We love Mazatlรกn! We could definitely envision living there for nine to ten months of each year. Is this the city we will ultimately
choose as our retirement home?
Jon and I usually go to Mazatlรกn once each year
and often twice. Each time we visit, we fall in love with this city. But
this was not always the case. The first time we were there I disliked our
experience so much that I told Jon, “I never want to go back to that place
again”. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were only there for
one afternoon as a port stop on a Mexican cruise. Cruises really don’t give a
fair exposure to cities. That’s part of why we no longer take cruises.
We found that when we stayed in Mazatlรกn for at least two
weeks in a stretch, we had time to get our fill of relaxing on the beach and people watching
and then strike out to explore the real city. That’s when we found out
how beautiful the Historic District is, how exceptional the Malecรณn (the promenade along the ocean) is,
how many good restaurants there are, and how much music and entertainment
there is to choose from. The Pacific Ocean off Mazatlรกn is generally warm and
mellow enough that we could boogie-board there, but not smooth enough to do Stand Up
Paddleboard. The opportunities for exercise are very good. The city has an
exceptionally good bus system. Health care is good and inexpensive. We felt
safe walking, even at night, in the Golden Zone and usually walked to and from
restaurants in that area for dinner. Shopping for groceries and supplies is convenient,
whether in the downtown market, neighborhood tiendas, or supermarkets such as Wal-Mart or Mega.
The classic beauty of the Historic District's colonial architecture was what drew us to wander the streets of Mazatlรกn Old Town year
after year, admiring the buildings that were being restored. In 2015, we began
to envision making this city our retirement home. We spent a day with a realtor
looking at a condo and some houses in the Historic District. Mazatlรกn was definitely
going to be high on our list of choices for the city we would retire in. It was time
for us to review our memories of this city and compile our list of “Pros and
Cons”. Jon and I have spent more time in Mazatlรกn than any other
city in Mexico, so we have many good memories to evaluate.
 |
| Plaza Machado in Mazatlan's Historic District |
Mazatlรกn
Historic District and Central Market
When we are in the United States visiting family during the
summer, we miss Mazatlรกn, its beautiful bay and beaches, many good restaurants, and the pretty colonial buildings in the Historic District. I
begin looking through my photos of Mazatlรกn, showing my favorites to my
husband, Jon. We reminisce about our happy times there, exploring all the
niches in old town, many of which are being restored with new plaster and
bright paint. One of our favorite blocks of pretty houses in Mazatlรกn's
Historic District is Angel Flores between Calle Niรฑos Heroes and Venus. We
catch the bus to the Golden Zone on this street, so we often stand on this
corner admiring the Mexican colonial architecture.
One typically warm, sunny afternoon we had lunch
at the cozy restaurant named "Raizc3s" in this beautifully restored
building on the corner of Constituciรณn and Belisario Dominquez streets in Old
Town. Our table centered on the arch-topped open window so we had a nice view
for people watching as we dined. To read more and see more photos of the Historic District, click: http://healthylivingandtravelinginmexico.blogspot.com/2015/06/mazatlan-historic-district-central.html
Culinary
Market in Old Town Mazatlรกn
A trip to the Culinary Market in Mazatlรกn was a real treat.
Our intended destination was the newly opened Hector's Bistro for lunch in the
Historic District. We were having trouble finding Hector's and didn't even
realize we had walked by it twice. There are no bold signs shouting that we had
arrived at the jewel in this neighborhood. Luckily, as we circled the block, we
saw the subtle but attractive sign on the window of the bakery inside: Mercado Culinario (Culinary Market). We
discovered that there is much more hidden inside this restored colonial
building than Hector's Bistro. We found that we had to duck into one of the
doorways and poke around the interior to discover the colorful, organized
merchant stands offering a wide variety of specialty foods. To read my blog article about the Culinary Market, click here: Culinary Market in Mazatlan: Hectors Bistro...
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| Culinary Market, Hector's Bistro, La Krema, & More |
This fun day of shopping and lunch in the
Historic District of Mazatlรกn definitely qualified as "Healthy Living in
Mexico". Our many good memories of time spent in Old Town Mazatlรกn put a
big check-mark in the “Pros” column of our “Pros and Cons” list for retiring in
this city.
Plenty
of Good Restaurants in Mazatlรกn, in the Golden Zone, the Historic
District, in Cerritos, and the Marina Area
Dining opportunities is one of our top priorities when we choose
a city to visit or live in. Anyone can choose a restaurant from the TripAdvisor
list when on vacation and probably be satisfied. But, after we have spent so
much time in Mazatlรกn, our restaurant list is refined to those we return to
repeatedly, our favorites.
·
Villa
Italia Restaurante Italiano: Located
at: Ave Camarรณn Sรกbalo, Mazatlรกn, across from El Cid. This is an easy half mile
walk from Mar Rosa RV Park. The walk home is enough to wear off (almost) the
flan that we can’t resist after a delicious dinner of pizza, salad, and wine.
·
Pancho’s:
There are two Pancho’s now, but we still go to the original which is in the
southern section of the Golden Zone and overlooks the ocean. A very popular
restaurant, for both the food and the ambiance, we often have to wait in line
for a table during high season.
·
La Mona
Pizza: In the heart of old town, this one is worth the visit just for the
experience of seeing the neighborhood and for the quirky interior. La Mona's pizza is our favorite in Mazatlรกn, the wine selection is good, and the servers
are exceptionally friendly and prompt.
·
El Alhibe
de San Pedro: In the outskirts of the Historic District, El Alhibe is one
of a kind. Built inside of a very old, abandoned water reservoir, the walls
curve into the rounded ceiling and are covered with old bits of nostalgic scrap
items, toys, and art. The food is unique and a bit pricey so we save this
restaurant for our special occasions.
·
Fat Fish:
Good ribs for a great price. In the Golden Zone
·
FISH
(Fresh International Seafood House): This is a real find! In the Golden
Zone, this has become our favorite place to go for Camarones Empanizado (breaded, deep-fried prawns), delicious french
fries, along with a house salad and a good glass of wine, all for a very reasonable
price.
·
El Shrimp
Bucket: In the Historic District, overlooking the Malecรณn and Pacific Ocean.
A good place to watch people and the sunset.
·
Pedro y Lola’s:
This classy restaurant is well-known by tourists and expats alike, so it is
usually very busy on weekend nights. The food is very good but high priced. The
location can’t be beat, on the corner of the Plaza Machado. We pay the price
and enjoy the food when Lori Davidson and Rob Lamonica are playing there.
Enjoying her voice and his keyboard playing justifies the money we spend there.
·
Mr.
Lionso Playa Brujo: Located at the end of Cerritos, this very Mexican
restaurant overlooks the ocean. The food, typical Mexican fare, is inexpensive
and delicious. We enjoy their shrimp cocktail, Mexican-style, of course, spicy
and fresh.
·
Chili’s
Pepper: While the food is nothing to brag about, the location is great and
margaritas are fine. This is one of the few restaurants in the Golden Zone
where we can sit with our feet in the sand and listen to the soothing rhythm of
the waves, lapping the sand just yards away.
·
Chill 'N' Grill: This
is just one of the restaurants we enjoyed in the marina area south of Cerritos.
The views are nice and it was less crowded with tourists than the Golden
Zone when we were there.
 |
| Jon and Terry at Chill 'N' Grill |
We found that in Mazatlรกn there was plenty of variety in
restaurants to keep us happy. Besides typical Mexican food, there are an
abundance of seafood restaurants and steakhouses. We found several places with good pizza
and Italian food, even a couple of Asian restaurants that were satisfactory. But,
where is the barbecue chicken (pollo
asado)? After weeks of eating pizza and seafood, I was hungry for roasted
chicken and talked Jon into taking a walk down the Malecรณn, sure that we would
find some. We walked for miles, scanning menus and signs at palapa restaurants,
taco stands, and finer eateries. We found fish tacos, Red Snapper Zarandeado, mahi-mahi any style you
want, shrimp as you like it, ceviche, octopus, oysters, and other seafood I had
no desire to sample.
I was getting very tired, hungry, hot, and grumpy. I finally
said, “Let’s hire a taxi to take us to a good chicken restaurant. I’m paying,
so no arguing!” Jon knows to just say “okay” when I get to that stage. I flagged
a Pulmonia, an open-air taxi unique
to Mazatlรกn and made my request. I didn’t even ask the taxi drive “How much?”
before climbing in, a definite no-no in Mexico. At that point, I didn’t care
what it cost; I wanted barbecue chicken, Mexican-style, now. Naturally, the
driver took us on a circuitous route, what seemed like a long distance across
town, through neighborhoods we had never seen before, and finally stopped just
off a main highway at a busy, open-air restaurant with real wood smoke rising
from the chimneys. The aroma of spicy, salty, roasting poultry was so
wonderful, I gladly paid the rather high taxi fee of about $12 U.S. and we
hurried in to order. The juicy, smoky flavor of our first Mazatlรกn chicken dinner
made the whole journey worth it. Why didn’t we think to grab a taxi sooner? I
don’t think we could ever find that chicken stand again; we’ll just grab a Pulmonia and go on another adventure the
next time I crave pollo asado in Mazatlรกn.
Yes, the variety of good restaurants in Mazatlรกn would keep
us happy if we retired there. Pros Column for Retirement in Mazatlรกn: Many Good Restaurants!
Music and Entertainment Abound in Mazatlรกn
- Macaws: The
"Cheers" of Mazatlรกn: After a long walk to Wal-Mart, we decided we had earned an evening out for
dinner and listening to live music--we were too tired to cook after that
adventure. So we caught the bus in front of the Mar Rosa RV Park and for 10
pesos (about 70 cents U.S.) each, we rode in air-conditioned comfort to the
Historic District of Mazatlรกn. We walked the 6 or 7 blocks to Macaws to listen
to the group "Wingin' It" with Lori Davidson, Rob Lamonica, Chris
Henderson, and Ron Fantz. Macaws has been nicknamed the "Cheers" of
Mazatlรกn, and I could see why when we sat down at a table in this cozy
neighborhood open-air restaurant bar. To read more of this blog article, click: Macaws: The "Cheers" of Mazatlan
- Brensters Beach Bash at Diego's: Brenster's Beach Bash was voted one of
Mazatlรกn's "Favorite Things to Do"! It happens at Deigo's from 2:00
to 6:00 every Tuesday, November to April. Brent McAthey, the "Brenster",
a Canadian Country Music singer-songwriter, is a star in Mazatlรกn. We were
especially glad that we were at the Beach Bash the week that the Brenster
performed with Tanya Carrum, a talented Mexican singer who also performs at La
Catrina's every Wednesday during high season. Another treat that week...the
Brenster sang with his special guests, Patricia Conroy, Michelle Wright, and
Beverley Mahood who are typically slated to perform at the Brenster and Carrum
Show once each season. The crowd was on their feet dancing, singing along, and
just having fun in the sun! To see more, click my blog article: Brenster's Beach Bash & Zumba with Penny
- La Catrina's Restaurant and Cantina: Tanya Carrum, a talented Mexican singer,
performs here once a week during high season, usually on Wednesday evenings.
Her show is a real treat while dining at La Catrina. Dick Damron, a Canadian
Country Western Musician, also plays here at times. The largely Canadian crowd
is fun-loving, dancing and singing along.
- Pedro y Lola's: The music selection varies here from night to night here. Lori Davidson and her band can often be found here on Saturday nights.
- Angela Peralta Mazatlรกn
Theater: The restored theater is a cultural treasure for Mazatlรกn, hosting
dance, concerts and other shows.
 |
| Brenster's Beach Bash--A Lively Beach Party |
The variety of live music and other entertainment available
in Mazatlรกn is enough to make us happy if we retired there. Another check-mark in the “Pros” column for "Retiring in Mazatlรกn"!
Mazatlรกn
Malecรณn: Rollerblading, Bicycling, Walking, and So Much More
The Mazatlรกn Malecรณn, a wide, concrete walkway along the
beach, is one of the longest Malecรณns in the world! Some claim that it is
the longest in the world. This promenade is nearly thirteen miles long
(twenty-one kilometers) and wide enough for plenty of traffic including
bicycles, pedestrians, skateboarders, strollers, dogs, and people on
rollerblades. Everyone is tolerant of
beginner rollerbladers like us who are wobbling along, looking for the next
handrail to grab onto. We don't look smooth and polished like most skaters who
buzz past us, but we have fun and get a good workout. This is "Healthy
Living in Mexico!"
The Malecรณn is a significant gathering place in
Mazatlรกn, used for social time as well as physical fitness. Many go there
simply to take a stroll along the ocean, sight-seeing and people watching. Couples
and families come to spend time together there, both during the daytime and in
the evening when it is well lit. Along the Malecรณn, there are cliffs, monuments,
gazebos, colonial buildings, hotels, shops, restaurants, bars, many beautiful
sculptures, street vendors, and plenty of new benches for resting and watching
people. To read more, click this link: http://healthylivingandtravelinginmexico.blogspot.com/2015/05/mazatlan-malecon-rollerblading.html
 |
| We Enjoyed Rollerblading on the Mazatlan Malecon! |
Shopping
for Groceries and Supplies in Mazatlรกn
Shopping options are plentiful in Mazatlรกn. In
addition to the central market and Culinary Market, there is an Organic Market
on Saturdays for fresh produce. Many pharmacy chains are located in this city,
including Guadalajara Pharmacy and Wal-Mart. Groceries chains
include Mega, Soriana, Leys, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and others. Our favorite
meat supplier is Henderson’s Meat Market. There are small mini-supper markets,
usually one on each block in the Golden Zone, making it easy to pick up a few
fruits, vegetables, and supplies when needed. Here are a couple of stories
about shopping at some of our favorite stores in Mazatlรกn:
·
Guadalajara
Pharmacy: Fear of illness or injury while living or
traveling in Mexico is a real concern for many people. It may ease the minds of
travelers to know that pharmacies, Urgent Care Clinics, and hospitals are
readily available in tourist areas of Mexico. Here is one story of treating a
health issue while in Mazatlรกn that I hope will help others realize that
medical care is easily accessible in most areas of Mexico (at least the cities where gringos live):
·
Henderson’s
Meat Market and the Produce Truck: Chuck roast from
Henderson's Carnicerรญa (meat market)
was the starting point for Jon’s favorite comfort food—Crock-pot Pot Roast. We
discovered Henderson’s Carnicerรญa (meat market) in Mazatlรกn recently. Their
beef is aged which improves the flavor and increases the tenderness. We decided
to purchase a chuck roast rather than a rump roast for this pot roast hoping
for a juicier, tender finished dish. We couldn't find a chuck roast in the
freezer section so we asked if they had it (pointing to the helpful chart on
the wall). The butcher pulled a large roast out of the front cooler and cut off
the 1.5 kg piece that we needed. Fresh, not frozen...even better. To read more, click this link: http://healthylivingandtravelinginmexico.blogspot.com/2015/01/hendersons-meat-market-in-mazatlan.html
 |
| Jon Shopping at the Produce Truck at Mar Rosa RV Park in Mazatlan |
A Typical Day of Living in Mazatlรกn Provides Plenty of Exercise Opportunities
During the first week after Jon and I arrived in Mazatlรกn
last year, we were lazy and our only exercise was walking to dinner, strolling on the beach with Bella, or walking to
the bank and to buy groceries. But, staying physically fit is one of our highest priorities during our early retirement. So, the next Monday morning we started with a
lively hour of Zumba Gold with Penny Fuller. She teaches classes in the park at
the corner of Atรบn and Mojarra Streets in Mazatlรกn's Golden Zone. Zumba Gold
class starts at 8:30 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the high
season. It felt so good to get back to Zumba Gold class! Our motto is
"Attend Zumba Classes, Eat More Flan!" (Zumba burns enough calories
so we can eat flan for dessert once or twice a week!)
We found out that if we could drag ourselves out of bed
in time, we could attend Penny's Zumba Toning class that starts at 7:50 AM,
right before Zumba Gold. Penny's arms, shoulders, and back are very muscular,
demonstrating the benefits of Zumba Toning. She is in remarkably good health. Teaching
two classes a day at the age of 72, she is a testament to the physical and
mental health benefits of Zumba. To read more, click this link: http://healthylivingandtravelinginmexico.blogspot.com/2015/01/zumba-with-penny-in-morning-dancing-and.html
Zumba Class in Mazatlรกn Taught by Penny
Fuller
Zumba
Toning Class: An Invigorating Way to Start the Morning in Mexico
When Penny Fuller told me that her Zumba Toning class
started at 7:50 in the morning, I said, "That's awfully early! I'm not
really a morning person..." and then I heard myself whining. (Excuse
Number 31 not to go to Zumba class)
Penny Fuller teaches Zumba Toning and Zumba Gold in the park
at the corner of Atรบn and Mojarra Streets in Mazatlรกn's Golden Zone. Zumba
Toning begins at 7:50 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during the high
season. Zumba Gold classes start at 8:30 AM following Zumba Toning. To verify
class schedules or to contact Penny, go to http://pennyfuller.zumba.com .
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| An Hour & 40 Minutes of Zumba, Then She's Going to Play Golf! |
BeFiT
Fitness Centers
There are so many ways to stay physically fit in Mazatlรกn. When
our usual Zumba class with Penny was finished for the season and we weren't
ready to leave Mazatlรกn, I started searching for another way to work out. One
day, as we were riding the bus from the Golden Zone toward Punta Cerritos RV
Park, I saw a large banner hanging above a building at the curve where Avenida
Camarรณn Sรกbalo turns into the Marina area. It was advertising “BeFit Fitness
Centers” with a large photo of an attractive Mexican woman in sexy workout
clothing. That should bring the men to this fitness center!
 |
| Jon Working Out at the BeFit Fitness Center in Mazatlan |
Retire
in a Community of Palapa-RV Homes?
Punta Cerritos RV Park, located on a point in northern
Mazatlรกn overlooking the ocean, is a unique retirement village. This community began
as an RV Park and has been transformed into individual homes by the retirees and
snowbirds that live there. Of the 79 sites, only six are were still available
for yearly leases when we stayed for a week in May. The other 73 sites are
occupied by outdoor living homes, each one with a fifth-wheel, motorhome, or
other type of recreational vehicle nestled inside of unique structures with
palapa roofs over them for shade and protection from the weather. The
"owner" of each RV has customized his or her home with addition of
outdoor kitchens, sitting areas for socializing or relaxing, tile flooring,
light fixtures, brick walls, flowerbeds and cactus gardens, Mexican garden art,
bodegas, and more. It is obvious that the owners take pride in their RV homes
by the improvements and decor they have added.
We were fortunate to be able to stay in a front
row site nearest the ocean so we had the sea breeze to cool us as the May
temperatures crept into the upper 80's. We considered "purchasing" one of these sites and retiring at Punta Cerritos. To read more about this retirement community, click this link: http://retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.com/2015/05/mazatlan-retirement-living-punta.html
 |
| Ocean View from Punta Cerritos RV Park |
Weather
in Mazatlรกn
The weather in Mazatlรกn is less humid than in the more
southern coastal towns we’ve visited. Ten months of the year are considered dry
months and have very little rain. The hot, rainy months are usually August and
September. We enjoy the clear blue skies and the gentle breeze most of the
year. Our only hesitation about retiring in Mazatlรกn is that the cool winter
months of November, December, and January are too cool for us. Sometimes it
doesn’t warm up enough for us until March or April. Most expats who retire in
Mazatlรกn feel the weather is perfect, except for the two rainy months. We have
found that the more time we spend in Mexico, the more we have adjusted to the
warmth and prefer daytime temperatures to be above 75 degrees most of the year.
Mazatlรกn’s cooler weather may be the biggest drawback for us, though many would
disagree.
Getting
to Mazatlรกn
We have driven our motorhome to Mazatlรกn for years and find
that it takes us three days from the United States border, including time
needed for the border crossing procedures. Now that we are retired, we want to
be able to fly to our home in Mexico. Preferably, the city we choose to retire
in will have an airport nearby. Mazatlรกn qualifies, having a modern,
international airport just south of the city. A short four and one-half hour
flight from Medford, Oregon would be a real bonus if we chose Mazatlรกn for our
retirement home.
 |
| Driving Route to Mazatlan from the U.S. Border: 781 Miles |
Would
We Choose San Carlos or Mazatlรกn?
After visiting San Carlos and Mazatlรกn many times in the past
fifteen years, we have gotten to know both very well. We have spent a
significant amount of time in each at various times of the year so we could
experience the changes in weather and activities between seasons. Of these two
cities, Mazatlรกn would definitely be our first choice. In our evaluation of
this beautiful place, the “Pros” for Mazatlรกn greatly outweighed the “Cons”. We
have eliminated San Carlos, but we still have six more cities to appraise.
Where will we finally settle in our retirement?
Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico, the Book
 |
| Cover Photo of La Mujer Mazatleca Statue in Mazatlan |
