For couples · Puerto Vallarta · Mexico
Romantic things to do in Puerto Vallarta
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Puerto Vallarta has long been a romantic escape, from the Burton-Taylor era of Gringo Gulch to sunset dinners on the Malecón and secluded coves reached only by boat. Couples tend to stay in Zona Romántica.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Zona Romántica
- Best months
- November
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset on the Malecón
Watch the sun sink into the bay, then dine at a terrace restaurant above the water.
2.Boat to Yelapa
Spend a day at the boat-only cove, with lunch on the sand and a waterfall walk.
3.Hillside dinner
Book a table at a restaurant in the hills above town with views over the bay at night.
4.Sunset sail
Join a sailing cruise from Marina Vallarta, in winter with a chance of seeing whales.
5.Botanical garden lunch
Wander the orchid house and lunch on the terrace above the jungle.
Sights couples love
Waterfront · Centro
The Malecón
Walk it at sunset, then continue south over the river bridges to dinner in the Zona Romántica.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Couples
- After dark
- Art
- Kids
Beach · Zona Romántica
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.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- After dark
- Couples
- Outdoors
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Garden · Cabo Corrientes road
Vallarta Botanical Garden
Take the Tuito bus from the Zona Romántica, and stay for lunch to watch hummingbirds from the terrace.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
Beach · Conchas Chinas and Amapas
Playa Conchas Chinas
Walk south along the shore from Los Muertos at low tide, then return by taxi.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Couples
Waterfront · Marina Vallarta
Marina Vallarta boardwalk
Stroll it in the evening and pick a waterside restaurant for dinner as the boats come in.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Food
- Views
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife, food lovers and couples
Zona Romántica
South of the Río Cuale, the Zona Romántica (also called the Old Town or Emiliano Zapata) packs boutique hotels, restaurants, galleries and bars around Calle Olas Altas and Basilio Badillo, two blocks from Playa Los Muertos and its sail-shaped pier. It is the centre of Vallarta's LGBTQ+ scene and the most popular base for walkers.
- Good
- Walk to beach, restaurants and nightlife; Water taxis from the pier; Strong neighbourhood character
- Watch out
- Noisy at night near the bars; Steep streets on the hillside; Busy in high season
- Nearby
- Playa Los Muertos, Los Muertos Pier, Isla Río Cuale, Basilio Badillo
Romantic day trips
- Yelapa (About 30–45 minutes by water taxi) — A village on a cove with no road access, with a sandy beach, palapa restaurants and a short jungle walk to a waterfall.
- Marietas Islands (About 1 hour by boat from Nuevo Vallarta) — A protected national park of uninhabited volcanic islands at the mouth of the bay, home to blue-footed boobies and good snorkelling.
- San Sebastián del Oeste (About 1.5–2 hours by car) — A former silver-mining town in the Sierra Madre at about 1,400 metres, with cobbled streets, an old hacienda, coffee farms and cooler air.
- Punta de Mita (About 1 hour by car) — The northern tip of the bay, with luxury resorts, surf breaks and the fishing village of El Anclote, where seafood restaurants line the beach.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Pescado zarandeado, Aguachile and Birria. Tipping of 10–15% is expected in restaurants and is rarely included in the bill.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Puerto Vallarta romantic?
Puerto Vallarta has long been a romantic escape, from the Burton-Taylor era of Gringo Gulch to sunset dinners on the Malecón and secluded coves reached only by boat.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Puerto Vallarta?
Sunset on the Malecón: Watch the sun sink into the bay, then dine at a terrace restaurant above the water.
+Where should couples stay in Puerto Vallarta?
Zona Romántica: Cobbled streets, Los Muertos beach and the town's liveliest restaurants and bars.