AKA Our favorite place in the world!!
Navigating The Airport
Puerto Vallarta’s airport is rapidly expanding and things are starting to get a little crazy (in a good way!). Here is the flow of the airport once you land in PV … deboard the plane, go through customs, pass a bathroom + liquor store + money exchange area, get your bag at baggage claim, go through another security check where you may be randomly selected to have your bag checked, walk through the “Shark Tank” (more on this later), pass by some ATM’s and then you will arrive in the taxi area!
Our Top Tips For Navigating The Airport
1. Do not exchange your money (US, CAD, etc) for Pesos at the teller! When you get off the plane and through customs you will see a male + female bathroom and liquor store. Directly next to the liquor store is a currency exchange area that you should NOT exchange your money at. The exchange rate is terrible here. You will have an opportunity later to get a better exchange rate.
2. Only travel with a carry on when possible! The baggage claim area can get busy FAST and the lines can build up. If you travel with only a carry on then you’ll be able to breeze right by everyone else and enjoy your trip sooner! Here is the link to our favorite XL carry on bag that can fit sooo much stuff.
3. Once you get through the baggage claim and security check point you will enter the “Shark Tank” … this is very important so read closely!!! The staff in this room will try and get your attention by asking you questions like “do you have your cab scheduled?” … “where are you staying?” … etc … but they are really trying to bait you into a conversation so they can sell you a timeshare, excursions and more. You should just breeze through this area as quick as possible, while politely ignoring any sales tactics that they try on you! We made a video about this area and posted it on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, whichever you prefer!
4. If you need to get Pesos out immediately, once you pass through the Shark Tank you will find a handful of ATMs that have much better exchange rates. Most ATMs have an “English” option once you put your card in, so look for that to make your life easier! We normally will get some pesos out here but then we’ll ask our cab driver to stop at a real bank on the way to our hotel in order to get the best exchange rate possible at the ATM’s connected to the bank! We normally go to a BANAMEX or BANORTE, although we’ve never ran into issues using any of the ones recommended by the locals.
5. Cabs aren’t cheap from the airport, and you really have 2 options for transportation. The first option is when you walk outside and look to your right, you’ll see a window for booking a taxi. If you prefer convenience, this is the best spot to grab a taxi (pro tip – paying with pesos will often get you a better rate). If you don’t mind a short walk to save some $$$, you can take the pedestrian bridge across the street, where you can either grab a cab or an Uber for a cheaper price. To find this pedestrian bridge, take a left directly after walking out of the airport, walk all the way to the end, and take one more left to locate the entrance to the bridge. Don’t want to lug your suitcases all the way across the bridge? At the entrance to the bridge, you can often find a baggage porter who will take your suitcases up & across the bridge for a tip.
6. The staff is very helpful!! So are the locals / frequent PV travelers. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help if you need it!
Where to Stay
When traveling to Puerto Vallarta, you have a TON of options to choose from. In this section, we’ll break down our favorites, including our favorite budget stay, our overall favorite resort, and our favorite family-friendly option!
Favorite Budget Stay: Villa Del Palmar Spa & Resort
We have been going to PV for over 25 years and for many of these years, we stayed at the exact same place! Austin’s grandmother (aka “Oma”) owned a timeshare at Villa Del Palmar and it just became a tradition to go here, even years after her timeshare expired. The reason we enjoy staying at Villa Del Palmar is because it’s beautiful, accessible and affordable!
With 3 pools, 2 hot tubs, gym, sauna, pickle-ball + volleyball courts and a beautiful beach, this place is tough to beat for the price. They have an all inclusive option but we never get it because the food around town is why we go to PV! We normally check in and immediately walk across the street to Soriana (think of it like a massive grocery store / department store inside of a mall). We LOAD up on provisions: breakfast stuff, lunch stuff and of course beers + liquor. We love making margaritas and palomas. The resort has no issue with you enjoying your own food and beverages while on property. This allows us to save money so we can splurge at dinner! Prices vary on time of year but we typically can find rates around $80-$120/night. The rooms are a bit outdated but the beds are comfy and you won’t spend much time in your room anyways! Our video linked here will give you even more insight to Villa Del Palmar!
During one of our most recent trips to PV in Feb 2023 we ventured away from Villa Del Palmar because of a timeshare hookup (watch on IG, FB or TikTok) that we had from a very nice lady we met in 2022. We spent 4 nights at Hotel Mousai and 3 nights in an Airbnb on the Malecon.
Favorite Luxury Stay: Hotel Mousai
The only AAA 5 star diamond rated resort in Vallarta. This place was absolutely INSANE! Two adult-only towers with incredible rooftop pools and restaurants. Hotel Mousai offers both an all-inclusive package or “accommodation only” option. We went with the accommodation only option because we LOVE getting off resort and exploring all that Vallarta has to offer, but if you’re looking for a quality all-inclusive package, this is your spot! Our video linked here will give you a ton of insight about Hotel Mousai!
Our favorite part about Hotel Mousai was the rooftop pool. The only thing that we didn’t absolutely love was that the beach was a 5 min trolley ride away. However, the trolleys ran every 15 minutes so it wasn’t a big deal!
Favorite Family-Friendly Stay: Garza Blanca
If you want to stay closer to the beach … a great option for a slightly more affordable accommodation (compared to Hotel Mousai) is Garza Blanca! These are sister resorts so they share a lot of restaurants and amenities, however, Garza Blanca is family friendly while Hotel Mousai is adults only. Garza Blanca is a larger property and closer to the beach, but you won’t be able to use the legendary rooftop pool of Hotel Mousai. You can’t go wrong with either resort … feel free to check out pricing and availability here!
One Last Option … Stay in an Airbnb / VRBO
PV has sooooooo many rentals via Airbnb and VRBO! Recently, we have absolutely loved breaking up our trip into two portions: staying on resort for the first half, then staying directly on the Malecon in a condo rental for the second half. We recommend finding a spot in the heart of the action with a rooftop pool! During our last trip to PV, we stayed in the Rivera Molino Condos and loved it!
Restaurants
The food in PV is unlike anywhere else in the WORLD!!! We cannot begin to explain how incredible the dining options are here. From $1 street tacos to 5 star dining and everything in between – you’ll find it all. There are our favorite restaurants and why!
Pipi’s – The Original
You can’t go to PV without going to Pipi’s at least once. We normally go twice in a 7 day trip because it’s that good. It’s extremely affordable and highly entertaining. Here you’ll find a daily mariachi band, flaming fajitas, and free (yes, FREE) table side guac. Just don’t forget to tip 😉
We don’t want to give away too much because you need to experience it for yourself. Just trust us on this one – we wouldn’t steer ya wrong!
La Leche
If you want an extremely unique dining experience with high quality food and a fun atmosphere, this is the place to come. It’s a bit pricey, but 100% worth visiting! We always have a blast coming here and the food + drinks are out of this world. Later into the evening, this place becomes even more of a vibe – when the clock strikes 9pm, a DJ comes on and they turn on the disco ball!
Food Park PV
Across the street from La Leche and Villa Del Palmar is Food Park PV. This eatery is basically a bunch of food trucks with every food option imaginable! The prices are crazy cheap with great portion sizes. We love getting sushi, tacos, and thin-crust pizza here.
La Palapa
This is our favorite restaurant in the Romantic Zone of Vallarta. Just south of the famous Malecon is an incredible area filled with bars, restaurants and cafes all on the water! This place has been around forever and has the most consistent food, service and atmosphere. Highly recommend getting a reservation if visiting during busy season!
Pro tip: get the Coconut shrimp – best in town!
Tuna Azul
This is Austin’s favorite place for fresh tuna and cheap drinks! Arguably the best Happy Hour deal we’ve ever seen as well!! A must visit in the Romantic Zone.
Bars
Devil’s Bar
We visit the Devil’s Bar every single time we walk by it (which happens a lot since it’s in the heart of the Malecon!) … it’s an unsuspecting, “dive-bar” vibe with great music and UNBELIEVABLE drinks. Courtney calls this her “best margarita in PV,” because they use FRESH fruit! If you visit here, keep an eye out for our name signed on the wall, a Maxwells Travel sticker, and a Kanga Coolers sticker!
Por Favor Saloon
Looking for live music and cheap beer? Por Favor Saloon is an awesome place to people watch, dance, and enjoy a couple cold ones!
Must-See & Must-Do!
Have a Boat Day
A few of our favorite companies are …
Galilea Charters & Austin’s Tours
Go To Playa De Mismaloya
This is our favorite local beach & fishing village just 15 min south of the Malecon. They have the nicest people and cheapest massages, only $20-30 for an hour! Ask for Roger … he’s our favorite bartender. This is also a common pick-up point for our previously mentioned Galilea Charters owned by Sergio.
Marietas Islands
Speaking of Sergio – book a tour with him to Marietas Islands! This is a super cool cave that you swim to and get to explore. Sergio will take amazing care of you on this tour!
Play Volleyball and Get Some Fruit From The Beach Vendors
Fresh fruit from the local vendors is a MUST – a large bowl (pictured) is commonly 100 pesos (~5 USD).
Day Trip To Punta Mita, Sayulita & Bucerias
Take a cab about an hour north of the airport and visit the local towns Punta Mita, Sayulita and Bucerias! So many food options and places to shop. The beaches are beautiful as well. Our favorite lunch spot was Lobster Paradise in Punta Mita.
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5 thoughts on “The Ultimate Guide To Puerto Vallarta Mexico”
Would you ever consider buying property in PV or Bucerias? We love that area. But I don’t know about the value of owning a property there.
absolutely we’ve always dreamed about owning there! It appears to be quite a process and you typically have to pay in cash, they don’t have many financing options. We would love to own a condo in the next 5 years
Thank you for your quick reply. We were looking in Bucerias, an easy Uber back to PV. We are selling our business and would have the cash to buy. Our kids think we are nuts at 65 and 70 years old to do this. I say you are as young as you feel. I’m no stranger to owning Airbnbs and like anything else, prices are just going to keep going up and up!
DO ITTTTT!!!!!
You left out Pancho’s Takos. Best place in PV by far!