How to Explore Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Take a free tour of the city., Take a surfing or paddle board lesson., Walk the Cuale Island., Visit Boca de Tomatlan., Shop in Pitillal., Eat street food., Explore.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Take a free tour of the city.
Puerto Vallarta offers free tours of the main tourist strip from the Malécon and south to the Romantic Zone and Los Muertos Pier.
Tours are offered at 9:00 AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
The meeting place is in front of the town's church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the visitors' center.
Free Malecón Sculpture tour:
The Malecón is the city's boardwalk and serves as a public gallery to dozens of sculptures lining the coast.
Every Tuesday a free tour is given of the sculptures to educate visitors on the meanings of each one to the city.
The tour begins on the north side of the Malecon in front of the Rosita Hotel, Puerto Vallarta's oldest hotel.
Tuesdays at 9:30 AM. -
Step 2: Take a surfing or paddle board lesson.
Los Muertos Beach is the most popular beach section of Puerto Vallarta offering activites such as surfing, parasailing, jetski, and flyboarding.
Most activities do not need reservations, you will find providers setup on the beach ready to give you an adventure of a lifetime on the water. , The Cuale River serves as an open market but also peaceful rest spot under the shade trees and swinging bridges over the rivers flowing on both sides of the island.
If you buy from vendors on the island, you are expected to haggle for a good deal, otherwise you will be paying top dollar. , This is the last beach accessible by car in the bay area.
It's a great place to get away from the tourist beach, have a great seafood meal with your toes in the sand, and hike along the trails.
Some cabin rentals are also available in the area for a night of something new.
This is located about 30 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta's downtown.
You can take a taxi or an economical trip south on the orange buses that leave from the Romantic Zone every 15 minutes. , This is still part of Puerto Vallarta but has its own downtown that has maintained its Mexican roots and less visited by tourists.
This is where the locals shop for much lower prices and many vendors selling in downtown Puerto Vallarta are buying their wares here.
The area has a lively square with entertainment and great food.
This is the closest real authentic Mexican town to Puerto Vallarta.
This is not the tourist zone, you are less likely to meet an English speaker in every shop and restaurant, but that is part of the adventure. , Don't be scared, street food is a tradition and should be experienced while vacationing anywhere in Mexico.
You will find the street food inside the tourist zones may be much cleaner and safer than other areas because they are sensitive to the foreign perception of street food.
There are also Street Food Tours that are fun.
Look for the street food stands with a lot of people.
See that the person making your food isn't also taking the money. , Puerto Vallarta is a very safe resort town in Mexico and has been named home of the friendliest people in the world.
Using common sense like not walking alone at night and not walking dark unlit roads or carrying large amounts of cash should be practices, just like it should be in every other city in the world.
But get out and explore and learn something new about the Mexican culture, there is more than just the sun and beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. -
Step 3: Walk the Cuale Island.
-
Step 4: Visit Boca de Tomatlan.
-
Step 5: Shop in Pitillal.
-
Step 6: Eat street food.
-
Step 7: Explore.
Detailed Guide
Puerto Vallarta offers free tours of the main tourist strip from the Malécon and south to the Romantic Zone and Los Muertos Pier.
Tours are offered at 9:00 AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.
The meeting place is in front of the town's church, Our Lady of Guadalupe, at the visitors' center.
Free Malecón Sculpture tour:
The Malecón is the city's boardwalk and serves as a public gallery to dozens of sculptures lining the coast.
Every Tuesday a free tour is given of the sculptures to educate visitors on the meanings of each one to the city.
The tour begins on the north side of the Malecon in front of the Rosita Hotel, Puerto Vallarta's oldest hotel.
Tuesdays at 9:30 AM.
Los Muertos Beach is the most popular beach section of Puerto Vallarta offering activites such as surfing, parasailing, jetski, and flyboarding.
Most activities do not need reservations, you will find providers setup on the beach ready to give you an adventure of a lifetime on the water. , The Cuale River serves as an open market but also peaceful rest spot under the shade trees and swinging bridges over the rivers flowing on both sides of the island.
If you buy from vendors on the island, you are expected to haggle for a good deal, otherwise you will be paying top dollar. , This is the last beach accessible by car in the bay area.
It's a great place to get away from the tourist beach, have a great seafood meal with your toes in the sand, and hike along the trails.
Some cabin rentals are also available in the area for a night of something new.
This is located about 30 minutes south of Puerto Vallarta's downtown.
You can take a taxi or an economical trip south on the orange buses that leave from the Romantic Zone every 15 minutes. , This is still part of Puerto Vallarta but has its own downtown that has maintained its Mexican roots and less visited by tourists.
This is where the locals shop for much lower prices and many vendors selling in downtown Puerto Vallarta are buying their wares here.
The area has a lively square with entertainment and great food.
This is the closest real authentic Mexican town to Puerto Vallarta.
This is not the tourist zone, you are less likely to meet an English speaker in every shop and restaurant, but that is part of the adventure. , Don't be scared, street food is a tradition and should be experienced while vacationing anywhere in Mexico.
You will find the street food inside the tourist zones may be much cleaner and safer than other areas because they are sensitive to the foreign perception of street food.
There are also Street Food Tours that are fun.
Look for the street food stands with a lot of people.
See that the person making your food isn't also taking the money. , Puerto Vallarta is a very safe resort town in Mexico and has been named home of the friendliest people in the world.
Using common sense like not walking alone at night and not walking dark unlit roads or carrying large amounts of cash should be practices, just like it should be in every other city in the world.
But get out and explore and learn something new about the Mexican culture, there is more than just the sun and beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
About the Author
James Ferguson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical cooking knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: