Puerto Vallarta Kids and Family

Best Refreshing Mexican Treat: Raspados Carmen Tucán: Nothing beats the heat like a refreshing “raspado,” or snow cone, and the finest selection in town comes from Raspados Carmen Tucán. In operation for the past seven years, they offer 25 fruit-based syrups, all prepared with the highest hygienic standards, not to mention flavors that will bring a smile to the most discerning palate.

Best Unexpected Malecon Treat: Crepe Stands: The night air on the Malecon is filled with a smorgasbord of delicious smells emanating from numerous food vending stands. An unexpected and newly popular option is made-to-order French-style crepes. Nightly between about 6:00 pm and midnight, talented crepe makers pour thin batter onto their steaming griddles, and in no time.

Hot Spot: El Anclote: El Anclote means “the small anchor,” and this special neighborhood at the entrance to Bahía de Banderas on the exclusive Punta de Mita peninsula does indeed fulfill its name, serving as the “town” and focal point for activities and dining outside the nearby fashionable hotels and estates.

Vallarta Botanical Gardens Commits to Research and Development: With an ongoing commitment to research and development, the Vallarta Botanical Gardens AC has been the recipient of generous grants and other forms of support from various sources. The San Diego County Orchid Society Conservation Committee has awarded $2500 USD for the establishment of a propagation and reintroduction program for threatened orchids.

Puerto Vallarta Remember Who You Are: Certainly you have noticed the artistic campaign “Remember Who You Are”, while strolling down Puerto Vallarta’s downtown streets. These murals invite you to rediscover your inner child and have enchanted many local citizens and tourists, but have also raised criticism from some of the more traditional residents.

A Treasure Trove of Experiences and Information: Vallarta Lifestyles Digital Edition: In the dictionary, the word “magazine” is defined as a noun, but the Vallarta Lifestyles Digital Edition is more than an online evolution of a paper publication - it's an experience! Whether you are a full or part-time resident in the Puerto Vallarta area, have visited us before and want to keep current on what's happening here or are planning an upcoming trip to our tropical paradise, this digital magazine is for you!

Advocating for the Animals: Vallarta's abandoned companion animals now have a light at the end of the tunnel, efforts being made on their behalf by the new government-registered SPCA of Puerto Vallarta.

Taking Hand to Brush: So, you're bending the elbow a bit, practicing the gentle art of Margaritaville on the beach when you decide to get more creative. Once it's time to dig your toes out of the sand, where can you find something for the soul? Surprisingly, many locals artists offer classes, for advanced students or even beginners.

Cravings: Tamarind: While it’s native to tropical Africa and an essential ingredient in several Asian cuisines, not to mention Worcestershire sauce, we like to think of tamarind as our very own. Widely popular in Mexico, tamarind grows wild in tall trees that produce 3- to 8-inch-long, brown, pea-like pods containing a soft acidic pulp and many seeds. When fully ripe, the shell becomes brittle and easily broken.

Hot Spot: Lázaro Cárdenas: Bucerias may mean “place of the divers,” but along Lazaro Cardenas in this fun town on the Riviera Nayarit it should mean “place of the diverse!” The avenue runs parallel to the ocean, a block to the east, and both daytime and evening offer many attractions.

Hikuri Magic: Step under the gaily striped awning of “Hikuri” at Coral 66 in the fishing village of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle and enter an extraordinary world – a microcosm created by Aruna Piroshki, Wayland Combe-Wright and their daughter, Kaerolik.

Waiting for Liz: The sunset displayed such colors, it seemed as though the celestial artist had three margaritas more than I did. He’d surely get an extra tab for the reds and yellows. The sea-scented air diffused my colleagues’ cigar smoke. The heat and humidity were taking a toll on me, despite my rolled-up sleeves. Some of them wore hats, good to sweep away the sweat.

Giving in Banderas Bay: Give, Donate. All around Bahia de Banderas, from El Tuito in the south to San Pancho in the north, opportunities abound for residents, as well as vacationers, to help others. There are charitable and non-profit organizations designed to enrich the lives of children, the ill or incapacitated, seniors and abused women, while other groups focus on animals, among others.

Dreaming Downtown into a New Existence: It takes a visionary to conceive a new reality for a space long taken for granted. We’ve all appreciated an evening or morning stroll on the Malecon, bumping into friends or acquaintances and exchanging a few pleasantries, if not salacious gossip.