We were so delighted to receive an invitation to attend the wedding of two dear friends in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico over Memorial Day weekend. Neither Michael nor I had ever visited Mexico’s west coast, and we were grateful for the excuse to get away to a destination we might not have normally selected. Getting to PV from Florida (or any west coast destination in Mexico) is a tad difficult as there are no direct flights out of our state, but I have to say, the 14+ hour journey was worth it.
Much of our travel time is spent go-go-going, but not this trip. We spent most of our time in Vallarta relaxing at the resort with our friends before their upcoming nuptials – which also means this isn’t a typical travel recap. Still, we managed to fit a lot into five days, though only one night was actually spent in the city of Puerto Vallarta. Today I’ll be sharing photos from our trip, lots of photos, broken down by location. Throughout the post, you’ll find a mini-directory in each category, which is a good starting point if you are planning a visit. As always, I’ve included a few travel tips that are pertinent to this destination at the end of the post.
WHERE TO STAY IN PUERTO VALLARTA
Garlands del Rio
Garlands del Rio | Aquiles Serdán 367, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
We were on our own for the first night in the city and rather than booking at a large, high-rise resort we chose to stay at the boutique hotel Garlands del Rio, located in the Old City on the Rio Cuale. The staff was welcoming and attentive, greeting us with a much-needed margarita and guacamole. The courtyard contained a nice pool and a self-service honor bar, and it was where we were seated for the following morning’s continental breakfast. At around USD 80 per night at the time of our visit, this was a great value.
PUERTO VALLARTA SIGHTSEEING
Playa los Muertos Pier | Francisca Rodríguez 121, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe | Hidalgo 370, Proyecto escola, Centro, 48300 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
We saw multiple sides of Puerto Vallarta during our short time in the city. We saw the massive influence of US corporations (McDonald’s, Costco, Starbucks, etc.), we saw the poor neighborhoods and barefoot children, we saw the bustling gay population, we saw the pulsing nightlife scene doing everything in its power to draw in the tourists, we saw tourists from other parts of Mexico sightseeing, and we saw the influence that remains from the film The Night of the Iguana. Don’t miss the opportunity to just wander (and maybe get a little lost) and to catch the evening show: the sunset.
DINING IN PUERTO VALLARTA
Tacos El Moreno | C. Fco. I. Madero 304, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico El Campanario | Hidalgo 339, Proyecto escola, Centro, 48300 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico Panadería y Pastelería Gomez | Basilio Badillo 240, Zona Romántica, Emiliano Zapata, 48380 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
I knew once we arrived at the resort that the food would be good but we would no longer have control over the menu. We had a limited number of meals in the city, so we tried to make the most of them. I left with two regrets, however – not getting the smoked fish burritos at Tacón de Marlin and arriving for lunch too early to try the posole from El Campanario, though everything else we had was delicious.
WHERE TO STAY IN MISMALOYA
Villa Mandarinas
Villa Mandarinas | Carr. a Barra de Navidad 4920, 48294 Mismaloya, Jal., Mexico
Michael and I believed there must have been some mistake when we arrived to our villa at Villa Mandarinas, the resort our friends chose for their wedding weekend. They must have given us the bride and groom’s room by mistake, as it was simply too nice. We checked, and there was no mistake. Once our group of 20+ arrived, we all took mini-tours of each villa. I was partial to the one chosen for us due to its wrap-around porch and massive bathroom overlooking the ocean, but I wouldn’t be disappointed in any of the properties’ villas. The staff and service were impeccable, and the wedding was immensely beautiful. We were so grateful to have been invited to this slice of paradise.
PUERTO VALLARTA OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
Jetski Adventure
Jetski Adventure | Quilla 112-Local 1B, Marina Vallarta, 48335 Puerto Vallarta, Jal., Mexico
On Friday our group split up to take on several excursions, and of course, the guys chose the Jet ski Adventure. This excursion took us from the Marina in Vallarta to our resort in Mismaloya and back. Michael and I shared a jet ski and took turns driving. We swam for a few moments in the open ocean before hopping back on our jet skis, with our tour guide Diego encouraging us to go ever faster.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: PUERTO VALLARTA
Puerto Vallarta International (PVR) can be directly reached from a number of airports (listed here) or from many others via connecting flights and is located just north of the city. Access within the airport is similar to most international airports, but it is worth noting the existence of the infamous “Shark Tank” within, where you will be targeted with all kinds of tours and timeshare schemes as you exit the airport. The easiest way to combat it? Keep your gaze straight ahead and keep moving. Unfortunately, any kind of “help” offered in these congested areas should be taken with caution (and likely not accepted at all). With my Verizon plan, I had access to free unlimited data, talk, and text, though the signal was much slower than back home in the U.S. It is true that PV has a decent bus network, but Uber (referral link) was much easier to use (and cheaper than back home – our nearly hour-long trip from Mismaloya to the airport clocked in around USD 10). It’s worth noting that you cannot tip in the Uber app in Mexico, so if you choose to tip, you’ll want to have a little cash available (edit: the option to leave a tip has been added!). Regarding cash, an ATM will typically yield you a better exchange rate than the Currency Exchange stands or any ATM labeled as a currency exchange. I always recommend taking cash out of ATMs located within a bank for better security. You can find branches of Scotiabank, Santander, HSBC, and Banamex, which all have connections to other banks located in the US and Canada, and several others throughout the city. Many local businesses are cash-only and some are hesitant to break large bills. I recommend keeping a few price references in mind when reading menus or shopping (on our visit, the exchange rate was about 20 pesos per US dollar – knowing that every 100 pesos equaled USD 5 made the conversions easier for my non-math-minded self than trying to divide everything by 20). There are more hotels in PV than I could sift through in a day, but we had a good experience at our hotel and our friends enjoyed their Airbnb. I would skip the hotel district in favor of the old city – it has a lot more charm and local flavor.
In terms of day-to-day, most people you encounter in tourist areas will know a little English. However, it’s important to learn at least a little Spanish for politeness (everyone is nicer when you say hello, please, and thank you) and in case you decide to venture off the beaten path (which you should definitely do). Be careful with the water, and when in doubt, buy and carry your own bottles. Most hotels and resorts have a filtration system in place for things like brushing your teeth and making ice, but it’s best to be careful, just in case. The hotel and resort that we visited provided many of the same amenities we find at hotels back home, but one thing that is very different from what we are used to back home is the trash can next to the toilet. It’s not simply there for the sake of convenience – all paper waste should be disposed of in the can, not the toilet. Each time we travel to a country that follows this practice we forget once or twice, but it’s much easier to adjust to the local norm than to be left with an embarrassing mess. In regards to physical safety, we never felt unsafe during our short time in PV. Just use your city smarts, especially at night, and keep your belongings close by your side. If your gut tells you something is off, it’s better to trust it. No matter what you do – don’t forget the sunscreen (and pick up some aloe while you’re at it). The sun is no joke in Vallarta, particularly near the summertime. Even if you’re the kind of person who “doesn’t burn,” this might be the time that you do.
Enjoyed this post? You may also like:
- Three Days in Mexico City, Mexico
- Five Days in Mexico City: A Second-Timer’s Guide
- A Meal to Remember: Dining at Pujol in Mexico City
- Things We Ate: Mexico City
- Things We Ate: Mexico City (Part Two!)
- Essential Mexico City: Lucha Libre
- Visiting Teotihuacan with a Local: An Airbnb Experience
- Three Days in Mexico City Packing List
- Five Days in Mexico City Packing List
- Puerto Vallarta Packing List
- Guadalajara Travel Guide
- Guadalajara Food Guide
- Airbnb Experience: Tequila Day Trip
- Dining at Xokol in Guadalajara
- What to Expect During Semana Santa in Guadalajara
- Guadalajara Packing List
Have you visited Puerto Vallarta before? What was your favorite part?
See you next week with my Puerto Vallarta packing list!
Wonderful reading! You brought me back memories from my experience in Puerto Vallarta – really magical place.
PV truly is wonderful! I hope you get to return one day!