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Rockin' out in Rocky Point

Rocky Point nightlife offers cantinas, bars, restaurants and nightclubs for every kind of tourists' tastes

Thank the college kids who invade Puerto Peñasco every spring break for the year-round lively nightlife.

Club owners say practice at serving drinks and action to generations of student partyers have honed their entertainment talents.

Annual music festivals, such as Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers' Circus Mexicus (May 19-20) also swell local cantinas and hotels. Info: www.azpeacemakers.com.

Rocky Point nightlife offers cantinas, bars, restaurants and nightclubs for every kind of tourists' tastes, and are strategically located about town.

Legendary JJ's Cantina in Cholla Bay still rocks for tequila lovers of all ages. Think crowded, loud and audacious behavior by both sexes. Guests' outrageous acts (making out, "dirty" dancing, etc.) are probably results of the margaritas mixed by the 55-gallon drum.

Mirador is the place to be once the sun sets. There, Manny's Beach Club sports a permanent sign that advertises "Beach Party Tonight." It's right most nights. A favorite of Peñasco veterans, revelers mingle at the long wooden bar or dance under palapa-style roofs. There are plenty of tables on the patio and in the nearby sand. Another nearby favorite is Pithaya Bar, known for its continuous beachfront fiestas.

Within walking distance of Manny's are newer bars, including the Pink Cadillac, Happy Frog, and Margaritaville. The Pink Cadillac is a warehouse-like building with two bars, and plays top 40 dance sounds. Even in the slow season these are the half-dozen clubs that stay pretty busy.

Over in the Old Port area, there's Mickey's, nestled in a neighborhood of curio shops and fish market stalls. Pick your poison from some of the best (and some of the cheapest) tequilas in town. Sit on Lupe's second-floor patio as you sip.

For those turistas who prefer a more laid-back experience, there's the Lighthouse at the top of the hill, which features great food, hot jazz and a cool clientele. Or catch a romantic sunset with cocktails from the windows of the nearby Casa del Capitan restaurant/bar while you are deciding where to go next.