Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Puerto Vallarta?
Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Puerto Vallarta?
Many visitors spend three to five days in Puerto Vallarta during their visit. If you're not sure how much time you might need here, we have the answers because there's so much to see and do. This town offers a number of attractions to explore, including scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the restaurant scene, and the nightlife.
Puerto Vallarta is a popular resort town on the Pacific side of Mexico. It' has beautiful beaches and a range of outdoor adventure sports. People enjoy the charming center and the colorful restaurants. There's also a great nightlife scene.
Do you have one or two days to visit Puerto Vallarta? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.
Is one day enough time in Puerto Vallarta?
With only one day, you might feel a bit pressed for time to enjoy the beach and the other activities in this town. After all, The popular town of Puerto Vallarta has many activities and attractions for visitors. To fully embrace Puerto Vallarta, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate three to five days to go scuba diving or snorkeling, relax at the beach, enjoy a meal at a restaurant, and enjoy an evening out. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.
How to spend a day in Puerto Vallarta
Scuba diving and snorkeling around Puerto Vallarta is very popular. Spend the day exploring the beauty of the surrounding underwater world. Divers in the area may get to experience once in a lifetime opportunities like diving with manta rays, dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, or schools of jacks.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Los Arcos Snorkeling Puerto Vallarta ($79)
- Discover Scuba Diving Program ($162)
- Wild dolphins encounter & snorkeling ($110)
You'll absolutely want to spend some time enjoying the food scene in this town, so make sure you spend time at one of the local restaurants where you can taste the delicious cuisine for a meal or two. The charming character combined with the authentic local cuisine makes for a wonderful culinary experience. There's everything from taco stands to romantic restaurants that you can try.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ($59)
- Vallarta by Road Food Tour ($75)
- Taste of Pitillal Food Tour by Vallarta Food Tours ($55)
Puerto Vallarta is a very walkable city. With only a day in the town, you'll have no trouble exploring the local sights. There are several walkable neighborhoods in town such as 5 de Diciembre, el Centro, and Zona Romantica.
Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Puerto Vallarta?
As a popular town, Puerto Vallarta offers a large number of activities and attractions for visitors. A weekend is probably not enough time to enjoy the beach and other activities. You will likely feel rushed to see scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the restaurant scene, and the nightlife. To thoroughly enjoy your trip, you'd need more time, as most vacationers schedule at least 3 or as many as 5 days to fully experience the cultural town. Nevertheless, if time is of the essence, we have some nice suggestions for your visit.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
How to spend 2 days in Puerto Vallarta
With a weekend (two to three days) in Puerto Vallarta, you'll have a bit more time to enjoy everything that the town has to offer.
The beautiful beaches await you in Puerto Vallarta, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. There are many beaches spread out around town that have soft sand and blue water. Most have all of the amenities you could need. Popular beaches include Playa de los Muertos, Playa Mismaloya, and Playa Conchas Chinas.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Fun 2 hr Surf Lessons in Punta de Mita ($150)
- Private Los Arcos Snorkel and Beach Tour from Puerto Vallarta ($168)
- Natural Route, Hiking, Snorkeling and Boat Ride ($55)
This town is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. You'll find a mix of active clubs, cozy bars, and cosmopolitan cafes. Head to the Romantic Zone or Los Muertos Beach for some of the best places.
A few tour suggestions include:
- Secret Agave Bar Crawl in Vallarta ($98)
Public transit in Puerto Vallarta is easy and efficient. In just a few days, you should be able to get around the town quite easily. There are blue, green or orange buses that travel around town.
More Info
If you're looking for more information about Puerto Vallarta, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.
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