Puerto Vallarta Travelers Recommend

If you’re in Puerto Vallarta, you’re in the right place to truly enjoy tequila, as this distilled beverage must be produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco in order to be called tequila. Read on for tips on how to sample and learn about it.

Distillery Tours & Tastings

You can taste tequilas at bars around downtown Puerto Vallarta on your own, but to gain insight into the liquor, which is made from the blue agave plant, consider booking a guided tasting to learn about the characteristics and differences between the various types of tequila as you drink. Outside of town, Rancho Verano Distileria de Tequila and Tequila Mama Lucia also offer tastings and tours.

Combo Tours

For a little adventure and sightseeing before relaxing over tequila samples, opt for a combo tour that also includes an activity such as an ATV or zipline experience; a Puerto Vallarta city tour or visit to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens; or a day trip to surrounding towns like Tequila or El Tuito. Most of these tours include visits to tequila distilleries or bars for a tasting.

Things to Know

• Participants must be at least 18 years of age to consume liquor in Mexico.

• While you may be used to taking tequila shots with lime and salt, expect to sip it neat during Puerto Vallarta tequila tasting sessions.

Set on Banderas Bay and backed by the Sierra Madre mountains, Puerto Vallarta attracts visitors for its natural beauty, but it offers more. A 3-day stay allows ample time to soak up the city’s heritage, catch some marine or jungle thrills, explore the Jalisco coast on a day trip, and dip into the cuisine. Read on for our top picks.

Day 1: Urban Culture and Cuisine

Most of the sights within Puerto Vallarta’s walkable old town and more modern Marina Vallarta can be covered in a day. Start at Our Lady of Guadalupe church (La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), and then follow the cobblestone streets lined with gardens, bohemian galleries, and souvenir shops selling Huichol handicrafts to the lively El Malecón boardwalk. City tours by coach often stop at Cuale River Island, El Pitillal, and the marina lined with yacht clubs. Fit in some beach time at the Beach of the Dead (Playa de los Los Muertos) near the river or quieter stretches of sand such as Playa Los Arcos and Mismaloya. In between sightseeing, indulge in Puerto Vallarta’s famous culinary scene on your own or with a food tour, topped off with tastings at a tequila distillery. 

Day 2: Where Nature and Adventure Meet

With easy access to sun-drenched beaches, canopied jungles, and mountain scenery, Puerto Vallarta makes an ideal base camp for outdoor activities. Family-friendly options include swimming with dolphins, snorkeling tours, beginner scuba dives, and horseback riding. Or, kick up the action a notch with high-speed zipline courses or off-road ATV tour through the forested Sierra foothills. For any age or ability, a sunset sail on Banderas Bay is the perfect way to end a day in Puerto Vallarta.

Day 3: Explore Jalisco

From fishing villages to mountain enclaves, day trip options from Puerto Vallarta abound. Discover an exclusive beach hideaway at Las Caletas, accessible only by boat, or get a taste for the Mexican countryside on a trip to the colonial town of San Sebastian, where little seems to have changed in 100 years. Coach tours can carry you up the coast to beach hop along the Riviera Nayarit, stopping to swim and sunbathe in the fishing villages of Sayulita and Punta Mita. Thanks to Puerto Vallarta’s central location, you can get a regional sampler in one day and still be back in town in time for another dinner of enchiladas mole or ceviche tacos. 

Warm days on the water and lively nights in old town are hallmarks of most Puerto Vallarta vacations. With two days, you can enjoy the beaches and water sports of the Bay of Banderas and still have time to venture inland for a jungle adventure. Here are our top tips for spending 48 hours in Puerto Vallarta.

Day 1: Bay Breezes and Old Town Tacos

Morning: Mingle with locals, tourists, and street vendors on a stroll along El Malecón, Puerto Vallarta’s lively seaside promenade. Stop for photos by the famous Boy on the Seahorse statue, or join a bike tour to see more of the waterfront on two wheels.

Afternoon: After glimpsing the Bay of Banderas from land, get out and experience its warm waters on a snorkeling, sailing, or whale-watching tour. Cruise to white sandy beaches, hidden coves, or rocky reefs at Los Arcos National Marine Park or the Marietas Islands for an encounter with Pacific marine life.

Night: After working up an appetite, sample Puerto Vallarta’s food. Follow your nose or a guide to street vendors and spots dishing up regional specialties such as tacos dorados (fried tacos), pork quesadillas, and fresh corn tortillas. Wash it down with local tequila, found in tasting rooms, at distilleries, and eateries.

Day 2: Jungle to Beach

Morning: Head inland to Jalisco’s jungles, where the mountainous terrain of the Sierra Madre range provides a natural playground for adventure sports such as canopy ziplining and rappelling down waterfalls. If you prefer to stay grounded, explore forested trails on an ATV or horseback riding tour.

Afternoon: Wind down with beach time on one of the sandy stretches near downtown Puerto Vallarta. Urban Beach of the Dead (Playa de los Muertos) boasts plenty of amenities, while a short bus ride and hike down hidden stairs leads to uncrowded Playa las Gemelas—ideal to watch the sunset.

Night: Puerto Vallarta hums with energy after dark. Live shows featuring mariachi bands, fire dancers, or traditional Mexican folk music serve up a feast for the senses, often combined with dinner. Kick it up a notch at coastal nightclubs, where DJs spin and drinks flow well into the pre-dawn hours.

Plentiful Pacific sunshine, easy-to-reach beaches, and a lively restaurant and nightlife scene make Puerto Vallarta one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations. Visitors come to this lively enclave on the Bay of Banderas for a dose of paradise. Here’s how to maximize 24 hours in Puerto Vallarta.

Morning: Old Town Discovery

Get oriented on a stroll through Puerto Vallarta’s charming old town, from the spires of Our Lady of Guadalupe church (La Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe) to art galleries tucked away in quiet, flowered alleyways. Book a bike tour along bustling El Malecón boardwalk, where craft vendors and seaside views compete for attention, or opt for a city tour by coach to reach less walkable locales such as the Marina Vallarta port or Mismaloya Beach, made famous by the 1964 film The Night of the Iguana.

Afternoon: Sun, Swim, or Sail

No visit to Puerto Vallarta is complete without some time on the water, so take in the beauty of Banderas Bay on a sailing cruise that shows off secluded coves and sun-soaked beaches without the crowds. Get closer to Mexico’s Pacific wildlife with a whale-watching trip to spot the migrating giants of the sea or a snorkeling tour among the caves and reefs of nearby Los Arcos National Marine Park. If sunbathing is more your style, there are plenty of beaches right in town, including the Beach of the Dead (Playa de los Muertos) and kid-friendly Playa Las Animas.

Night: Tacos and Tequila

Puerto Vallarta boasts plenty to please food lovers, from street vendors to romantic upscale restaurants. Scout the best ceviche, carne asada tacos, handmade tortillas, and fresh coconut on a food tour through lively neighborhoods such as Emiliano Zapata and 5 de Diciembre. Or, kick off the night with a tasting of 100 percent pure agave tequilas. Jalisco state is considered the world’s tequila capital, so it’s the perfect place to learn the difference between tequila blancos and reposados and how mezcal production differs. With a few shots down the hatch, you’ll be primed to experience Puerto Vallarta’s famed nightlife scene. Club tours help ensure a safe night out and earn you VIP treatment behind the ropes of the city’s hottest spots for night owls.

With its gorgeous sandy beaches, rocky coves, and expanse of glittering ocean, Puerto Vallarta offers an idyllic setting for a romantic getaway—it’s long been a popular wedding and honeymoon destination. The best views are from the water, so here are your options for romantic sailing tours in Puerto Vallarta. 

Highlights

• Cruise along the coast to Las Caletas, then enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner and a dance show at a beachside restaurant. 

• Sip cocktails aboard a sailboat as you watch the sunset over Banderas Bay (Bahía de Banderas).

• Dive in to swim and snorkel amid schools of tropical fish, sea turtles, and giant manta rays on a cruise around the uninhabited Marietas Islands.

• Admire majestic humpback whales in their natural environment on an intimate private or small-group whale-watching cruise.

• Feel like a VIP as you cruise around Banderas Bay on a luxury yacht and cool off with a swim in the Pacific.