With kids · Puerto Vallarta · Mexico
Puerto Vallarta with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0
_-_149.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Puerto Vallarta suits families with its Malecón sculptures, calm boat-access beaches, whale watching and turtle releases, plus resort pools in Nuevo Vallarta and the Hotel Zone. Choose calm beaches, as some open beaches have strong surf. Top picks: The Malecón, Whale watching in the bay and Playa Las Ánimas. Families usually base themselves in Nuevo Vallarta.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 5
- Best area for families
- Nuevo Vallarta
- Rainy-day options
- 0
- Busiest months
- December–March
Best things to do with kids
Waterfront · Centro
1.The Malecón
Puerto Vallarta's seafront promenade runs for about a kilometre along the old town, lined with bronze and stone sculptures such as the seahorse rider and the ladder-climbing 'In Search of Reason'. 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.
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
Experience · Marina Vallarta
2.Whale watching in the bay
Humpback whales arrive in the Bahía de Banderas to breed and calve from about December to March, and boats from Marina Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Los Muertos pier go out to watch them breach and sing. Dolphins and sea turtles are common sightings too.
Choose a certified operator that follows the whale-watching distance rules; small boats give a closer, quieter experience.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Book a few days ahead in January and February, the busiest months.
- Nature
- Kids
- Iconic
- Outdoors
Beach · South Bay
3.Playa Las Ánimas
A long, sandy beach reachable only by boat or trail, lined with palapa seafood restaurants. Calm water makes it good for swimming, banana-boat rides and a long lunch of grilled fish.
Catch a water taxi from Boca de Tomatlán, which is shorter and cheaper than from Los Muertos pier.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Food
- Outdoors
Park · Zona Romántica
4.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.
Cross the swinging suspension bridge at the eastern end and wander the craft market on the way to Los Muertos.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Kids
- Outdoors
Garden · Cabo Corrientes road
5.Vallarta Botanical Garden
About 30 km south of town in the mountains, the botanical garden has orchid and bromeliad collections, a cactus garden, trails through the forest and a river where visitors can swim. The restaurant terrace looks over the jungle canopy.
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
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for families, luxury and beach
Nuevo Vallarta
North of the Ameca River in the state of Nayarit, Nuevo Vallarta is a planned resort area of large all-inclusive hotels on a long, gently sloping beach, with a marina and golf courses. It is about 20–30 minutes from the airport and further from the Malecón.
- Good
- Wide, calm beaches; Resort facilities for families; Close to Bucerías and Punta de Mita
- Watch out
- Isolated from town life; Car or taxi needed
- Nearby
- Nuevo Vallarta beach, Bucerías, Marietas Islands tours
Family travel tips
- Nuevo Vallarta's beaches slope gently and suit young swimmers better than some Hotel Zone beaches.
- Ask your hotel about turtle-release evenings at local camps in the late summer and autumn.
- Whale-watching boats often have age limits or need life jackets in children's sizes; check before booking.
- Avoid the midday sun; plan beach time for mornings and late afternoons.
- Keep children away from estuaries and lagoon edges, where crocodiles live.
Day trips for families
- 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.
- Bucerías (About 30–40 minutes by bus or car) — A relaxed beach town in Nayarit on the bay's north shore, with a long sandy beach, seafood restaurants and a weekly market, a short hop from Nuevo Vallarta.
When to go with children
The best months overall are November–April. December–March are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Puerto Vallarta good for kids?
Puerto Vallarta suits families with its Malecón sculptures, calm boat-access beaches, whale watching and turtle releases, plus resort pools in Nuevo Vallarta and the Hotel Zone. Choose calm beaches, as some open beaches have strong surf.
+What can kids do in Puerto Vallarta?
The Malecón, Whale watching in the bay, Playa Las Ánimas, Isla Río Cuale and Vallarta Botanical Garden.
+Where should families stay in Puerto Vallarta?
Nuevo Vallarta: Long sandy beaches and big all-inclusive resorts across the state line in Nayarit.