Things To Do
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta (or simply “Vallarta,” as it is often called by locals) is located on the Pacific Coast of Mexico in the State of Jalisco within a large bay called Bay of Banderas (Bay of Flags) or Bahía de Banderas. Sitting at just 2 meters above sea level and at the same latitude as Hawaii, Puerto Vallarta enjoys a warm, tropical climate year-round.
To the left is a picture of the Malecon, which is the downtown boardwalk where you will find restaurants, shopping, and night clubs.
The main areas of Puerto Vallarta are broken into the following zones:
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta – a tourist hotspot, downtown Puerto Vallarta is filled with resorts, historic landmarks, and the Malecon – Puerto Vallarta’s boardwalk.
- Romantic Zone Puerto Vallarta (Zona Romantica) – also known as Old Town, the romantic zone features cobblestone streets, plenty of restaurants and bars, as well as the Los Muertos Beach pier.
- Hotel Zone Puerto Vallarta – as the name suggests, this area is filled with hotels to stay at during your time in Puerto Vallarta. This zone also features five amazing beaches as well as a shopping mall.
Zones of Puerto Vallarta
- Marina Vallarta – located in the northern end of Puerto Vallarta, the Marina Vallarta zone is a hub for yachts and boats and features a boardwalk that offers tons of shops and restaurants.
- North Zone – this is where you can explore the smaller traditional towns of Puerto Vallarta and see less developed areas.
- South Zone – a great area for families or travelers who don’t want to be in the busier parts of Puerto Vallarta, the South Zone features some great beaches (including Majahuitas and Yelapa), a zoo, and the Vallarta botanical gardens.
Restaurants Close By
Walking Distance Restaurants in Fluvial
Fluvial is an up and coming, very nice neighborhood. We have a few restaurants close by the condo that are excellent and fun places to visit.
And you can walk there, of course! Very safe and easy to get to.
Here is a link to a google map of restaurants within walking distance.
Here are a few of our favorite restaurants that are close by…
- Punta Arenas – great ceviche, seafood, and atmosphere
- La Casa Del Waffle – breakfast and lunch place, but we haven’t tried it yet
- Cafe Ocean Blue – very good lunches, can get busy
- Buen Cafe Puerto Vallarta – great breakfast place
- Panda Comida China – very good reviews for Asian food
- Restaurante Los Patrones – great reviews for dinner
Tourist Type Adventures That are Fun
We have done the whale watching in December and that was fantastic. They also have beach excursions, zip-lining, hiking, snorkeling, and many more.
This is a fun dinner night out, boat ride, and exclusive show. It’s about $100 USD per person, but everyone has had a very fun time on this tour.
We laugh because we see this Pirate Ship out every night for several hours – on a boat for that long isn’t my thing, so it is our family joke. But very highly rated.
Versalles Restaurants
Versalles - The Gastronomy District
Known as the Gastronomy District of Vallarta, this neighborhood has been a favorite among locals for its laid back atmosphere and affordable prices. And now, it is attracting a new generation of young restaurant entrepreneurs with fresh culinary offerings from all over the world.
It’s a 5 minute inDriver ($2 or $3 USD) ride away from the condo. Check out our FAQ’s on inDriver within “Airport & Transportation” if you haven’t already
Otherwise, you are looking at a 25 minute walk in each direction. Not horrible, but a little bit of a hike. And it’s perfectly safe too, so if you decide to hike, rest assured, you will thoroughly enjoy the walk.
- LAMARA – excellent ceviche, one of our favorites
- La Tosca Trattoria – exquisite Italian food
- Barrio Bistro by Memo Wulff – delicious dinners and very fine beverages
- Oregano Caribbean Cuisine – great meals and try the charcoal dessert, yum
- Patita Salada Cocina Marina & Bar – seafood and great lunches too
Book online through AirBnB or contact David Moreno at +52 322-131-2067 for long term rentals.