7 Things To Do In PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

We were pleasantly surprised to find so many fun and exciting things to do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico! Puerto Vallarta has been on our list of places to visit for a long time. Finally in January 2021, we found ourselves in Los Angeles, California, and with Andrew’s birthday right around the corner, we figured, why not check out the Pacific Coast of Mexico! While we were only in Puerto Vallarta for a few days, we had a blast and made a list of absolute ‘must do’s and sees’ for you!

While Vallarta (as the locals call it) is a relatively safe destination, we asked a few friends what part of the city they recommended staying in the most. We had an overwhelming amount of people telling us to stay in the Zona Romántica. We took their advice and it paid off! The Romantic Zone is a beautiful area as it is very walkable, has some of the best restaurants (in our opinion), and we were just a couple blocks away from the famous beach, Playa Los Muertos.

As we explored Puerto Vallarta, we learned that this city really had something for everyone. Of course it has the sun and beaches, as you’d expect from any coastal beach town, however, it doesn’t stop there. It also provides beautiful architecture, scenic parks, museums, art walks, archaeological sites, botanical gardens, night clubs, and family activities such as sailing, zip-lining, paddle-boarding and more!

Here’s a list of things to do in Puerto Vallarta: (We did these within 48 hours)

1. Relax on Playa Los Muertos
2. Walk the Malecon
3. Tour the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe
4. Walk the Marina Vallarta
5. Sunset Sail
6. Take Surfing Lessons
7. Visit Elizabeth Taylor’s House

1. Playa Los Muertos:

If you ask anyone, “what are some things to do in Puerto Vallarta,” they’re bound to say, “go to Playa Los Muertos.” Playa Los Muertos is a popular beach destination for tourists. It’s a great place to hangout and catch some sun. You can either relax on the beach or hangout at one of the many restaurants and bars that overlook the beach, or do both! The ocean pier, Muelle de Playa Los Muertos, is also here, where you’ll find a combination of locals and tourists fishing and jumping off the pier into the water.

2. Walk the Malecon

This is a boardwalk that follows along the edge of the city and the sea in Puerto Vallarta. While this is a popular tourist destination, there’s a lot of noteworthy sightseeing here. As you’re walking along the boardwalk be sure to notice the beautifully sculpted statues. Each one has it’s own story and will elicit a unique reaction.

Sightseeing isn’t the only thing to do on the Malecon. If you’re hungry there’s plenty of restaurants that you can walk in and grab a bite to eat. Of course, since it is a touristy area, the prices are going to be a little higher, however, you’ll have quite the ocean view from your table.

There’s also plenty of local artists and street vendors along the way. This is a great way to support the locals in the area and they have quite the array of items to shop; from hats and necklaces to cigars and trinkets of all sorts.

Click here to book a private boardwalk bike tour (spots fill up fast)

3. Tour the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe

This church is one of the most iconic sites in Puerto Vallarta. Its “crown” magnificently stands out from the downtown skyline. When you’re thinking of things to do in Puerto Vallarta, make sure that stopping in and touring the church is at the top of your list. It has some of the most unique architectural designs and truly stands out from the rest of the city. Plus, you’ll most likely pass it coming in from the airport and going to the airport, so it’s a quick and easy detour.  

4. Walk the Marina Vallarta

We arrived a very early for our sunset sail, so we walked the Marina beforehand, and we’re glad we did. The marina has some beautiful yachts and sailboats, plus is surrounded by shops and restaurants that came highly recommended by some fellow tourists.

Also, don’t be surprised if you see some alligators along the side of the marina by the water. They didn’t get near us as we stayed on the sidewalk, however, if you have children or planned on sitting on the rocks by the water, we definitely would advise against it.

5. Sunset Sail in Puerto Vallarta

This was the highlight of our Saturday evening. The friendly crew at Vallarta Adventures provided drinks and appetizers while sailing out to enjoy the breathtaking sunset. When we arrived, there were two boats to choose from, a mono-haul or a catamaran. We ended up on the mono-haul, however, both sail boats had ample space to move around on. One of Andrew’s wishes was to see whales on his birthday weekend, so we kept our fingers crossed as we sailed out to sea. While seeing whales is very common on this tour, sadly we didn’t spot any. However, we were surrounded by dolphins, great company, and breathtaking views that quickly made up for it.

If you’re wanting to plan a romantic evening, then here’s a direct link to the Luxury Sunset Sail.

6. Taking Surf Lessons

Andrew wanted to surf on his birthday, so never having surfed on the West Coast, we figured getting a surf instructor who could take us to the best spots would be the way to go! The company we went through picked us up and dropped us off, and the instructor was super friendly. If you’re wanting to take surf lessons while in Puerto Vallarta, we definitely recommend Vallarta Surf school (link below).

Book your surf lessons here
We also chose this company for surf lessons, because they’ll take you to multiple surf spots in the bay, such as Sayulita. This is where the locals surf. Plus they provide, an umbrella and snacks, which is nice if you’re needing a break in between lessons.

7. Visit Elizabeth Taylor’s House

While many of our younger readers, including us, may not be very familiar with Elizabeth Taylor, visiting her house is most definitely still on our list of things to do in Puerto Vallarta. The famous actor, Elizabeth Taylor, came to Puerto Vallarta to film, “The Night of the Iguana.” Here she fell in love with the people and the city and ultimately built a house, which has now been turned into a boutique hotel and a 5-star restaurant.

As the restaurant is very popular, we definitely recommend making reservations.
You can make reservations at this link: https://casakimberly.com/the-iguana-restaurant-tequila-bar/

If you’d like to learn more about Elizabeth Taylors house, check out our video here as we tell Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burtons love story and show off the restaurant views and beautiful architecture.

As you can see, there’s plenty of things to do in Puerto Vallarta! We truly enjoyed this city and definitely plan on visiting again.

Looking for MORE unique things to do? Check these out!

Final Thoughts

There’s so much to do in Puerta Vallarta. Whether you’re a city person looking for a great night life scene, or in the mood for a relaxed beach getaway, you’ll find it all here. We both felt safe walking around the city at all hours of the day and night, and received warm welcomes everywhere we went.