Many people think of Cancun and the gulf when they think of Mexico vacations, but Puerto Vallarta was absolutely amazing. It's on the side of the Pacific ocean, and south enough that the water is warm.
Getting There...
I hadn't planned on flying her away to PV, I hadn't really even researched it that much. Mexico wasn't the most appealing idea given its hyper touristy stereotype and that fact we really prefer to experience new places and cultures. In other words, all-inclusive resorts and places like Cancun are the opposite of what we aim for.
That said, cheap trips change minds. When a great deal comes along... Flying out of Kansas City, we were able to book 6 days 7 nights at the #1 bed and breakfast and, including flights, transportation and lodging were less than $1200 for 2 people. $600/person for a full week in the tropics, including airfare... That type of deal is hard to turn down.
Rivera del Rio
The BnB we reserved was unbelievable. It was a few blocks from the ocean, but was super cute and with impeccable service. It's no wonder they're the top spot on Tripadvisor [2022 update: they're #2 now].
The pool and deck area were great, the views of the surrounding hillsides from the room's balcony were beautiful, and the rooms were postcard worthy.
There's even a fruit market nearby that has really cool exotic fruits.
The Beach and Waterfront!
Traveling to PV in June has both pros and cons. The best part was that it was off season...it wasn't too crowded, this was the most crowded part of the beach.
The worst part was that there's a reason it's off season, it was hot!
There is a lot of beach frontage to walk, a gorgeous pier, a beautiful promenade, and lots of waterfront restaurants. Some of the beach is sandy, some is rocky, and there are artists along the promenade that do rock balancing, sand sculptures, and spray paint art.
Beach Views:
Arts and Crafts:
Incredible Food...
We were told the food would be great and we weren't disappointed. There are so many restaurants, both with local food and with international concepts, that were all delicious. Check out Tripadvisor or ask the locals and you really can't go wrong.
Whatever you do, you must eat at Ocean Grill Vallarta. This was one of the more incredible experiences of the trip. Not just because the food and mojitos were some of the best we'd had, the little cove had the prettiest water on the trip. It's a journey to get there...a bus ride from Puerto Vallarta plus a boat ride to the restaurant, but it was worth it.
Ocean Grill:
New Adventure -- Flyboarding!
On a whim, we saw that flyboarding was pretty reasonable and decided to give it a try. This is a board strapped to your feet where the water jet from a jet-ski is piped through a hose to propel the rider upward.
With a few minutes of lessons, we were both able to get up and ride and really enjoyed it. It's something that we'll definitely do it again.
