Sunbathing and drinking Margarita’s is just one of many ways to spend a vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The prettiest resort town is also one of its most diverse. Old Vallarta: El Centro and Zona Romantica is the goldmine of quirky boutiques and winding cobblestone streets.
In Marina Vallarta, shopping centers and deluxe hotels spread around the city’s yacht marina. And from Costalegre to the Riviera Nayarit, miles of sandy beaches and scores of stellar restaurants and lively nightclubs, surrounded by historic mountain towns, keep visitors returning again and again.
Puerto Vallarta (or just “Vallarta” to many) is Mexico’s most enticing coastal destination. Each year millions come to laze on the dazzling sandy beaches, browse in the quirky shops, nosh in the stylish restaurants and wander the picturesque central streets and enticing Malecon (boardwalk).
There are activities aplenty, including boat trips, horseback rides, diving trips, and day trips to the interior. After sunset, Puerto Vallarta takes on a new identity with pumping nightlife along the cobblestone streets and numerous LGBT-friendly options in what is the gay beach capital of Mexico.
But Puerto Vallarta is much more than just its beaches. The white stucco buildings with red tile roofs and trailing bougainvillea set the scene for many activities. Find beauty in art galleries and butterfly gardens. Get out on the water on a paddleboard, kayak, or sailboat. If you time it right, you might spot sea turtles, dolphins, or breaching humpback whales. Begin your evening aboard a sunset cruise and finish it dancing at a disco along the Malecon.
