When looking for a vacation spot, there are so many things to consider. Like time to get there, costs of flying to get there and where do you stay and what do you do when you do get there. Puerto Penasco is your best place for every aspect of a vacation. First, it is only a short 4 hour drive from Phoenix or Tucson and with no waiting in long lines at the airport. Secondly it is not expensive to get here, third is we have the best deals for accommodation on the Sea of Cortez and last, there is a multitude of things to do here every single day. No over crowded beaches here, just miles of pristine sand.

Crossing the US/Mexico border is very easy (just make sure you have your passport or passport card for re-entering to the US). Buy your Mexican auto insurance either online or from your own agent.

A short 1 hour drive south of the border and you are here. About 30 kilometers south of the border you will pass the Pinacate Biosphere. Sometime during your stay, do go back out and tour the new visitor center Shuk Toak. It is very modern with a movie telling all about the craters and the surrounding area. The guide there will answer any questions that you may have and there are interactive touch screens throughout the building. Make certain to take your camera as the views from the center are gorgeous. This crater range is the largest in North America and if you feel like going up to see them, you can (4 wheel drive) is best. You may encounter many animals along the way.

Back in Puerto Peñasco if you are a seafood lover, take the drive out to the oyster farms and get some steamed clams, fresh shucked oysters or ceviche and have a cold beer if you like. While there take a dip in the water or just watch the Blue Heron and Egrets do a fly over along with countless Pelicans.

As you pass into town you will drive along the docks in the Historic Wharf District with all the shrimp boats moored and will be able to see nests of what we call Bald Eagles, but they are actually a little different. Both mom and dad tend the nests and dive in the harbor to get food for the babies. Again, camera time, as the boats make for awesome photography as well as the pelicans perched on the pongas (little fishing boats). Continue into the Malecon, were you can have your choice of food and very good service. A lot of history here as Al Capone use to stay there in the bootlegging days. As you leave the Old Port, make sure you stop into Mercedes Rusticos. Here you will find anything that you need for your home or as a gift. From the south of Mexico you will find blown glassware, Mexican table settings and weavings just to name a few things.

Sometime during your trip, venture out to what locals call “Rodeo Drive” and visit the many shops filled with everything from beautiful ladies apparel to upscale gifts for you home or condo. There is something there for everyone.

Look no further than the experts. In a study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, author J. Aaron Hipp, Ph.D., environmental health expert and assistant professor at the Brown School, pointed to the restorative environment of the beach.

"Studies have shown that natural environments like beaches and waterfront parks offer more restorative benefits to people than gyms, entertainment venues and the built urban environment," said Hipp.

His study goes further to suggest that we require specific conditions in that beachside environment to achieve the fully-desired restorative effect.

"Mild temperature days and low tides offer the most restorative environments when visiting the beach," he said.

"Beachgoers visiting on a day nearly 3 degrees (F) warmer than average were 30 percent less likely to perceive the beach or coastal park as restorative, compared with those visiting on average or cooler than average days."

1. Sun

We all know the risks of too much sun exposure. But there are benefits to getting some rays, too.

When our skin is directly exposed to the sun, our bodies make vitamin D, a vital tool that helps with calcium absorption and building strong bones. Some of it comes from diet, but a good portion also comes from the sun. And according to the Mayo Clinic, as little as 10 minutes of sun exposure can provide us with our daily dose. According to the vitamin D council, "your body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D in just a little under the time it takes for your skin to turn pink."

In one study, sun exposure was shown to offer other benefits in addition to vitamin D production — including an increase in endorphins and possible prevention of autoimmune diseases.

But despite these benefits, limit your exposure to excessive sunlight to avoid skin cancer risks. When you do head out into the sun for more than a few minutes, remember to wear protective clothing and apply sunscreen with an SPF 15 or higher.

2. Sand

Did you know that the soles of your feet have more sweat glands and nerve-endings per square centimeter than any other part of your body? And that walking barefoot stimulates them much more than walking in shoes?

Not only are you stimulating nerve endings when you walk on the sand, but you're also strengthening the muscles in your feet, which don't get used nearly as much when you're wearing shoes. And according to Martin Zucker, author of Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever?, you may be better connected to the earth when you ditch your shoes, reaping vital mood-boosting benefits. "Earthing," argues Zucker, reconnects our bodies to the ever-present energy of the earth, which modern lifestyles have increasingly diminished.

And in a study focused on running and walking on the sand, researchers found that walking on sand requires 1.6 to 2.5 times the energy than it takes on a hard surface.

"Our muscles perform more mechanical work when running or walking on sand than on a hard surface," said study co-author Dr. Thierry M. Lejeune, M.D.

If treading on the unwieldy sand for too long sounds tiring, try alternating your walk or run on the more compact sand closer to the water, where the surface will be less challenging.

3. Surf

Sea water contains high levels of various minerals — including magnesium, potassium and iodine — which may help fight infection, offer therapeutic effects, and potentially help the body heal and detoxify.

Swimming is linked to decreased stress and increased sense of well-being; studies have shown swimming and water-based exercise help to decrease anxiety and depression.

Aside from its therapeutics effects, swimming provides excellent physical exercise, employing most of our major muscle groups, especially as the water provides gentle resistance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), swimming ranks as the fourth most popular sport activity in the United States. Among other aerobic activities (like running and bicycling), swimming for as little as two-and-a-half hours a week may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and boost heart health.

And since it's a non-impact sport, swimming offers a great way for people with injuries to get some exercise. For sufferers of arthritis, water-based exercise can help improve joint pain symptoms.

Source (Medical Daily)