Golfers
Enjoy the many championship golf courses in the area at reasonable prices.

Adventurers
Enjoy the many activities Puerto Vallarta has to offer – ATV tours, horseback riding, canopy adventures, etc.

Families
Take a whale-watching photo safari, swim with the dolphins, or build a sand castle at sunset.

Transfers
Roundtrip transfers between the airport and hotel are included with air and hotel packages from WorldVacations and Worry-Free Vacations. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) is off the highway six miles north of town, near Marina Vallarta. Upgrades to a direct private transfer are also available.

Rental Car
Rental cars are a fast and efficient way to get around the Puerto Vallarta area, especially if you’re planning on traveling to the northern coast of Banderas Bay. If you’re more likely to spend all of your time at a resort, a rental car is not necessary.

Taxi and Bus
Camiones (local buses) and colectivos (minibuses that are a cross between standard buses and taxis) both run set routes throughout the city and the coastal strips at either end, servicing all of the major hotels in the process. Taxis veer their way through predetermined city zones, with the price of a ride climbing as you pass into a new zone. Negotiate the cost of a trip before getting into the vehicle.

Puerto Vallarta has a long history of being a quaint seaside fishing village, and it is evident in the local cuisine. Traditional Mexican seafood dishes are featured prominently next to modern, Continental fare. There are hundreds of wonderful restaurants throughout the area. Try one of these or ask around for other favorites.

• Blue Shrimp
  Choose your shrimp by size and weight and the chef will prepare it to order, most likely with rice and steamed veggies.
• La Bodeguita del Medio
  This fun-loving restaurant-bar near the malecón’s north end has a sea view from its second-floor dining room. Great Cuban-influenced food.
• Los Xitomates
  A hip, tranquil place in the heart of downtown — worth a try if you want an upscale ambience and traditional Mexican dishes.
• Mariscos 8 Tostadas
  Extremely popular with locals, this large restaurant hums with activity and the music. The ceviche couldn’t be better — or fresher.
• Trio
  Delivering perfect meal after perfect meal, plus the kitchen often stays open until nearly midnight, and offers a rooftop terrace on which to dine in fair weather.

When you’re ready to let your hair down, Cactus is an ultra-hip club with a techno beat. Also check out Kalhua, The Zoo, La Cantina, Caramba, Christine’s, Club Roxy, Señor Frogs, or the
Hard Rock Café.

Puerto Vallarta is the place to be for fine works of art, exquisite folk art, jewelry, and designer and casual clothing. Puerto Vallarta has become a hub for Mexican and foreign artists who can often be seen at work in studios and workshops along the city’s busy streets. Ask a local for the nearest shopping area, as many great deals are sure to be found.

Día de los Santos Reyes
January 6. Commemorates the three kings’ visit to see the baby Jesus. Mexicans exchange gifts, culminating the holiday season.

Constitution Day
February 5. Celebrates the adoption of the Mexican constitution.

Benito Juarez’s Birthday
March 21. Honors Mexico’s beloved president (1859-1872).

Cinco de Mayo
May 5. Celebrating Mexico’s victory over the French in 1862.

Independence Day
September 16. Public holiday celebrating Mexico’s independence from Spain.

Día de la Raza
October 12. Celebrating the day Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas in 1492.

Día de los Muertos
November 2. Day of the Dead, or All Souls’ Day, when families take food and gifts to their loved ones buried in the cemeteries.

International Gourmet Festival
November. Enjoy tastes from around the globe, and local Puerto Vallarta favorites as well.

Golf
Customize your vacation with discounted greens fees from WorldVacations and Worry-Free Vacations. You will gain access to hotel-affiliated golf courses with a stay at a select hotel, or receive great discounts and advanced tee times at independent golf courses offered. See the Activites and More for golf packages that can be pre-sold.

Hotel-Affiliated Courses
The Vallarta Palace offers golf options at the following courses:

• Flamingos Golf Club
  One of the first golf courses in Puerto Vallarta. Designed by renowned English golf course architect Percy Clifford.
• Marina Vallarta Golf Club
  Marina Club de Golf offers a challenge for all levels of golfers. Designed by Joe Finger.
• Vista Vallarta
  • Nicklaus Course
    Target-style golf with breathtaking views of Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre mountains as a back drop. Designed by Jack Nicklaus.
  • Weiskopf Course
    Precision is required from tee to green with several bunkers along the way. Designed by Tom Weiskopf.

Independent Courses

• El Tigre Club
  One of the first golf courses in Puerto Vallarta. Designed by renowned English golf course architect Percy Clifford.

Sport Fishing
Banderas Bay’s deep blue waters provide an abundance of sailfish and marlin along with smaller game fish. October through February is the best time for sailfish and black or blue marlin. And the International Sailfish and Marlin Tournament, the largest fishing tournament in Mexico, takes place in November.

Whale Watching
The best months to see the majestic humpback whales are the months from December through March, when they are in their calving season and before they make their migration north.

Watersports & Beach Activities
All your favorite watersports and beach activities can be found in Puerto Vallarta. Enjoy snorkeling and diving under the water; surfing, boogie boarding, and sailing above the water; and beach volleyball and other activities on the golden sand. It is recommended to avoid parasailing in Puerto Vallarta, as well as independent vendors offering horseback rides on the beach.

Fireworks
There are fireworks every night at 9 pm from the Marigalante, a pirate ship in the bay.

Art
Check out the local art scene and a wide variety of intriguing art forms while having fun (and free cocktails) at the Old Town Art Walk, every Wednesday from 6-10 pm.

Change of Scenery
Bus routes include the north coast, up to Bucerias and Punta Mita for a fun day trip away from town.

Hidden Beaches
From Los Muertos beach, you can also take a boat — a panga — to the beaches of Animas, Quimixto, and Yelapa, which are only accessible by boat.

English Movies
Catch your favorite movie — in English — at the air-conditioned Cine Bahia, where a first run movie costs under 40 pesos, or under $4 U.S.

Groceries
If you’re in need of snacks or beverages, Rizo’s Supermercado is a great place to stock up.

Gourmet Festival
Vallarta’s restaurants really overachieve during the 10-day Gourmet Festival in mid-November. More than three dozen establishments invite guest chefs to prepare special menus, some of which influence restaurant offerings in the following year.

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