicles (collision and comprehensive).

The liability portion of your U.S. policy is not valid in Mexico. You are required to purchase a Mexican liability policy as described above.

The damage to your vehicles portion of your U.S. policy MAY OR MAY NOT cover damage incurred in Mexico. Many (perhaps most) U.S. auto and RV insurance policies include coverage for damage to your vehicles within a specified short distance–often 75 or 100 miles–of the border. Playa Bonita RV Park is about 51 miles straight-line distance and 64 miles by road from the border, so it would be within the coverage area for these types of policies. Read your policy and then if necessary talk with your insurer to find out for sure.

If your U.S. policy does not provide damage coverage in Mexico, you can add this coverage when you buy your Mexican liability policy. Be aware that the cost for this coverage depends mostly on the value of the insured vehicle(s)–more expensive vehicles cost more to insure. As a VERY rough guide, figure on an additional US$100 in premium for every $100,000 in vehicle value.

If your U.S. policy does provide coverage for damage to your vehicles in Mexico, be sure you understand and comply with any applicable restrictions. If you’re OK with those restrictions, you don’t need to spend the extra money on redundant Mexican damage coverage.

FCIS Insurance, an Escapees Commercial Partner, can assist you with your Mexican liability insurance. Call 800-331-1520 or email info@fcisinsurance.com to discuss options with one of their RV insurance specialists.

You can also price and buy your Mexican liability insurance from a number of online sites, including Lewis and Lewis, Mexpro.com and Oscar Padilla Mexican Insurance. Or if you prefer, you can visit a Mexican insurance broker in one of the U.S. border towns. Finally, your U.S. insurer may also be able to suggest a source.

Be sure to shop around, as premiums can vary significantly between insurers.

It is technically possible for you to drive someone else’s vehicle or RV into Mexico. However, there are serious considerations to take into account before doing this, including the need to have well-documented proof that you have the owner’s permission, possible complications if you cause a crash, and potential extra steps to obtain Mexican liability insurance. This article from Sanborn’s, one of the major issuers of Mexican auto insurance, has all the details

The roads between the U.S. and Puerto Peñasco are all paved, and pretty much like you’d find in the United States. Most of the roads in Puerto Peñasco itself are also paved, although you may encounter dirt secondary roads on occasion.

Yes, all of the diesel fuel sold in the northern part of Sonora is ultra-low-sulfur (ULSD) suitable for use in all diesel engines. You will not see it labeled as ULSD, however. 

If you prefer not to buy diesel in Mexico, know that the round-trip from Ajo to Puerto Peñasco is about 210 miles, so most vehicles can make it on one tank of fuel.

Yes, pets are permitted in Mexico as long as they have current vaccinations and parasite treatments. As of December 16, 2019, a veterinary health certificate is no longer required for dogs and cats, but may still be required for other animals.

Dogs must be kept on leash at all times while outside your RV. Please be sure to pick up after your dog.

No. Guns and ammunition are illegal in Mexico. Enforcement is strict. Expect your vehicles to be inspected at the border and again at a military checkpoint on the way to San Felipe. Any guns or ammo found will be confiscated and result in you being immediately sent to prison. 

In the past, some Escapees members have shared the rental of a self-storage unit in the U.S. to store their prohibited items the night before departure. The Why Not Travel Store in Ajo, AZ offers small storage units as well as temporary storage for firearms, ammo and other valuables in their in-store gun safe.

No. Recreational drugs, including marijuana, are illegal in Mexico. Again, enforcement is strict. You should expect your vehicles to be inspected by drug-sniffing dogs at least once. Illegal drugs will be confiscated and you will be sent to prison.

If you take any controlled substances prescribed by a physician, be sure they are in the original bottles with the prescription label attached. And if possible, don’t bring any larger quantity than what you’ll need during the Hangout.

While not required, it’s highly recommended to help keep in contact with others in the caravan. They are especially useful if you need assistance during the journey. 

Any Family Radio Service (FRS)-capable walkie-talkie will work. If you don’t already have one, they cost $25-$50 for a pair on Amazon. Be sure your radio has fresh batteries if it uses disposables, or fully charge rechargeable batteries before each travel day.

Citizens-band (CB) radios are not required.

To help ensure that illness doesn’t interrupt your fun, we recommend drinking and brushing your teeth with only purified bottled water. (Bottled water is readily available at stores in town, so don’t worry about bringing a 10-day supply.) 

The fresh water supply is fine for bathing, washing dishes, and so on. Many RVers sanitize their fresh water systems upon returning from Mexico, just to be safe.

Yes, there are several major supermarkets within a short drive from the RV park.

Playa Bonita RV Park has wifi, but as with many campground wifi systems, it may not be reliable with so many people in one area.  If you need data-intensive bandwidth, you may wish to use your own cellular hotspot or Starlink system (which also works in Mexico).

Your cell phone will work in Mexico, and coverage in the RV park and the cities is generally good. However, availability of service, data speed and data caps will vary depending on your device, plan and carrier. Please check with your carrier beforehand.

We strongly recommend that you have at least mobile voice service on your phone while you’re in Mexico for use in an emergency. If your current U.S. plan does not include service in Mexico and you can’t add it temporarily, it is possible to get a local SIM card and add data to it to use in your cell phone or other mobile device. The cost is about $5 per gigabyte of data.

Tents are not permitted in the camping area due to space constraints. Small shade tents or shelters are OK on the beach.

The town of Puerto Peñasco is probably safer than many large American cities. You will see tourists and residents alike walking around and to and from the Malecón and downtown areas at night. Of course, it’s always a good idea to take the same reasonable precautions you would in the United States.

From Ajo, AZ to the border crossing in Lukeville and then to the campground in Puerto Peñasco is 105 miles and about 2 hours of driving time. Our actual travel time, however, will be closer to 3-4 hours, allowing time for customs and immigration formalities at the border.

No, but we encourage you to travel with the caravan for safety and fun. Participants traveling to Mexico with the caravan will also enjoy expedited crossing at the border.

Yes, subject to availability at the RV park. As soon as you know your schedule, request a reservation for your extra days at Playa Bonita RV Park by email at reservations@playabonitarv.com or by calling 011 52-638-383-2596. If you call, be sure to let them know that you’ll be with the Hangout so they can try to keep you within our block of sites after our event is over.

Unfortunately, no. Because of the different sizes of sites, we will assign rigs to sites based on their rig size. In general, we will put each participant into the smallest site that can accommodate their rig.

No, our sites won’t face the beach, because those sites are reserved years in advance. However, our sites will be immediately behind the beachfront sites, putting you only a few steps from the water.

No. Each rig owner must register themselves separately, and at least one person in each rig must be an Escapees member.  

No. English is widely spoken throughout Puerto Peñasco. Of course, it’s always polite when traveling internationally to learn a few words to be able to communicate in the local language!

Yes, there are several car rental agencies in Puerto Peñasco, including Enterprise. 

Yes! The Hangout begins on the same day that the 62nd Escapade ends. So you can leave the Pima County Fairgrounds by check-out time and make the approximately 3-hour drive to Ajo, AZ with plenty of time to spare.

No problem! Just email hangouts@escapees.com with your question, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.