What to do in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Let’s dive into the tea about Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. If you’re reading this, you probably already have some preconceived ideas about PV, and let me tell you, all that you’ve heard may well be true. As someone who first visited Puerto Vallarta in January 2021, initially planning just a month-long stay which then turned into 3 months, followed by 6 other visits to PV, typically staying for a month at a time over the past 3 years, you could say I fell in love with PV and have lots of tea to share about one of my favorite LGBTQ+ friendly beachside destinations.

Puerto Vallarta is located in the state of Jalisco on Mexico’s west coast. There are many sometimes inexpensive non-stop direct flights from most US and Canadian metropolitan cities. Thanks to the many airlines catering to the clientele who like to visit, PV has a constant influx of tourists who usually arrive on Thursday and leave by Tuesday. This type of trip is so common that most locals refer to these tourists as “gone by Tuesday” tourists. Given that these tourists come and go, if you’re like me and enjoy a long stay in Puerto Vallarta and like to meet various new friends on one trip, you can have more than a handful of new friends in cities all across America, Canada, Mexico, and even some parts of South America, depending on who the universe connects you with. That being said, you guessed it: for the most part, everyone who visits PV is nice and in the mood to make a new friend, if even just for the night.

There is no lack of daytime parties and nightlife. There is a section of the beach in the neighborhood of Zona Romantica called Los Muertos. Down at the very end, there is a section of beach clubs where you can indulge as your heart desires. These are Sapphire, Blue Chairs, Green Chairs, and Mantamar. You can drink, eat, dance, cruise, swim, and enjoy the sun from sunrise until sunset at any one of these beach clubs. The prices are fair, and the servers are all so kind; they love to take care of their guests. They work for tips, so be generous with your tip.

Now, let’s talk about accommodation options. I highly recommend booking an Airbnb in Zona Romantica, especially if it’s your first time, but make sure to read the reviews to ensure the Airbnb meets your standards. You are in Mexico, so you can find inexpensive accommodations, but you may not have the standard of living you’re used to. There are also inexpensive hostel options that I have heard great things about. Of course, there are also elevated hotels such as Almar Resort that are well worth the money for the experience.

When it comes to nightlife, there is a strip of clubs and bars where you can always find a spot to dance your heart out! My recommendation for a bar and club crawl would be: The Corner, Flamingos, La Noche, Industry, Pacos Ranch, CC Slaughters, and end the night at Spartacus sauna for some late-night fun.

As for food and other sites to see, I have a master Google Maps list of all the restaurants, bars, clubs, and other sites you may want to see that I am sharing for the very first time. It is an ever-growing list that I update every time I visit PV. So, you are in for a real treat to arrive in Puerto Vallarta with a personalized list of places that I would visit. Each location has a little note about what makes it special. So, without further ado, here is your master list to Puerto Vallarta: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o1TiCyc6SBvSo4SMA. 

If you are still on the fence to visit Puerto Vallarta and this blog post hasn’t convinced you yet. I say, BOOK THE FLIGHT. You will thank me later!