Located in Jalisco, the westernmost state of Central Mexico overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Puerto Vallarta is easily accessible from Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Phoenix and Newark. The general currency is pesos and the time zone is Central Time. Visitors should plan their meals accordingly, since they are served a little later than in the United States. Breakfast can be enjoyed from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., lunch from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Do not drink the water unless it is purified at the hotel or restaurant, or if it is bottled.
It rains frequently in Puerto Vallarta (it is surrounded by the rainforest), with the rainy season being from June to September. During this time it can rain 10 to 15 days out of the month. During the summer, temperatures can climb up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the high humidity makes it feel even hotter. In the winter, temperatures go down to the low 80s during the day and the 60s and 70s during the evenings.
Puerto Vallarta offers activities that you can't find in too many other places. Take in a bullfight on Wednesdays from November until April at the Toros Plaza, swim and communicate with the dolphins through Wildlife Connection Tours or Vallarta Adventures, soar through the tree tops in the rain forest on a canopy tour with Canopy Tours de Los Veranos and experience an authentic Mexican fiesta at a local hotel or restaurant. Fiestas include an array of Mexican foods, drinks and entertainment.
The beautiful natural setting of Puerto Vallarta provides nonstop water activities. Relax on the beaches of Marina Vallarta and Boca de Tomates, take a boat ride out to Los Arcos or Islas Marietas to snorkel, scuba dive or fish at Banderas Bay. Book a jet rental or parasailing ride through your hotel.
All things Mexico are for sale in Puerto Vallarta. Shoppers can indulge in brown glass pottery, leather sandals and hurachas, artwork by local artists and handmade resort ware. Shop at small stands by the beach, at local hotels, at the main flea market next to the Rio Cuale or on the main downtown shopping district along Juárez and Morelos Streets.
