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Things To Do in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a legendary Mexican beach resort city with the great climate, beautiful scenery, tropical beaches, fun nightlife, and rich culture that holiday travelers dream about. PV, as English speakers often call it, has a friendly vibe, exciting attractions, and a great food and drink scene. If you are ready to head south to margaritaville, Cool Puerto Vallarta is your guide to all the best things to do in Puerto Vallarta Mexico.

Located on the Bay of Banderas along southern Mexico's Pacific coastline, PV lies directly west of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state and third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico. This setting makes Puerto Vallarta unusual among Mexican beach destinations in that it has a long, storied past as a thriving Mexican village and seaport. The Ameca River valley meets the coast on the northern edge of PV proper. With its rich agricultural lands, the valley has likely been the site of human habitation since prehistoric times, while the Sierra Cuale and San Sebastián mountains to the east of PV have long been the site of mining activities. Spanish colonizers entered the region in the early 1500s, and the bay was marked as a safe harbor on maps of the Acapulco—Manila treasure galleon trade route used by the Spanish kingdom from 1565 to 1815.

As mining and agricultural towns developed in the Sierras, Puerto Vallarta became a busy beach-landing port supplying the mountain towns. Residents of the Sierra towns also came down to pick up supplies and enjoy the beach-side city, and PV had regular tourist traffic and returning vacationers by the mid-19th century. By the 1960s, political changes affecting ownership, control, and development of the land around Puerto Vallarta were opening the area to infrastructure and transportation development. American celebrities who frequented Acapulco also began visiting the PV area. Then, when director John Huston shot the 1964 movie The Night of the Iguana just south of PV in Misaloya, coverage of Elizabeth Taylor's affair with Richard Burton and other dramas surrounding the production generated extensive American publicity for Puerto Vallarta.

Now Puerto Vallarta is a fully-developed modern tourist destination. Everything from shopping, dining, and a well-developed nightlife scene to sportfishing, sailing, scuba diving, windsurfing, outdoor sports, cultural explorations, food tourism, and the simple pleasures of beach-side living draw more than 5 million visitors to PV every year. Watersports, mountain adventures, ecotourism, mountain bike races, marathons, world-class golf, art galleries, traditional festivals and modern celebrations, luxury resort experiences—this is only a glimpse of what is on tap for Puerto Vallarta visitors. Browse our site and let Cool Puerto Vallarta take you to exciting PV with our guide to the best Puerto Vallarta tours and attractions, genuine customer reviews, fast and secure online booking, and excellent customer service.

Puerto Vallarta Attractions

The famous Malecon de Puerto Vallarta is a foundational PV icon that takes visitors on a one-kilometer walking tour along a beachfront lined with public art, shops, galleries, and restaurants, with a spectacular ocean view all the way. The Malecon begins on the north end at the historic Hotel Rosita, founded in 1948 and the oldest hotel in PV. The walkway extends to the south past the Cuale River crossing, where the pavement drops to beach level at the northwest corner of the Zona Romantica. Scattered along the broad walkway are a variety of sculptures by renowned artists, multitudes of performers and vendors, plenty of food and drink stops, landmarks like the Los Arcos public amphitheater and the Plaza Principal, plus many other points of interest and amusement.

Of course, the beaches are a primary Puerto Vallarta attraction. Playa Camerones and Rosita Beach lie off the northern end of the Malecon; to the south, Playa Olas Altas and the popular Playa Los Muertos front the Zone Romantica area. And there are several smaller and more secluded "secret" beaches just outside of town that are popular for day trips by car or boat. Off the beach, PV offers a full range of water activities including a variety of day cruises and dinner cruises, sailing trips, snorkeling, paddle boarding, fishing, scuba diving, and more. From November through April, numerous humpback whales use the Bay of Banderas as a birthing and nursing ground, and seasonal whale-watching lunch cruises are very popular.

Inland beyond the city, the countryside is mountainous, undeveloped and sparsely populated. The foothills of the Cuale and San Sebastián branches of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range extend down to the south shore of the bay and beckon outdoor adventurers with hiking and ATV trails, horseback rides, ziplines, waterfall treks, and small, traditional fishing villages to explore. Offshore from Puerto Vallarta, the uninhabited Islas Marietas are a perfect eco-adventure get-away spot for snorkeling and scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, marine life and bird watching, and the secluded beach experience.

Recommendations: The Best Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta

Just east from the Malecon across the Plaza Principal, a few steps down the stone-paved Independencia walking lane leads visitors to a PV highlight that most visitors count as a must-see: the ornate Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In Spanish, the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, with its crowned Renaissance-style tower and simple yet elegant Catholic interior motifs, has been welcoming pilgrims and visitors alike for over a century. The small square in front of the church is usually busy with photo-snapping visitors, Mexican families, vendors, and the faithful seeking blessings. The blocks around the church are interesting to explore, with many shops where traditional craft items and curios can be found.

On the south end of the Malecon, after it crosses the Rio Cuale, the bustling streets of the Zona Romantica intersect with the seaside walkway. This vibrant, walkable neighborhood is known for its classical building facades and cobblestone streets, art and culture, trendy restaurants, hip coffee shops, and LGBTQ-friendly vibe. The perfect PV combo is a day on Playa Los Muertos, lunch in Lazaro Cardenas Park, also called Tile Park for the intricate mosaics decorating the columns, planters, benches, and walls throughout, then a foray into the Zona for an evening out. This area serves as the Puerto Vallarta nightlife and entertainment district because it comes alive in the evening with an exciting, diverse bar and club scene, live music, craft breweries, and many late-night snacking opportunities.

For nature lovers or anyone who appreciates a break from the bustle of PV's 500,000 people, a trip offshore to the Islas Marietas is a must. Sightseeing and spotting whales, dolphins and manta rays on the way out, exploring the rocky wilderness coastline by kayak or paddleboard, and snorkeling among the inlets crowded with multi-colored fish make for the perfect day of eco-adventure. The undeveloped islands are home to sea turtles, rare seabirds, and a rich diversity of marine life. It is also well-worthwhile to venture out to some of the isolated beaches and villages on the southern shore of the bay. Playa Yelapa at the trailhead to Yelapa Waterfall, Las Caletas, a tucked-away beach with good snorkeling and a relaxing natural atmosphere, or even Playa Conchas Chinas, a local favorite a short drive by car from the southern edge of the Zona Romantica—all of these a nice for a get-away beach day that will deliver a taste of the more natural side of Mexico.

Both on and off the beaten path, Puerto Vallarta Mexico offers visitors a multitude of great attractions, pleasant distractions, and exciting activities. Cool Puerto Vallarta is here to help you sort them all out, with beautiful photos, detailed descriptions, and plenty of genuine customer reviews to make picking your best itinerary a snap. Our fast, secure online booking system, developed over decades of serving adventurous travelers, offers convenient access to a hand-curated selection of the best things to do in Puerto Vallarta. And our team is at your service by chat, text, email, or phone to handle any questions or offer help when needed. Welcome to Cool Puerto Vallarta!