In January 2022 I went to Puerto Vallarta, MX for the first time with a group of 12 for a friend’s 30th birthday. PV is on the western coast of Mexico in the Central time zone. Here is our four day Puerto Vallarta itinerary!
A couple important tips right off the bat: In order to return to the US we needed a negative COVID test taken within one day of departure. We did our tests at the Marriott where we stayed. Also, bring cash! Ideally both USD and Pesos.
Quick Links
Getting to Puerto Vallarta
Where to stay
Dinner at Gaby’s
ATV Tour
Dinner at The Blue Shrimp
Boat Day with Chica Locca
Dinner at Sukha Grill and House
Pool Day
Final Thoughts
Other Recommendations
How to get to Puerto Vallarta
I took a direct flight from San Francisco to Puerto Vallarta. The PV airport is just 20 minutes from the downtown and 5 minutes from the resort area. There are direct flights from many major US cities, however I found the times very limited. The latest direct flight from SFO to PV on a Thursday was at 11:05am.
Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta has a few major zones including Marina Vallarta, the Hotel Zone, Downtown Vallarta, and the Romantic Zone. The Hotel Zone has a lot of great options for places to stay ranging from beach front resorts to more affordable hotels a few blocks inland. Marina Vallarta has mostly beach front resorts, and the Romantic Zone (aka Old Vallarta) is closer to the action with bustling restaurants and nightlife.
We stayed at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa in the Marina Vallarta zone. This is a great resort with a lot of on-site accommodations including a swim-up bar, a nearly private beach, and great restaurants. This is not an all inclusive resort which we were okay with.
Note: The Marriott is close to USA prices, our standard room was about $250 USD a night.
Day 1 in Puerto Vallarta
My boyfriend, Philip, and I flew to Puerto Vallarta on a Thursday and arrived in the early evening. After checking into the Marriott, we met up with the group for our included tequila tasting in the Ceviche & Tequila bar area. Then we took a taxi to the Romantic Zone for dinner at Gabys.
Gaby’s has a big patio which can accommodate large groups and has a variety of food options. I ordered margaritas and enchiladas which were all great. After dinner we waked along the malecón ,or boardwalk, and wandered into a couple clubs. This is a very touristy area and we didn’t last long before heading back to the hotel.
Day 2 in Puerto Vallarta
ATV Tour
For our first full day in Puerto Vallarta we had booked an ATV tour with Canopy River. The prices vary depending on the type of ATV you choose and what all the tour includes; my single ATV was $100 USD.
Our tour started at 1pm, however we had to account for transportation time because the tour is through the jungle. We met at the tour office in the Hotel Zone at 11:30, hopped in a truck, and drove into the mountains. After a 45 minute ride we arrived at Canopy River’s oasis which has an infinity pool, dining area, and great views.
Canopy River also offers zip line tours, horseback riding, and river expeditions among other things.
We opted for single ATVs, but there are options for doubles or quads. The ATV tour itself was about 2 hours long with a guide leading the way through the jungle. Halfway through the tour we got off the ATVs and hiked down to a waterfall and swimming hole. There is a latter we climbed up and then jumped into the deep pool. Wear a swimsuit!
After the ATV tour we had an hour and a half to clean up and get food and drinks (not included with the tour cost). With the last 30 minutes we did a tequila tasting which was included in the package. I was surprised how good the tequila was!
Dinner Night 2 in Puerto Vallarta
After ATVing we got cleaned up at the hotel, then headed back to the Zona Romantica for dinner at The Blue Shrimp. We reserved a table that was literally on the beach in the sand. We had tasty drinks, lots of guacamole, and entrees ranging from ceviche to enchiladas.
Be sure not to miss the bathroom art!
Day 3 in Puerto Vallarta
Breakfast at Las Casitas
We got breakfast at Las Casitas, an onsite restaurant at the Marriott. This food was delicious and had a great presentation.
Boat Day
After breakfast we did a boat tour with Chica Locca. The dock was walking distance from the Marriott which was a nice change from hopping in a cab. The boat we reserved was a 65 x 30 ft trimaran and the tour was about 5 hours. The website says this boat can hold up to 85 people, so our small group of 12 had ample space.
The staff were fun, friendly, and let us tailor the tour to what we wanted. We had initially wanted to snorkel, however conditions were not ideal due to crowds and water clarity. We started the journey by circling Los Arcos (The Arches), then parked and enjoyed the boat’s many amenities. There were 4 paddle boards, a floating mat, inflatable tubes, slides off the top of the boat, and drinks! Needless to say we enjoyed ourselves.
Dinner Night 3
After the boat we needed some down time to regroup at the hotel. Philip and I got drinks and food at Nosh Sunset Bar & Bites, one of the Marriott’s restaurants. The salmon tartare dish was my favorite meal of the entire trip! The sauces and wonton chips were so delicious.
Later we walked down the marina and got dinner at Sukha Grill House. This was a cool spot with a Mexican cuisine. I enjoyed some tasty green ceviche and a mezcal margarita.
Day 4 in Puerto Vallarta
On our fourth day we had a flight in the evening giving us ample time to enjoy the Marriott’s great amenities. We started the day with breakfast at Las Casitas again, then proceeded to hang out at the pool for the rest of the day.
My lunch that day was a ceviche tostada at the swim up bar. Life doesn’t get much better than that.
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed Puerto Vallarta and was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get there (from California). I would absolutely go back and would aim to explore the Romantic Zone a lot more. The Marriott was a great accommodation, however it could be fun to stay closer to the action next time.
Other Ideas
- Islas Marietas Tour
- Cooking class
- Book an all inclusive resort
- Explore the Zona Romantica
- Beach day
- Climb the Mirador el Cerro de la Cruz
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