Puerto Vallarta Activities

Puerto Vallarta Mexico Activities

Entertainment for the Whole Family in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta was created not only for the enjoyment of adults but also for kids and the whole family as well. There is so much to do in Puerto Vallarta , where parents and children can rejoice in many activities and entertainment specially prepared for them.

Many are the Shopping for kids and family in Puerto Vallarta, starting for the well known beach sports: swimming, playing in the sand, jet skiing, available at any beach of Puerto Vallarta; snorkeling, where many tours can be found in Puerto Vallarta, for beginners and experts; volleyball, etc; but there are also more variety of places and things to do in Puerto Vallarta for the family, such as swimming with dolphins or whale watching, where many options can be found in Puerto Vallarta to experience this phenomenal adventure; ride in a horse at many of the surrounding ranches that offer this service; visit Marina Vallarta where you can find a neat water park where children will enjoy its water slides, swimming pools, bowling, video games, pool tables, restaurant and more.

There are many tours to nearby areas for camping or hiking, where kids will enjoy a day encounter with nature; also there are several companies that offer fishing daytrips, so the whole family can enjoy and learn how to catch a fish. Do not forget that many of the Puerto Vallarta hotels offer their own entertainment activities for kids and family.

Puerto Vallarta Sightseeing

Many companies offer sightseeing and excursion packages that includes activities such: Horseback Riding, City Tours, Tequila Distilleries Tours, Bass Fishing, Hiking Tours, Mountain Bikes, etc.

Boat Trips in Puerto Vallarta

In Puerto Vallarta there are many activities, where an entertaining one is with no doubt a Boat trip. Boats leave every morning for Yelapa, Las Animas, Quimixto and small secluded beaches like Majahuita to the south of the bay and for Piedra Blanca’s mountain-rimmed beaches to the north.

These day trips usually include an English speaking capitan and crew, snorkeling gear, lunch, and an open bar. You can take a day trip to Islas Marietas Ecological Reserve, a reserve where Jacques Cousteau spent time exploring the abundant marine life including sea turtles, dolphins and whales in winter.

Or they can choose a trip for diving at El Morro Reef. You will have a great view of Los Arcos National Park and the giant boulders rising out of the sea at the entrance to Mismaloya Beach. The boats vary from sleek sailboats to the Marigalante, patterned after Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, complete with a below-deck museum of relics recalling Columbus’ voyages.

Puerto Vallarta Air Tours

If you prefer to see the area from an entirely different point of view, there are companies that provide one-day trips to the surrounding towns. They offer trips to Guadalajara and the nearby handicrafts center of Tlaquepaque, beaches and colonial towns that are located only 15 minutes from Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta Bycicling Tours

Biking tours for all levels of experience and endurance are available to visitors, an excellent way to see Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding countryside. Tours range from basic to advanced and include mountain bikes, safety gear, snacks, lunch, refreshments, bilingual guides, and breathtaking sights like waterfalls, ranches, hot springs, and old villages.

Dining and Cuisine at Puerto Vallarta

After a full day of great Vallarta activities you are going to be looking forward for a great meal. Fortunately, Puerto Vallarta has a restaurant or two… okay, maybe more.
Indeed, Puerto Vallarta has come a long way from a simple fishing village that used to roll up the sidewalks at sundown.

Hundreds of restaurants serving everything from Seafood, a specialty, to French to Swiss, German to Italian, Argentinean to, believe it or not! Authentic Mexican is found throughout town in establishments ranging from casual cafes to high end restaurants to beach bars. Most of the restaurants are in Vallarta’s downtown area. Others are in the major hotels and scattered up and down the coast.

Dolphin and Whale Watching in Puerto Vallarta

Each winter season a growing number of travelers enjoy excursions to view the migrating humpback whales that either visit or live in it. Among them we find dolphins like bottlenose dolphins and spotted dolphins, which always get a great smile from everyone.

During the months that the whales are not in the bay, there is an excursion named “Dolphins in the Wild” where they take small groups (maximum of ten people), out into the bay to interact and observe the dolphins in their own natural habitat.

Ecotourism in Puerto Vallarta

In a world in which communicating with nature increasingly means a visit to the "Discovery Channel," more and more travelers want Ecological Adventures. Puerto Vallarta has always been, and will continue to be ideally suited to Eco-Adventurers.
Puerto Vallarta is a natural for eco-tourists. Surrounded by lush tropical jungle, full with sparkling rivers and gushing waterfalls that flow to the foliage covered shores and spill into the island-dotted waters of Banderas Bay.

Puerto Vallarta offers visitors paradise-like adventures both on land and in the sea. The brilliant greenery from the Sierra Madre mountain foothills to the coast is home to an exuberant collection of wildlife including four-foot-long iguanas, butterflies, and 366 bird species.

Visitors can choose a wide variety of eco-tours from nature hikes and bird watching to wild rides through hidden streams and jungle roads on bicycles, in open-air ATV’s and dune buggies. Many ranches offer horseback rides, often with lunch and a chance for a dip. Jungle Jeep Safaris use specially adapted all-wheel-drive trucks and travel in convoy through the jungle and beyond. Another way to view the densely forested slopes is to soar above it all in a light plane or a hot air balloon.

Golf at Puerto Vallarta

Tropical greens, beautiful palm trees, meandering fairways and an epic view of the Sierra Madre Mountains and Pacific Ocean describe Puerto Vallarta's five championship golf courses. If you happen to run into a friendly iguana or crocodile while teeing off at any of the golf courses, fear not, it's just par for the course.

Horseback Riding

The hilly, nearby jungle and long stretches of shoreline has made Horseback riding a favorite activity since Liz and Dick made "Night of the Iguana". A variety of tours are available featuring visits to mango orchards, cattle ranches and farmland, small rural villages, and a river where visitors can swim. On Sundays, horseback rides include a trip to a typical Mexican rodeo. Longer trips, up to five days on horseback are offered for small groups into the Sierra Madre mountains and with visits to sites including the old mining town of San Sebastian del Oeste.

Hot Air Balloon Tours

In Puerto Vallarta there is a fun and different activity to do: flying in a Hot Air Balloon. They raise everyday up to 3,000 - 5,000 feet.

Night Life in Puerto Vallarta

So, when you have seen all there is to see, done all there is to do, eaten all there is to eat and still aren’t ready for bed. No problem Puerto Vallarta offers a variety of night life options. Many visitors are captivated by the colonial charm of Puerto Vallarta and enjoy relaxing over a cognac or dessert wine, enjoying the cool night air and romantic views and listening to some pleasant music.

Others can take advantage of the many nightspots and the number of leading restaurants that have live bands. Nightlife also centers on the hotels and most have attractive lobby bars where visitors and locals alike gather. For those who want to party the night away to hot tunes and flashing lights, Puerto Vallarta offers a wealth of cool clubs, discos, and open-air beach places.

Shopping in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta offers rich opportunities for shoppers. Almost everything made in México is available: silver, blown glass, pottery, sarapes, clothing, sandals, masks and other arts and crafts. Also, the city’s reputation as an art center sets it apart from most other Mexican beach resort cities. Visitors have the unique opportunity to purchase pieces by some of Mexico’s most well known contemporary painters and sculptors, as well as internationally renowned artists.

Excellent shops are scattered throughout. Some are near the beach, some in major hotels and many are located on the main downtown shopping area along Juarez and Morelos Streets.

Puerto Vallarta Surfing

Surfing in Puerto Vallarta at Banderas Bay is surprisingly available year round. There are 22 secluded surf spots, which are best accessed by boat.

Tennis

Almost all the hotels have their own courts. Check your hotel when booking. Clients may also play at the public facilities available in Puerto Vallarta.

Water Sports

From its origins as a fishing village, the sea has given life to Puerto Vallarta. More than 100 miles of coastline, endless white beaches and sparkling seas of one of the largest Bays in the Americas, give new meaning to the term "water sports". The calm waters of Puerto Vallarta are excellent for all manner of water sports. Most hotels can arrange fun activities including water skiing, wind surfing, deep-sea fishing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, catamaran and yacht excursions. Banana boats and parasailing are usually arranged right on the beach.

Fishing in Puerto Vallarta

The waters of Puerto Vallarta provide sport fishing opportunities that are second to none. As with other coastal resorts along the Mexican Riviera, the waters off Puerto Vallarta rank with the best in the world for both deep sea fishing and small game fishing. November through May is the best season for sailfish. Smaller fish are plentiful year round.

These include red snapper, rooster fish, bass, sea bass, dorado, swordfish, tuna, bonito, and others. There are many fishing boats available and most offer catch-and-release sports fishing trips. Each year in November, a deep sea fishing tournament is held in Puerto Vallarta. For more information visit www.fishvallarta.com.

Fresh Water Fishing

Nearby, large lakes offer the attraction of freshwater catches including black bass. There are bass fishing tours to the “Cajon de Pena reservoir”, just 70 miles south of Puerto Vallarta.

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta provides outstanding scuba diving & snorkeling opportunities all year long. Diving in the tropics is enjoyable for many reasons, due to the need for minimal or no wetsuit, long range visibility, and the variety of marine life to observe and interact with are a few.

The rugged coastline with its large rock formations provides exciting underwater adventures. The best places for diving and snorkeling are Los Arcos, Quimixto, Playa Las Animas and Punta Mita, or the Marieta Islands, located about an hour’s boat ride from Puerto Vallarta. Several tour companies provide excellent services for snorkeling and dive trips. Most day trips include transportation, snorkeling gear, and lunch.

Surfing & Windsurfing

Surfing in Puerto Vallarta is surprisingly available year round. There are 22 surf spots, which are best accessed by boat.

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