2 days in Puerto Vallarta

Day by day

1. Day 1: The Malecón and Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

   The Malecón, Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, Mirador de la Cruz and Gringo Gulch, then Playa Los Muertos and the pier in the evening.

   1. Morning

      The Malecón

      In the evenings families stroll, street performers gather and the sunset over the bay draws crowds; the walkway continues south across the Río Cuale to Los Muertos beach.

   2. Late morning

      Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

      Inside, the Virgin of Guadalupe is the focus of nightly pilgrimages during the festival in early December.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pescado zarandeado

      Beach palapa restaurants at Las Ánimas, Mismaloya and Bucerías, and seafood restaurants in town.

   4. Afternoon

      Mirador de la Cruz

      A steep climb of streets and several hundred steps from the Centro leads to a white cross and lookout above the town, with views over the red rooftops, the church crown and the whole bay.

   5. Late afternoon

      Gringo Gulch

      Its best-known landmark is Casa Kimberley, the house Richard Burton bought for Elizabeth Taylor, with a pink bridge across the lane connecting two buildings.

   6. Evening

      Playa Los Muertos and the pier

      Buy a drink or meal for a lounger rather than renting one, and catch a water taxi from the pier to Yelapa.

2. Day 2: Whale watching in the bay and Marina Vallarta boardwalk

   Whale watching in the bay, Marina Vallarta boardwalk, Isla Río Cuale and Los Arcos, then Galleries of the Centro and Zona Romántica in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Whale watching in the bay

      Dolphins and sea turtles are common sightings too.

   2. Late morning

      Marina Vallarta boardwalk

      A palm-lined walkway around the marina basin, with cafés, restaurants and yachts moored alongside, overlooked by the marina's landmark lighthouse tower.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Smoked marlin tacos

      Seafood taco stands and marisquerías in town, mainly at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Isla Río Cuale

      A narrow island in the Río Cuale between the Centro and the Zona Romántica, reached by footbridges and shaded by fig trees, with craft stalls, cafés, a small archaeological museum and a statue of film director John Huston.

   5. Late afternoon

      Los Arcos

      Snorkelling and diving tours stop here for reef fish and coral, and kayaks and paddleboards can be hired from Mismaloya beach.

   6. Evening

      Galleries of the Centro and Zona Romántica

      Look for Huichol art from Wixárika communities in the Sierra, and ask galleries about the artists' cooperatives.

Before you go

• Whale watching in the bay: Book a few days ahead in January and February, the busiest months.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–22 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Walking. The Malecón, Isla Río Cuale and the Zona Romántica are all within a 20–30 minute walk, though side streets are steep and cobbled.

More or fewer days

• One day in Puerto Vallarta
• 3 days in Puerto Vallarta
• 5 days in Puerto Vallarta

Questions travellers ask