Introduction to Top Things to Do in Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit offer plenty to do for people of all ages, the biggest problem you'll probably have is finding the time to fit them all into your schedule. To help you out, we've created a list of what we feel are the "Top things to Do" in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. But if you find time to do more, we've created categories—such as those we feel are great for families, or couples, sports-minded, etc.—including more activities! To visit those pages just click on the links located on the right side column.
If you are interested in information specific to restaurants, art galleries, health & beauty, nightlife or shopping in and around Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit, visit our directories. To find restaurants, galleries or shops specific to a certain region or community, visit that particular community page where they'll be listed.
The activities listed below are beyond the obvious reasons many come to Vallarta, and that's to sunbathe and swim in the ocean. Good enough reasons, but there is much more to see and do in Vallarta and Nayarit.
Walk the Malecón: While many areas in Puerto Vallarta can be easily enjoyed on foot, walking the Malecón stands out as a must-do activity for visitors and locals. Day and night, alone or in a group, at a leisurely pace or even jogging, the Malecón is a social gathering place for visitors and locals that allows the opportunity of experiencing traditional Puerto Vallarta at its best.
Explore Vallarta Restaurants: The restaurant scene in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and surrounding areas is so broad and diverse, you could easily dine out every evening for an entire year without returning to a previously-visited venue. In fact, few topics ignite conversation among visitors and locals as intensely as local restaurants do: what's open, what closed, new dishes, and so forth.
Take a Bay Cruise: A unique way to take in the breadth of views and destinations is by taking a boat cruise throughout the bay. Daytime or evening, large or small, there are options for everyone, from families with children to singles. Bay cruises allow visitors to enjoy the view of our destination from a completely different angle, along with the opportunity to encounter marine wildlife.
Eat Like Locals Do: When you spend any time at a culinary mecca such as Puerto Vallarta, it is inevitable to develop curiosity about local food. At the same time, visitors have legitimate concerns about the legendary so-called "montezuma's revenge," and rightly so! After all, who wants to spend part of their well-deserved vacation recuperating from an unsolicited stomach-related illness?
Whale Watching: From November to April, Banderas Bay becomes the winter home and birthing ground for numerous humpback whales. Humpbacks are known for their acrobatic leaps and their unique “song,” which includes sounds such as grunts and squeaks. Watching a 40-ton creature leap almost completely out of the water is an experience that cannot be forgotten.
Buzz the Treetops on a Zip-Line: It was around 2005 that the first zip line tours started appearing in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. Since then, thousands of visitors have enjoyed the thrill of gliding briskly over treetops. Today, the select companies that offer zip line tours in the region compete with one another to provide the safest and most memorable experience.
Play Golf in Banderas Bay: Puerto Vallarta has come a long way from the days in which it only offered two golf courses. While those pioneering clubs were very professional, Puerto Vallarta was not known as a destination for golfers. Everything changed, however, during the EMC World Cup 2002, held at Vista Vallarta, resulting in worldwide attention and investments to the area.
Visit Art Galleries: The first art exhibitions mounted in Puerto Vallarta can be traced back to the 1950s. Ever since then, Puerto Vallarta has been a haven artists, who are consistently drawn to our destination for inspiration. It is no surprise, then, that a large number of art galleries have established locally, turning Puerto Vallarta into an ideal place for art lovers to explore.
Scuba & Snorkel in Banderas Bay: Banderas Bay is a rich and diverse ecosystem providing incredible underwater vistas and opportunities to explore underwater drop-offs, caves and arches, encountering giant manta rays, schools of dolphins and tropical marine life along the way. As such, the bay delivers perfect scuba diving conditions and a waltz of diving opportunities.
Take the Malecón Sculpture Tour: Puerto Vallarta features a vast collection of public sculptures, most of them installed along the city's scenic Malecón. A natural draw for visitors and locals, the sculptures can be enjoyed on your own. However, a guided sculpture tour will provide you with interesting historical and artistic insight on Puerto Vallarta in general.
Hop on a Panga Today!: Chances are that, if you arrived to our destination by air, the plane’s approach allowed for a brief glimpse of the lush vegetation that surrounds Puerto Vallarta. Indeed, and that can be appreciated all around Banderas Bay. (If this was not the case, simply have a look at a Google map of the region!) Nestled all over the bay you'll find a number of unique destinations that are only accessible by boat.
Visit the Vallarta Botanical Gardens: The Vallarta Botanical Gardens offer the unique opportunity to get close to the rich variety of fauna and flora available in the region. The living museum features a restaurant, walking and hiking trails and swimming in a nearby river. The Vallarta Botanical Gardens were started in 2004 with a vision of becoming Mexico's greatest botanical garden.
