# San Felipe



## suzmax

What can anyone tell me about retiring in San Felipe (we are from the US)? We've also been looking at Puerto Penasco and San Carlos although we do like the idea of being a bit closer to the border so we can drive to the US when necessary (but not like Tijuana close!). We're looking at things like real estate costs, number of expats, what the area is like to actually live in, etc. Thanks!!!


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## suzmax

Never mind. I found my answer but don't know how to delete my post.


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## chicois8

suzmax, so what did you find out, inquiring minds want to know??????


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## Isla Verde

suzmax said:


> Never mind. I found my answer but don't know how to delete my post.


Don't leave! Stay with the forum and let us know how your move goes.


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## suzmax

Just in doing more research on the area, it doesn't seem to fit what we would like (sand dune races, oodles of people, smelly beach...haha). We're looking pretty seriously at San Carlos. Hope to find some expats on here to learn more from those actually living there. I know it's not as close to the border, but we decided that's not as big of a priority. And I'm not going anywhere! I will have too many questions going forward about this entire process. You may WISH I had left when it's all said and done!


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## HolyMole

suzmax said:


> Just in doing more research on the area, it doesn't seem to fit what we would like (sand dune races, oodles of people, smelly beach...haha). We're looking pretty seriously at San Carlos. Hope to find some expats on here to learn more from those actually living there. I know it's not as close to the border, but we decided that's not as big of a priority. And I'm not going anywhere! I will have too many questions going forward about this entire process. You may WISH I had left when it's all said and done!


You're no longer soliciting responses, but for what it's worth....
We've visited all three places you mentioned: San Carlos many times, San Felipe only once, two years ago, (and then only for a daytrip from Ensenada), and Puerto Penasco twenty years ago...and again only on a daytrip from Ajo, AZ.
We wouldn't chose to live in either place, but it depends what you're looking for, I guess. To be fair, "Rocky Point" has mushroomed since we visited.......but do you really want to live in Mexico in a place called Rocky Point? 
San Felipe is as you've described - and in the middle of nowhere, miles from anything interesting. Having driven over from Ensenada, and prepared to spend a few days in San Felipe, we had lunch, turned around and drove back to Ensenada. Unfair? We don't think so.
The area around Puerto Penasco is more interesting, but still too far from everything for our taste.
Of the three, San Carlos is by far the most picturesque, and you always have the option of close-by Guaymas, if living cheek-by-jowl with other gringos in San Carlos gets a tad too familiar.
We love the ocean. Although we've visited perhaps 20 or 25 Mexican states, when we vacation in Mexico, we spend most of our time at the ocean. Were we to live permanently, or even half the year in Mexico, it would have to be near the ocean. Since all three of the places you've mentioned are on the coast, we assume you feel the same way. However, our problem with all three of the destinations you've mentioned is that they're all on the Sea of Cortez, which to us is more like a lake than the ocean. If we were limited to that coast, we'd probably go further south, to La Paz in Baja Sur. Or, if being close to the US border is important, Ensenada in Baja Norte.


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## suzmax

HolyMole said:


> You're no longer soliciting responses, but for what it's worth....
> We've visited all three places you mentioned: San Carlos many times, San Felipe only once, two years ago, (and then only for a daytrip from Ensenada), and Puerto Penasco twenty years ago...and again only on a daytrip from Ajo, AZ.
> We wouldn't chose to live in either place, but it depends what you're looking for, I guess. To be fair, "Rocky Point" has mushroomed since we visited.......but do you really want to live in Mexico in a place called Rocky Point?
> San Felipe is as you've described - and in the middle of nowhere, miles from anything interesting. Having driven over from Ensenada, and prepared to spend a few days in San Felipe, we had lunch, turned around and drove back to Ensenada. Unfair? We don't think so.
> The area around Puerto Penasco is more interesting, but still too far from everything for our taste.
> Of the three, San Carlos is by far the most picturesque, and you always have the option of close-by Guaymas, if living cheek-by-jowl with other gringos in San Carlos gets a tad too familiar.
> We love the ocean. Although we've visited perhaps 20 or 25 Mexican states, when we vacation in Mexico, we spend most of our time at the ocean. Were we to live permanently, or even half the year in Mexico, it would have to be near the ocean. Since all three of the places you've mentioned are on the coast, we assume you feel the same way. However, our problem with all three of the destinations you've mentioned is that they're all on the Sea of Cortez, which to us is more like a lake than the ocean. If we were limited to that coast, we'd probably go further south, to La Paz in Baja Sur. Or, if being close to the US border is important, Ensenada in Baja Norte.


Thanks for all of that info! I certainly do appreciate it all. Your assumption is right that we want to be near the ocean. Interesting point about Sea of Cortez being more like a lake. Hmmmm...


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## Bobbyb

The Sea of Cortez is amazing. Lots of good fishing . Some islands. You can boat to the Baja without a yacht ! San Carlos is a nice place but the beach sucks. Lots of gringos. That can be good and bad!


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## WintheWin

suzmax said:


> Thanks for all of that info! I certainly do appreciate it all. Your assumption is right that we want to be near the ocean. Interesting point about Sea of Cortez being more like a lake. Hmmmm...


Consider Ensenada, much more bearable weather throughout the year. (San Felipe gets crazy hot, and stays crazy hot.)

The beach also seems cleaner in Ensenada. 

Still close to the US, for whatever needs. 

Plenty of things to do/see/eat.


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## chicois8

Sorry WintheWin but I have to disagree with your statement “ The beach also seems cleaner in Ensenada."
The beaches from Ensenada to Tijuana and an ecological disaster area...Notice in the first link the beach with the most bad bacteria ( ecolli ) in all of Mexico is in Ensenada...One problem is Mexico unlike the rest of the world does not consider a beach to be unsafe for swimming unless bacteria count is over 200 PPM, where every other country considered 35 PPM to be the upper limit for safe swimming...

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/testing-reveals-only-one-beach-unsafe/

This second link is about the 3 beached that had to be closed due to high levels of the ecolli bacteria...These 2 articles are from 2017...

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/high-pollution-levels-close-tijuana-beaches-again/

Que Lastima


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## WintheWin

chicois8 said:


> Sorry WintheWin but I have to disagree with your statement “ The beach also seems cleaner in Ensenada."
> The beaches from Ensenada to Tijuana and an ecological disaster area...Notice in the first link the beach with the most bad bacteria ( ecolli ) in all of Mexico is in Ensenada...One problem is Mexico unlike the rest of the world does not consider a beach to be unsafe for swimming unless bacteria count is over 200 PPM, where every other country considered 35 PPM to be the upper limit for safe swimming...
> 
> https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/testing-reveals-only-one-beach-unsafe/
> 
> This second link is about the 3 beached that had to be closed due to high levels of the ecolli bacteria...These 2 articles are from 2017...
> 
> https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/high-pollution-levels-close-tijuana-beaches-again/
> 
> Que Lastima


Hands down Ensenada is also dirty, but I think it's still cleaner than San Felipe.

What we do, is drive out 2 more hours from San Felipe, to Gonzaga Bay, there's a nice little hotel on the beach there, water's beautiful, warm, few people, amenities. Just lovely.

I wouldn't live there, but it's nice for a getaway a couple of times a year.


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## chicois8

WintheWin said:


> Hands down Ensenada is also dirty, but I think it's still cleaner than San Felipe.
> 
> What we do, is drive out 2 more hours from San Felipe, to Gonzaga Bay, there's a nice little hotel on the beach there, water's beautiful, warm, few people, amenities. Just lovely.
> 
> I wouldn't live there, but it's nice for a getaway a couple of times a year.




I can remember driving down Highway 5 and having lunch of catch of the day with Papa Fernandez and his family..............in 1971........took more than 2 hours,LOL.


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## suzmax

consutloresh&h said:


> Hi Suzmax!
> 
> When you start looking into your permanent.temporary residence card, don't hesitate to contact me. I can definitely help you with this matter.


Thanks! I have another thread on here that I started yesterday called Family Unity??? with a few questions about that.


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## eric bullard

In the summer of 1994 I stuffed a swimsuit, a couple of paperback books, my passport and a stack of travelers checks into a small daypack and caught a one-way flight to Mexico. I was 36 years old without any real ties in the world and I had a little money saved up in the bank. But most important, I was done with America: the hectic pace, the spiraling cost of living and the same old routines and monotony. I wanted something different now, something new, something exciting and off the grid.
I had originally planned to go to Hawaii and live on the beach. But when a friend of mine pointed out the high cost of living in Hawaii and the comparatively low cost of living in Mexico, I quickly changed my plans and bought a one-way ticket to Puerta Vallarta. I wasn't sure how long I was going to stay in Mexico. But once I got there, I ended up spending the next three and a half years living on the Pacific Coast in a small town called Zihuatanejo. During that time my entire life completely changed as I dove headfirst into a country and culture of such diversity, excitement, violence, magic, and passion that still, to this day, I wonder at the meaning of it all. 
ZIHUATANEJO a true story of exile, love, war, and murder south of the border is a number one bestseller at amazon.com


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