Traveling to Mexico on your next vacation? You’ll want to check out Puerto Vallarta. This beach resort city is situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas.
Beautiful beaches, mariachi music, and incredible food make this a tourist favorite. We know you’ll want to visit this city too, so check out our best things to do and see while in Puerto Vallarta!
Bioluminescence At Sunset
When looking for unique things to do in Puerto Vallarta, we came across the Kayaking Bioluminescence tour near Arcos de Mismaloya marine park. Bioluminescent microorganisms are visible in the water all year round.
The sunset here was just spectacular, not to mention the varieties of marine life and birds we encountered. We particularly enjoy the kayak option, but you can also do some snorkeling in the area.
All-Terrain Tour
Our ATV half-day tour was certainly a bumpier way to travel, but it let us explore the area from the beach to the Sierra Madre mountains.
Generally, these types of tours have two options - drive yourself or as a passenger with a guide. What we loved about this was that we got to see so many things we may have missed with the usual type of tourist tour.
Malecón Boardwalk
There are certainly many beautiful beaches in Puerto Vallarta, but we enjoyed walking the piers and boardwalks just as much. Malecón Boardwalk is a safe environment for families to stroll and take in the incredible views and do a bit of sightseeing.
It’s a pedestrian-only strip, but cycling along the cycle path is allowed. It is dotted with pubs, restaurants, and local craft stalls to check out and there’s always an art exhibition or creative performance of some kind.
Indoor Artistic Fun
Want to beat the heat and have some fun with the family, indoors? We highly recommend the 4D Art Museum (Museo 4D). Equipped with special glasses that are provided with your ticket, you’ll marvel at the colorful art exhibits glowing in the dimly lit rooms and mock caves.
Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour
Puerto Vallarta has several world-class restaurants and we enjoyed every meal we had in this city. But this food tour gave us a taste of culture with our taste for culinary delights.
If you want to try as many local dishes as possible on a short stay, this is the way to do it. You get to sample snacks and drinks from all the top local hideouts. And your guide will enlighten you about the history of Puerto Vallarta along the way.
Now that’s some vacation multitasking that anyone will appreciate!
Swim With Dolphins
One of the most adventurous things to do in Puerto Vallarta is to go swimming with dolphins in the wild. Dolphins are simply magnificent creatures and the opportunity to be so close to them was one of the highlights of our trip.
You’ll be taken out by boat to view the resident dolphins and perhaps be allowed to swim with them. We say ‘perhaps’ because the guides usually assess the situation and respect the dolphins’ moods.
Either way, you’ll learn more about them and all the other resident sealife from experienced marine guides. And you’ll see these beautiful mammals closer than you would in an aquarium show.
Delight In The Botanical Gardens
If you love nature as much as we do, you’ll want to stop by the Vallarta Botanical Gardens. Situated on 20 acres, these gardens showcase a staggering 3000 plant species.
It’ll take about 2 hours at least to fully appreciate all the local fauna and flora and is a pleasant way to spend the morning or afternoon in between your other adventures.
Explore Puerto Vallarta
These top attractions are just a small sample of all you’ll experience in this lively resort city. You’ll never run short of things to do in Puerto Vallarta. It’s a top contender for any Mexican vacation itinerary, so book your trip today and see for yourself.
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