Where my Sayulita blog post was a bit of a guide, this Puerto Vallarta post is a bit more limited to pictures. I was only in Puerto Vallarta for two days and two nights. I would have loved to have had more time here!
The most memorable parts about my stay in Puerto Vallarta were the amazing street art, the art galleries, Isla Cuale (also known as Cat Island), our jungle hike to the hidden beaches south of Puerto Vallarta, the beautiful beach sunsets of Banderas Bay, and the Romantic District after dark. Of course, the food was also incredible!
I have to agree with my good friend, Sarah, who brought me on this trip. It takes three days in a new place to get your bearings. I don’t feel like I’m in a place to create a guide to such a remarkable city. But, I’m happy to share my trip highlights and plenty of beautiful photos!
Let’s start with the Puerto Vallarta street art!
There are incredible murals pretty much everywhere you look in Puerto Vallarta. I was staying at Hotel Porto Allegro just north of the Romantic District and a few blocks from the beach. I don’t think you can walk down a single block on any street in that area without coming face to face with a big, beautiful painting on the side of a building. Some of the buildings were completely covered in incredible artwork.
I’ve dedicated a separate blog post to the murals in Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta.
Go check out the amazing colors!
Puerto Vallarta Art Galleries
With only 2 days in Puerto Vallarta, I felt very rushed walking through the various art galleries. At each one, the gallery owner, who was often one of the artists, was happy to guide me around and answer questions. The artwork was absolutely phenomenal. Most of the galleries had signs requesting that no pictures be taken, so you’ll have to visit some of the websites to get an idea of just how incredible these small galleries are.
The next time I’m in Puerto Vallarta, I hope to participate in one of the weekly Art Walks. For 2024/2025, these take place every Wednesday from October 30 to June 25th, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. They visit 19 galleries in the Historic Center of Puerto Vallarta.
Here’s a guide to the Art Walk galleries should you have the opportunity to wander through them on your own. There are links to the galleries included on that map. That’s where you can find pictures and information about the artists.
Isla Cuale
I could have spent all day enjoying Isla Cuale, also endearingly known as Cat Island. In addition to the countless vendors selling the most colorful of souvenirs, Isla Cuale is home to dozens of feral cats. These cats are cared for by Pause4Pause and the owners of Rico Indian Restaurant, which is an absolutely delightful spot to enjoy dinner. If you are a cat lover, be sure to check out my Cat Island blog post. You can also help support this kitty colony by clicking here!
Jungle Hike to Hidden Beaches
I spent a couple hours scrolling through various adventures around Puerto Vallarta. My kiddo wanted to do more snorkeling and a jungle hike. I was hoping to see more whales and possibly some dolphins and other sea life. Whatever your crazy side is yearning for, you can probably find it at a pretty reasonable price. I settled on a jungle hike with snorkeling at the hidden beaches of Banderas Bay. For only $35USD per person, this ended up being a fantastic decision.
Be sure to head over to my Jungle Hike blog post to see where our amazing guide, “Johnny Jungle” lead us along an awesome trail through the jungle right next to the water. We stopped at six beaches only accessible on foot or by boat and got gorgeous pictures along the way!
Puerto Vallarta Beach Sunsets
Getting to a good sunset vantage point during our stay in Sayulita was a bit tricky. But, you could find hundreds of people lining the beaches and boardwalk to enjoy the westward facing beaches as the sun went down. Sit in the sand, on the rocks, find a gap in vendors on the boardwalk, or grab a seat at one of the many restaurants along the water’s edge.
The first night in Puerto Vallarta, Kaia and I shared a delicious slice of flan from a seaside vendor while watching the sailboats dressing up the beautiful sunset. The second night, we wore our new dresses, and danced on the beach as the sun went down before settling in for dinner at Cuates y Cuetes. There were two delightful bands playing during our meal and the food was fantastic!
The Romantic District
The Romantic District of Puerto Vallarta, or Zona Romantica, is also known as Old Town Puerto Vallarta. Day or night, this is a delightful area to wander around. You’ll enjoy the colorful buildings, street art, shops, and the ocean board walk (also known as The Malecon) during the day. At night, the bars were hopping even on a Sunday night!
I barely skimmed the surface of this remarkable city and cannot wait for an opportunity to return.
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