GrowingOlderHopeWiser

This is a little gem on Mexico’s Pacific coast in Sinaloa. It is located 200 miles south of the U.S.-Mexican border and became a significant port in the 19th century. It offers miles of beautiful beaches, exciting nightlife, music, art, and a rich cultural heritage. It became my destination in September 2025.

I stayed at the beautiful El Cid El Moro Beach Hotel, which offered a breathtaking ocean view and a balcony. I had a spa day with a rejuvenating full-body massage and a pampering pedicure. The hotel had a beautiful rock pool right by the ocean, which I enjoyed. They brought my drinks right to the pool.

Getting around the city was easy in their famous, cute Pulmonias. They offered all-day tours and even waited for me while I dined at a local Tamal de Cazuela taqueria. I visited the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the beautiful historic district with its colorful colonial buildings, and I drove and walked along the Malecón. I went to the outskirts to visit a small village in Lanoria Noria, Sinaloa, Mexico. La Noria is a lovely colonial mountain village located just 40 minutes northeast of Mazatlan, with colorful homes on rocky roads.

Our tour guides and drivers were fantastic and patient. The pulmonias played lively local music and could zip around the city, even over rocky terrain!

Deliciosos tamales en cazuela. I tried the Chicharron tamal and Hibiscus Cooler (Agua de Jamaica).

The weather was very warm and humid. Nothing, not even a cheap hat or a refreshing breeze from the ocean, could cure it. It was hot! Wear light clothes.