Puerto Vallarta Hotels and Vacation Packages

Puerto Vallarta Attractions

With culture, history, sightseeing and adventure tours, there's never a dull moment in Puerto Vallarta. Outdoor adventurers can enjoy zipline tours in the jungles, mountain biking and horseback riding. Romantic experiences include whale watching and hot air balloon rides. For a day of culture and history, check out nearby cities like Guadalajara and the famous Tequila, where the drink of the same name originated. If you want to stay closer to your hotel, downtown Puerto Vallarta offers plenty of historic buildings and public art displays.

Boca de Tomatlán
Just south past Playa Mismaloya, Boca de Tomatlán is a small village at the mouth of a river. Dine at a spacious palapa restaurant near freshwater pools. You may also climb aboard water taxis that travel to surrounding cities including Quimixto, Yelapa and Las Animas.

Chico's Paradise, El Edén and El Nogalito 
If you want a change from the typical beach scene, check out these three tropical parks. Each park features riverside dining open for lunch as well as swimming between boulders. There are also smaller pools and waterfalls. Enjoy a hiking trail in El Nogalito near the Boca Negra River.

Guadalajara
Phone: 52-322-221-1885 (Marina Tours) 
The capital of the state of Jalisco, Guadalajara offers shopping, historic sightseeing, fine dining and culture. See some of Mexico's colonial and contemporary architecture, as well as purchase handmade crafts like jewelry, ceramics, pottery and glassware.

Horseback Tours
Spend a full day on horseback and enjoy the breathtaking scenery that surrounds Puerto Vallarta. Ride high on top of mountains, through tropical trails and by canyons, streams and waterfalls. During a horseback tour, stop for a swim by the river. Those who want to see one of the working ranches can also indulge in a savory Mexican barbecue lunch. Contact your hotel for tour information.

Hot Air Balloon Rides 
Phone: 52-22-223-2002
Get an awe-inspiring view of Puerto Vallarta, Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre mountains in this high-flying tour.

Jungle Canopy Tours 
Phone: 52-322-223-2002 (Vallarta Adventures); 52-322-223-0504 (Canopy Tours de los Veranos); 52-322-223-6003 (Canopy Tour El Eden)
During a jungle canopy tour, learn about the different tropical flowers and fauna in the rainforest. Take a zipline tour through the lush greenery of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains and witness bird life you don't see on a typical day. There are a variety of zipline tours to choose from, including some that run 90 feet above the forest grounds.

The Malecón
Location: Downtown Puerto Vallarta
Located in the downtown area, the malecón serves as the city's landmark. Stretching along the waterfront, this area features shops, art galleries, restaurants, bistros, sculptures and an abundance of culture and history.

The public art in the malecón includes the nine-foot-tall "Seahorse" built in 1976; Ramiz Barquet's "La Nostalgia," a romantic sculptural piece representing two lovers; "The Rotunda on the Sea," an ensemble of sea creatures; "In Search of Reason," a 30-foot-tall ladder with two kids climbing up while the mother is seen screaming from below; and "Nature as Mother," a snail representing life and death.

Considered one of Puerto Vallarta's most endearing landmarks, the Church of Guadalupe was built over a 33-year period, from 1918-1951. For the church's steeple, you'll see a gigantic replica of Carlota's crown. Carlota was an empress of Mexico in the 1860s.

During the weekends, downtown Puerto Vallarta features live music, mimes and dancers.

Mascota and Talpa de Allende
Location: San Madres Mountains
These two Mexican villages share enrichment on Mexican rural life and the area's religious practices. The tour begins with a flight over the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. Reminiscent of a storybook town, Mascota features cobblestone streets with colonial haciendas and abode houses. You'll get a chance to see the town's main church, which is dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows. Home to Mexico's most respected icons, the Virgin of Rosario Talpa statue can be found here. The Virgin of Rosario Talpa was known to grant miracles with her healing ability. Thousands of people flock to this church in order to receive her blessings. Contact your hotel for tour information.

Mexican Ranches 
Fit for the entire family, a trip to a Mexican ranch is fun and educational for everyone. Interact with locals, go on a horseback ride or enjoy a motorbike or hike through ecosystems nearby. Once you've worked up an appetite, enjoy homemade Mexican dishes. Contact your hotel for tour information.

Mountain Biking
Location: Banderas Bay
Phone: 52-322-222-7912 (Eco Ride Tours)
If you're ready to experience rugged terrain and enjoy the natural beauty of Mexico, explore Puerto Vallarta's wild side on a mountain bike tour. Locations include Yelapa, San Sebastian, Emiliano Zapata and Las Juntas y Los Veranos. Ride through jungles and even trails used for mining in the 18th century. The Eco Ride Tours company specializes in this.

San Andres Coamihata
Home to the Wixárika (also known as Huichol) Indians, this mountain village located high in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains is fun for parents and kids alike. Take a trip back in time as you learn about the ancient traditions of the Wixárika Indians, known to be direct descendants of the Aztec, along with the community's legends, ceremonial rituals and spirituality. To arrive at this location, guests need to take a one-hour flight from the Puerto Vallarta airport.

San Blas
Location: Three hours north of Puerto Vallarta
Looking for a full-day excursion? Three hours from Puerto Vallarta is San Blas, a secluded Mexican village. This village houses an old fort, along with colonial buildings including the ruins of the Temple of San Basilio. During Mexico's colonization by Spain, San Blas was used as a port and shipbuilding area. Here you can enjoy bird watching and admire tropical flowers, orchids and mangroves as well as whales, tropical fish and turtles.  Contact your hotel for tour information.

Sea Turtle Release Program
Location: The beaches along Puerto Vallarta
This learning experience is fun for the entire family. Younger children will take pleasure in releasing newborn turtles into the ocean. Every year from May through September, thousands of turtles lay eggs on the beach. To keep them protected, hotel employees from several different beachfront properties take the eggs and the nests into incubation. After they hatch, hotels encourage guests to take the baby turtles back into their natural habitat in the ocean.

Tequila
Location: 35 miles north of Guadalajara
What's Mexico without tequila? From Puerto Vallarta, you can either take a short 35-minute flight or a three-hour bus ride to the world-famous city of Tequila. Tequila is completely covered with blue-green agave plants, which can be seen from miles away. The site includes a landscape of blue agave fields and large distilleries where the agave pineapple is fermented and distilled. There are also nearby archaeological sites, where the Teuchitlán culture shaped the area from 200 to 900 A.D. You'll learn about the history and processes that helped make tequila one of the most popular spirits today. Contact your hotel for tour information and directions.

Whale Watching
Location: Banderas Bay
During the winter months, you'll have a chance to see humpback whales that have migrated from Alaska. Experience shore viewings, "photo safari" trips, which include up-close encounters, or "sail with the whales" boat trips. Contact the tour desk at your hotel for more details.

El Zoológico de Vallarta
Location: Mismaloya
Just south of Puerto Vallarta, El Zoológico de Vallarta in Mismaloya features 250 animals from 70 different species. See endangered species such as Mexican wolves and white tigers. Half of the animals seen at the zoo are native to Mexico. Other animals there include jaguars, pumas, coyotes, ocelots, a diverse selection of birds and reptiles, iguanas, crocodiles and much more. Contact your hotel for tour information.