Puerto Vallarta is a seaside city on the west coast of Mexico that is a fantastic destination for all types of travelers. Whether you’re looking for an inexpensive spring break party getaway, looking to explore the local culture, or wanting a chill luxury vacation, Puerto Vallarta has plenty for every type of traveler. For this guide, I will be focusing on exploring a lot of the hidden gem local spots that you might not find on other Puerto Vallarta guides, but there will be a few classic tourist spots here too!
Stroll along the Malecon boardwalk
The boardwalk stretches along the coast of Puerto Vallarta, and offers tons of fun things to do such as buying kitschy souvenirs, admiring street statues, taking a picture with the giant ‘Puerto Vallarta’ sign, boutique shopping, and admiring the ocean views! Also while you’re there, take a look at the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the iconic church of the city.
Hang out on the beach
There are a number of amazing free beaches in Puerto Vallarta. The city is located along Banderas Bay, and although I personally didn’t go in the water, I saw tons of people participating in various water activities! There are opportunities to go parasailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, and of course swimming. If you would rather just lie down and tan, there are a ton of beach clubs too! My favorite was on Playa Los Muertos, the beach right next to Zona Romantica (more on that later). If you’re looking for a more private experience, Playa Amapas is a quiet little cove a little further away from the main beach that’s a good place to chill with a little less people.
Dine on the beach at El Dorado
El Dorado is a lovely waterside restaurant serving seafood dishes. The ambiance is really romantic; with lanterns strung among the palm trees, a stunning view of the ocean and nearby pier, and rustic decor. Their food is also really good, and the cocktails as well. Highly recommend this restaurant for either a date night or a girls dinner out!
Explore Zona Romantica
Zona Romantica is the historic part of town, filled with cobblestones roads and vintage buildings. Its quaint streets are lined with a number of cute cafes, independent restaurants, boutique stores, and more. It’s also known to be an expat part of town, so it’s very friendly to foreigners! I loved spending time here simply exploring the streetsm and it ended up being my favorite part of Puerto Vallarta.
Admire the cocktails at Mezcal y Sal
This is hands down one of the coolest cocktail bars I’ve ever been to, not just in Puerto Vallarta but ever. The presentation of these cocktails was the nicest I’d ever seen. One of my friends ordered one that was served under a golden pyramid with flowers entwined within it, another came with smoke under a glass dome and as soon as the dome was lifted the smoke billowed out, another was still on fire as it approached the table. And the flavor of the drinks did not disappoint either! As the name would suggest, most of them are mezcal based, but there were a number that aren’t, if mezcal isn’t your thing. The entire location and music were also amazing. One of the must-visit places in Puerto Vallarta in my opinion!
Sip a coffee and read at A Page in the Sun
This hybrid coffee shop/book store/art gallery is a super cozy place to curl up with a book, catch up with some work, or just chill with your friends! The coffee was also amazing; I highly recommend the mocha, as they use amazing Mexican chocolate.
Grab birria tacos from street vendors
Puerto Vallarta is in the state of Jalisco which is where Birria was created! If you don’t already know, birria is meat stewed in a marinade of chilis and other spices, and it’s often served in tacos. Traditionally made with goat/lamb meat, nowadays it’s usually made with beef. There are a ton of birria stands all across the city, and I highly recommend trying them out! However, be aware that birria seems to be a lunchtime food as most of the most popular stands were already closed for the day before 2 PM. So if you really want to try some out (which you should!) plan accordingly.
Tequila tasting
Although we did not attend an official tequila tasting, there are tons of tequila stores scattered through Zona Romantica that will allow you to sample the tequila before buying anything! As Tequila is also from the state of Jalisco, I highly recommend trying out some authentic agave tequila. There are tons of different varieties; one store we went to sold pink tequila, which was tequila aged in red wine barrels.
Dinner with a view at El Palomar De Los Gonzalez
For the best dinner view of the city, you have to dine at El Palomar De Los Gonzalez! Situated up in the hills, this restaurant offers sweeping views of the city and the bay beyond. Sadly it was cloudy the day we went, but the sunset from here would probably be incredible. It’s a seafood restaurant, and the food was just as well worth recommending as the view.
Drink in the jungle at El Colibri Bar
One of the coolest bars in the city (besides Mezcal y Sal) is El Colibri, which advertises itself as a speakeasy but is mostly just an unmarked door. Tons of plants line the walls, giving the place a jungle-like vibe. In the main sitting room, there’s a disco ball, a DJ spinning deep house music on Fridays and Saturdays, and ceiling slides open to make the room a courtyard. The drinks are also creative, delicious, and aesthetically pleasing!
Take a day trip to Sayulita
Just across the border to the state of Nayarit lies Sayulita, a chill surf town. It’s only 1-2 hours away by car depending on traffic, and it’s totally worth the visit! With relaxing beach vibes, cute boutiques and cafes, great food, and tons of surfers. One of my favorite things to do there was just to sit on the beach and watch as the surfers navigated the waves. The only recommendation I have is to visit Miscelánea Café while you’re there! It has a minimalist and coastal aesthetic and amazing coffee and food. Otherwise, just roam around and explore!
– Where to Stay –
We stayed at Maxwell Residences at Indah, and I could not recommend it more. The residences are apartment-style and exquisitely decorated with modern finishes. We stayed in a suite that slept 6 with three bedrooms, a living room and fully-stocked kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the ocean. It basically felt like staying in an Airbnb, but with all the amenities of a hotel, including room service!
As for the amenities, our favorite was the rooftop. The main draw is the stunning infinity pool overlooking the ocean. There is also a hot tub, deck with pool chairs, and a restaurant/bar. The service was a bit slow at the restaurant, but that was our only complaint. I’ll let the pictures speak for me.
Additionally, there is a gym on the second floor, another restaurant on the third floor, and the customer service was fantastic. The location was a mere 5 minutes away from Zona Romantica by car. The only big issue with our hotel was that it wasn’t really in a walkable location – the street it’s on is really only designed for cars, and it’s at least a 15-minute walk to any kind of store. However, that was totally fine by us, since the hotel could hail us a taxi in 5 minutes and the taxis were extremely cheap.
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