30 Best Sights in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

ChocoMuseo is a museum where visitors not only learn all about the history and nature of chocolate but also find out how to work with it and create different cocoa-based products and dishes. You can book workshops on how to prepare the Mexican national dish of mole, make chocolate truffles, or let your children experiment with a mini chocolate workshop. 

Turtles sunning themselves on logs, crocodiles masquerading as logs, water-loving birds, and exotic orchids make the maze of green-brown canals that is La Tovara—an out-of-town must for nature lovers. Launches putter along these waterways from El Conchal Bridge, at the outskirts of San Blas, about a three-hour drive from Marina Vallarta, or from the nearby village of Matanchén. After cruising along for about 45 minutes—during which you'll have taken way too many photos of the mangrove roots that protrude from the water and the turtles—you arrive at the spring-fed freshwater pools for which the area is named. You can hang out at the restaurant overlooking the pool or play Tarzan and Jane on the rope swing. Most folks take the optional trip to a crocodile farm on the way back, stretching a two-hour tour into three hours.

You can walk or ride a bike to long, lovely Playa Borrego, 1 km (½ mile) south of town. Rent a surfboard at Stoners' or Mar y Sol restaurant to attack the year-round (but sporadic) shore or jetty breaks here, or stroll down to the southern end to admire the lovely, palm-fringed estuary. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: walking; sunset; solitude.

In 2014 Playa Palmares became the first beach in the area to get the coveted international Blue Flag certification. This certification is an eco-award designed for beaches, marinas, and boating tourism operators; recipients of the Blue Flag comply with a series of stringent environmental, accessibility, and safety requirements. Palmares is connected to Punta Negra, but its waves are smaller, which makes it a better fit for families. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

The stretch of sand right in front of downtown Bucerías is not as appealing as what you'll find if you just walk about 200 meters south. The shore break can get a bit sketchy when there's a swell, so you might just want to walk toward Nuevo Vallarta before planting your beach umbrella. Amenities: parking (free); food and drink; water sports. Best for: walking; windsurfing; sunset. 

You're welcome any time at the Casa Museo de Doña Conchita. The affable owner shows visitors photos of her venerable family—which she traces back six generations. See banknotes from the mining days, bloomers, shirts made by hand by the lady for her many children, and other memorabilia. If you speak Spanish, ask Doña Conchita to tell you about the ghosts that haunt her house, which is right on the square between the basketball court and la presidencia, or town hall.

For a bird's-eye view of the town and coast, hike or drive up Calle Juárez, the main drag, to Cerro de San Basilio. You can also take Road 74 out of town, turn right at the fork and then right at Calle del Panteon, which is the only road you'll find before reaching the river.

The Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is dedicated to the patron saint of Mexico and of Puerto Vallarta. The holy mother's image, by Ignacio Ramírez, is the centerpiece of the cathedral's slender marble altarpiece. The brick bell tower is topped by a lacy-looking crown that replicates the one worn by Carlota, short-lived empress of Mexico. The wrought-iron crown toppled during an earthquake that shook this area of the Pacific Coast in 1995 but was soon replaced with a fiberglass version, supported, as was the original, by a squadron of stone angels. This was replaced with a newer and larger rendition in 2009.

Cannons protect the ruined contaduría, built during colonial times when San Blas was New Spain's first official port.

Since its opening in 1990, the Costa Careyes Polo Club has received players from all over the world. For $500 you can play in one of their two regulation-size fields with greens fees and horse rental included.

El Malecón of Puerto Vallarta is its flagship attraction. The construction started in 1936 and it went through a complete renovation in 2011. Now, it’s closed to traffic and pedestrians can stroll for almost 1 km (½ mile) through a gorgeous palm-filled promenade. The walk starts at the Rosita Hotel and continues to the amphitheater across the main square. On your way, enjoy the 10 sculptures and the Voladores de Papantla (ancient Mesoamerican tradition involving bungee-jump-like "flying people").

There was a time when Los Muertos Pier was a sad piece of concrete extending a few meters into the sea, but that changed in 2013 when it was replaced by a beautifully designed pier that underwent years of renovations. The new pier was an instant hit and has become one of the most recognizable landmarks in Puerto Vallarta. It's perfect for a romantic walk, for reading a book while listening to the sound of the waves, and for viewing at night when it lights up the buzzing Los Muertos Beach. Oh, and it also serves as a pier! You can get a boat from here to visit the amazing beaches south of Puerto Vallarta, such as Yelapa, Quimixto, and Las Animas.

The old customhouse has been partially restored and is now a cultural center with sporadic art or photography shows and theatrical productions.

The Parque Lineal Río Pitillal is basically a scenic path along the Pitillal River, starting at Avenida Francisco Villa (right in front of Cinépolis) and extending all the way to the beach. There is a nice pathway perfect for bikes and trolleys, benches, picnic tables, and even a lookout that shows a scenic perspective of the city.

A long, flat, brown-sand beach whose name translates to Shrimp Beach, Playa Camarones was the first urban beach in the country to receive the Playa Limpia (Clean Beach) certification by the federal government. The certification means that the beach will always have a lifeguard present, trash bins, clean bathrooms, and handicap accessibility. Its location—parallel to the malecón between the Hotel Rosita and the Buenaventura Hotel—attracts many locals. The shore is always changing: it could be rock-strewn in the morning and clear later when the tide goes out. Watch for whales in winter from trendy beachfront El Solar Bar or from the El Barracuda Restaurant next door. Although the waves are gentle, there are strange currents here, which should discourage all but strong swimmers. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; surfing; walking.

The main beach in the Chamela Bay area is long and wide, with several hotels and restaurants scattered here and there. Lounge chairs and palapas are available for rent on the beach. The sea is good for kids and for swimming, as the islands in front of the coastline soften the surf in the bay. Boat trips to the islands are available. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

This beach has a series of rocky coves with crystalline water. The individual coves are perfect for reclusive sunbathing and for snorkeling. It's accessible from Carretera 200 near El Set restaurant. You can walk—be it on the sand, over the rocks, or on paths or steps built for this purpose—from Playa Los Muertos all the way to Conchas Chinas. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; sunset; swimming.

This small beach has the honor of being the first inclusive beach in the Mexican Pacific. You'll see plenty of "floating chairs" for people who need assistance getting into the sea. There are also many nonmotorized water sports options such as kayaks, pedal boats, or snorkeling. The surrounding mountains give it a touch of mysticism. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

The high-rise-backed Zona Hotelera beach goes by several names—mainly Playa del Holi but also Playa Peninsula. Most people, however, just refer to each piece of beach by the hotel that it faces. Interrupted here and there by breakwaters, this fringe of gray-beige sand is generally flat but slopes down to the water. Winds and tides sometimes strew it with stones that make it less pleasant. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free); water sports. Best for: sunset; walking.

At Marina Vallarta, Playa el Salado—facing the Grand Velas, Sol Meliá, Marriott, Mayan Palace, and Westin hotels—is sandy but in spots very narrow. During fine weather and on weekends, and daily during high season, you can rent Jet Skis and pack onto colorful banana boats for bouncy tours of 10 minutes or longer. In late summer and early fall, there are opportunities to view turtle-protection activities. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset; walking; windsurfing.

This local beach is wide, busy, entertaining, and worth visiting if you’re here for a while. It's particularly crowded on Sundays as locals flock here to enjoy the ocean and the snacks at various food stalls. There's a big parking lot right in front, and if you want a somewhat quieter place to relax, just walk south for a few dozen meters. Amenities: food and drink; parking (free). Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

This beautiful, 2-km-long (1-mi-long) beach is little more than a kilometer (half a mile) in from the highway, near the southern edge of Bahía de Tenacatita, 193 km (120 mi) south of PV and 25 km (15½ mi) north of Barra de Navidad (at Km 14). Informal hotels and restaurants are interspersed with small businesses and modest houses along the town's main street. Rocks dot the gray-gold sands and edge both ends of the wide beach; facing the sand are attractive, unpretentious vacation homes favoring a Venetian palate of ochre and brick red. The bay is calm. At the beach road's north end, gigantic, rubbery-looking crocodiles lie heaped together just out of harm's way in a mangrove swamp. The fishing here is excellent; boat owners on the beach can take you out for snapper, sea bass, and other pescado for $20–$25 an hour. Facilities: Fishing; food concessions. Best for: swimming; walking; sunset.

About 6 km (4 miles) south of Playa Borrego, at the northern edge of Bahía de Matanchén, Playa Las Islitas used to be legendary among surfers for its long wave, but this has diminished in recent years. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: surfing; swimming; walking

This long, coarse-white-sand beach is beautiful and has gentle waves. Restaurants, small hotels, homes, and tall palms line the beach, which slopes down to the water. Fishermen here will take anglers out in search of dorado, tuna, swordfish, and mackerel. The best swimming and boogie boarding are about half the length of town, in front of El Dorado restaurant. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); water sports. Best for: snorkeling; surfing; swimming.

Several kilometers of pristine beach face the hotels of Playa Nuevo Vallarta. In the fall, a fenced-off turtle nesting area provides relief for the endangered ocean dwellers. Jet Skis whiz by, kids frolic in the roped-off water nearest the beach, and waiters attend to vacationers lounging in recliners in front of their respective hotels. The wide, flat sandy stretch is perfect for long walks. In fact, you could walk all the way to Bucerías, some 8 km (5 miles) to the north. Most of the hotels here are all-inclusives, so guests generally move between their hotel pool and the beach in front. All-inclusive programs mean that only hotel guests may enter the bars and restaurants on the property. This beach recently received certification by the Mexican government as a "Clean Beach." Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

The name means "high waves beach," but the only waves suitable for bodysurfing, boogie boarding, or, occasionally, surfing are near the Cuale River, at the north end of this small beach. Although "Olas Altas" more often refers to the neighborhood of bars and businesses near the ocean south of the Río Cuale, it is also the name of a few blocks of sand between Daiquiri Dick's restaurant and the Río Cuale. The beach attracts fewer sunbathers than Los Muertos but is otherwise an extension of that beach, and it gets lively during holidays with sunbathers and impromptu snack stands and shaded tables on the sand. There are good views of the recently renovated Los Muertos Pier and spectacular lighting at night. Facing Olas Altas Beach near Lázaro Cárdenas plaza are open-air stands selling beach accessories, small grocery stores, and beach-facing bar-restaurants. Amenities: food and drink; parking. Best for: sunset; swimming.

The Plaza de Armas, or Main Square, is a perfect spot to relax. Enjoy an ice cream by the gazebo or a Mexican snack sold by stall vendors in one of the many benches around. The city hall is on one side, the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the other, and, in the background, the malecón. On Thursday and Sunday at 6 pm, everybody dances to the sound of danzón while listening to the Municipal Bands.

Singayta is a typical Nayarit village that is attempting to support itself through simple and ungimmicky ecotours. The basic tour includes a look around the town, where original adobe structures compete with more practical but less picturesque structures with corrugated tin roofs. Take a short guided hike through the surrounding jungle and a boat ride around the estuary ($6 per person). This is primo birding territory. The townspeople are most geared up for tours on weekends and during school holidays and vacations: Christmas, Easter, July, and August. The easiest way to book a tour is to look for English-speaking Juan Bananas, who sells banana bread from a shop called Tumba de Yako (look for the sign on the unmarked road Avenida H. Batallón between Calles Comonfort and Canalizo, en route to Playa Borrego). He can set up a visit and/or guide you there. Groups of five or more can call ahead to make a reservation with Juan ( 323/285–0462  [email protected]) or with Santos ( 323/100–4191); call at least a day ahead if you want to have a meal.