Welcome to our Puerto Vallarta travel guide. Nestled in a lush valley along the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta is an exciting destination that combines breathtaking scenery with a vibrant culture. From its gorgeous beaches and stunning sunsets to its delicious cuisine and exciting nightlife, Puerto Vallarta has something for everyone.
Puerto Vallarta also boasts some of the best restaurants in the country, featuring delicious traditional Mexican cuisine as well as international fare. The city’s vibrant nightlife includes some of Latin America's best clubs, fiestas, and music festivals.
The area’s natural beauty is unparalleled. From its blue waters to its lush jungles and majestic mountains, Puerto Vallarta has something for nature-loving travelers. There are many outdoor activities and experiences, such as snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, and swimming, available in the area. It's also home to some of Mexico's most famous landmarks, including El Malecon Boardwalk and Las Caletas Beach.
Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an adventure-filled getaway, you’re sure to find what you're looking for in Puerto Vallarta. Whether you want to relax by the pool or go on a long hike, Puerto Vallarta has you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about Puerto Vallarta in our concise Puerto Vallarta guide.
Nestled between the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta is an exceptional tourism destination in Mexico. It stands out among other tourist spots due to its combination of hilly landscapes and breathtaking beaches, with plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and more. One of the many fun facts about Puerto Vallarta is that there’s more than just sitting on the sand.
Puerto Vallarta offers visitors a truly unique experience they won't find elsewhere. If you asked yourself where Puerto Vallarta is, you now know that it’s a uniquely located paradise that’s easily accessible.
Major airlines fly to Puerto Vallarta, including WestJet, Sunwing, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and AirCanada. If you’re already in Mexico, you can fly to Puerto Vallarta directly via low-cost airlines such as Volaris and Viva Aerobus.
There are dozens of cities that offer non-stop flights to Puerto Vallarta and in the United States, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Minneapolis, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, Houston, San Diego, Portland, Austin, Detroit, Santa Ana, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.
If you’re coming from Canada, you can fly directly from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Edmonton, Montreal, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Quebec City, Regina, Hamilton, Kelowna, Ottawa, Comox, and Victoria. There are also plenty of direct flights from major Mexican cities such as Mexico City, Ciudad Juárez, and many more.
Alternatively, if you’re in Guadalajara, you can take a relatively short and very comfortable bus to Puerto Vallarta.
The best times to go to Puerto Vallarta are determined in large part by two forces: prices and weather patterns. Since Puerto Vallarta sits relatively close to the Equator, the latter are fairly uniform year-round, with most monthly temperature averages sitting well above room temperature. Summer is the rainy season in Puerto Vallarta and thus most likely to have inclement weather. Winter is the season during which most people visit Puerto Vallarta, driving prices higher during November through February. Keeping both pricing and Puerto Vallarta weather in mind, the best time to visit the region is between April and June, when the weather is pleasant and the room rates are affordable.
The main areas of Puerto Vallarta are broken into the following zones:
The number one authority on international travel, Conde Nast Traveller, rates Puerto Vallarta as the world's friendliest international city. And with top restaurants, shopping destinations, and the modern conveniences you'd expect from an American resort, Puerto Vallarta is the ideal choice for your Mexican vacation. Charming neighborhoods and beautiful beaches are nestled beneath the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Madre mountains. And the friendliness and hospitality of the locals means you can be sure your vacation will be relaxing and fun.
Whether you want pampering, hard-core adventure or a bit of both - this region is a sun-kissed paradise that will entertain and inspire you throughout your entire vacation. As one of the Pacific Coast's most popular beach resorts, there's an abundance of great things to see and do both on the beaches and around town.
Puerto Vallarta is the perfect romantic getaway for weddings and honeymoons and also ideally suited for families, seniors and eco-adventurers. A vibrant nightlife, great shopping, outstanding cuisine, amazing adventures and thrilling eco-tours are set in one of the most stunning and naturally beautiful settings in the world. No matter what you're looking for, Puerto Vallarta will capture your imagination and Vallarta Adventures' wide variety of tours and activities will keep everyone inspired and entertained for the vacation of a lifetime.
Popular activities include:
Throughout the year, Puerto Vallarta proudly plays host to a variety of important events - Culture and arts festivals cover everything from Mariachi, International Film to Gourmet Food and there are endless tennis, golf and fishing tournaments.
Puerto Vallarta is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, we recommend visiting the following on your trip:
The best way to get around while visiting Puerto Vallarta is by taking one of the authorized taxi services, particularly if you're leaving your hotel, the airport, or the cruise ship terminal. An alternative to this is using Uber, which is a reliable and affordable service. However, be aware that you may be asked to take one of the authorized taxi services in these areas.
Taking a taxi can also help visitors get better acquainted with Puerto Vallarta, as drivers are often knowledgeable about local tips and attractions.
Puerto Vallarta was made famous with the film The Night of the Iguana entirely produced on location in 1963. For the first time, Puerto Vallarta received big Hollywood stars, national celebrities and American intellectuals. Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, Sue Lyon and Richard Burton led the cast. Tennessee Williams, author of The Night of the Iguana, visited the set frequently. Elizabeth Taylor's romance with Richard Burton was unveiled in Puerto Vallarta during this time. Charmed by Vallarta's magic, Richard and Elizabeth purchased a house, Casa Kimberley. John Huston built a house in the small cove of Caletas where he lived until his death.
The international media followed the stars and Puerto Vallarta was no longer a secret, waiting to be discovered. Recognizing this new opportunity, visionary leaders such as Gustavo Diaz Ordaz, then president of Mexico, along with Francisco Medina Ascencio, then governor of the state of Jalisco, shared the vision to make of Puerto Vallarta a model tourist destination and initiated projects that provided the town with appropriate infrastructure.
Puerto Vallarta has grown ever since to become one of the most favorite vacation destinations of North American travelers. Puerto Vallarta presently offers first rate infrastructure to accommodate the most discriminating travelers.
Have more questions about Puerto Vallarta or the activities here? Feel free to contact us and a Vallarta Adventures representative will be happy to help make your visit as spectacular as possible.