Penasco has always prided itself on welcoming tourists - after all, that is one of its main industries and they take it seriously. Unlike some places in the world where they want the tourist dollar but not the tourist, this isn't true in Penasco. They truly enjoy the tourist - they even try watching out for the one that has had too much to drink and/or too much sun.
But the media has not always been kind to Penasco. In 1948 my family came down here for the first time and horrified friends warned my parents, "You aren't going to take your daughter down there! Why it just isn't safe!" Fortunately for me they ignored all the nay sayers and we headed down to a wonderful time. I brought my kids and now our grandkids come down. And the media and friends still are saying "It's not safe!"
If you come down thinking you don't have to obey the laws of Mexico - they are probably right - you'll have problems. If you try to bring firearms into the country, again, they are right - you are in big trouble. Get in an accident without insurance - bad move. Try to buy drugs - a no-brainer - you might have a terrible time in Mexico. Some people seem to think they can leave their brains, or their sense of right and wrong, at the border. Doesn't work that way.
Lately the media has been letting up on Penasco - maybe they have figured out that bad things can happen anywhere, including US schools, movie complexes, and malls. Or maybe it is that they are actually seeing that Penasco is a safe place to bring your family in order to enjoy the beach, sun and surf (well, we actually don't get a lot of surf, which makes the waters safer for little kids).
Penasco is growing up. A convention center will be opening in October. A movie complex is already operating. We have a great baseball team and you can get a box seat for about $4. A mall is being completed. An International airport will soon be receiving flights from Vegas via AeroMexico and a small airline, Jet Purple, has announced flights in from Scottsdale on some upcoming holiday weekends.
The biggest sign of Penasco's leap into the news is that approval and funding has been given for the first Home Cruise Port in Mexico to begin construction - with the first cruise ship slated to begin service in early 2015 - cruising the fantastic Sea of Cortez.
Is Penasco safe? Lets just say I feel safer here then a lot of places in the States. I feel safe enough to want our Great Grandkids to visit and enjoy it's beauty.
Not too long ago one of our grandsons looked at his dad very seriously and asked, "Dad, when you were a kid they didn't have all the ATVs, Jet Skis, Hydroplanes, what did you DO?" And our son, just as seriously, answered him, "We woke up at the crack of dawn and set out on a new adventure - every day was a wonderful adventure!"
Yep, from those days of adventures until now when we relax on the terrace, we have always felt safe.