Puerto Vallarta is an honest-to-goodness authentic Mexican town as well as a world-class resort, so visitors here enjoy a wider range of experiences than your typical vacation destination offers. Plus we’ve got all the requisites for that much-anticipated trip down south – weather as good as it gets (similar to Hawaii’s, but the peso gives you a lot more bang for your buck), gorgeous scenery, 100 km of pristine beaches on the bay where Puerto Vallarta is situated (Banderas Bay, Mexico’s largest and deepest, and home to award-winning sport fish, giant turtles, manta rays, dolphins and whales), more than a thousand restaurants, and every imaginable activity to engage in – even flying through the tree canopy!
Experiencing Vallarta: Where to Stay: One of the most alluring features of Puerto Vallarta as a destination is that — unless you are traveling onboard one of the many cruise ships that dock for the day at our Maritime Terminal or are simply driving through on your way somewhere else — when the day is done and it’s time to get some well-deserved rest after exploring our town, the lodging options are as plentiful and varied as our restaurant choices.
Puerto Vallarta 101: All packed and ready to go? Here are some essential tidbits and last-minute details you may want to keep in mind as you prepare to discover our destination!
The Unique Neighborhoods In and Around Banderas Bay: It’s impossible to paint all of Banderas Bay with the same brush, so to help you get a taste of the different neighborhoods around the bay (“colonias” in Spanish), we’ve created this handy list of some of the most popular.
South Shore Loop: Puerto Vallarta’s southern thruway will gradually shift your surroundings from palms to pines in less than an hour.
Experiencing Vallarta: What to Do: In our previous issue, we explored the many different ways visitors connect with our destination, whether it is for a short vacation or for a lifetime. In this second and final installment, we take a look at some of the leisure pursuits to keep in mind as you design your perfect Puerto Vallarta experience.
The Birth of a Tourist Destination: The history of Banderas Bay, one of the largest bays in the world, and that of Puerto Vallarta go hand in hand. Discover some of the historic events that marked the birth of this beautiful tourist destination.
Fiestas and Festivals: Every day is a día de fiesta in Mexico! Here is a list of official Mexican holidays and important local festivals you may want to keep in mind as you plan ahead for your paradise vacation.
The Personality of a Street: Who were Ignacio L. Vallarta, Francisca Rodríguez and other personalities that have become street names in Puerto Vallarta? Here are a few anecdotes behind them.
Photographer Spotlight: Adela Gaillard: In an effort to showcase local and visiting talent, we recently extended an open invitation to any photographers interested in submitting their Puerto Vallarta neighborhood images. From all the submissions, we selected Adela Gaillard's
La Plaza del Pitillal as our favorite. Take a look and learn how you can submit your own!
Julie Bunker: Caring for animals has been a central theme in Bunker’s life, rescuing them from the moment she arrived in Puerto Vallarta and keeping them at home, first in Los Tules and now, several homes later, in Coapinole, where she shares her home with her husband and a handful of cats and dogs, birds “and a rooster.”
Vallarta Lifestyles Publishing Group Expands Digital Bookshelf: Not only has Vallarta Lifestyles been available online in digital format for over two years. The publishing company’s production department has been converting previous issues to digital format as well.
Sayulita’s Coming of Age: Given its legendary reputation as a must-visit, off-the-beaten-path surfing destination in Mexico’s Pacific Riviera, one could easily assume that Sayulita is synonymous with surf, sand and not much more. However, many years have passed since this small town began attracting the surfos in the late ’60s, when Carr. 200, the interstate highway, was built.
Tequila Facts: Considered North America’s first indigenous distilled spirit, tequila production originated in the 16th century near the town of Tequila, Jalisco.
Puerto Vallarta Musts: Trust the Locals: What makes Puerto Vallarta such an appealing destination for so many people of different ages, nationalities and lifestyles? Undoubtedly it is the broad variety of attractions, activities and amenities available within Banderas Bay.
The Local Hangouts: Well-informed travel websites and books often provide accurate information about “must-see” spots and landmarks but can fall short on providing insight about the places where locals like to hang out.
Craving • Tacos al Pastor: An indisputable king of popular nighttime Mexican cuisine—for some reason, you can seldom find them anywhere before sundown—tacos al pastor are made with thinly sliced pork that has been marinated for a couple of days and stacked on a vertical rotisserie.
Looking Ahead:
This article discusses Costa Vallarta and the plans and players involved in its future.
Cottage Industry Treats in Puerto Vallarta: Mmm ... from freshly baked cinnamon buns to savory sausages to canned chutneys and salsas, the sight, scent and taste of edible treats made from scratch have captivated our senses for generations
d’Rachael: What compels a single mother to move her family from Tucson, AZ, to Yelapa in the early ‘80s? For the talented and spontaneous musician d’Rachael, it was a feeling that infused her soul on previous visits to this enchanting seaside community just south of Puerto Vallarta.
Banderas Bay B&B Success Stories: They are called “zimmer” (German for “room”) in Israel, “petite hotel de charme” in France and “casa particular,” or “private home,” in Cuba. Sometimes they go by “inn,” “cottage” or “guesthouse.”
