50th birthday in Puerto Vallarta

[ndstanley]

We will be celebrating my DW's 50th birthday in Puerto Vallarta and am looking for a special restaurant or shopping experience or other excursion for her.  We are very active and will have our 15 yo son with us so we are up for anything.  Thanks in advance.

[riffatsea]

 

 

Hi,

I cannot tell from your post if you are overnight in PV or just for the day??

Have you looked to see the excursions offered by your ship to get an idea of some of the possibilities?

There's everything from zip lining to gardens to boat trips to food tasting and evening entertainment.

I'd take a look to see what sounds like fun and then come back and tell folks who might be able to suggest private tour operators instead of the ones run by the cruise line.

It is hard to make suggestions without really knowing what you'd enjoy.

We often just walk out of the port and get a taxi to the malecon which is the boardwalk along the ocean where there are shops and restaurants and tour operators.

[Hlitner]

On 9/14/2019 at 12:19 AM, ndstanley said:

We will be celebrating my DW's 50th birthday in Puerto Vallarta and am looking for a special restaurant or shopping experience or other excursion for her.  We are very active and will have our 15 yo son with us so we are up for anything.  Thanks in advance.

What time do you have to be back on the ship?  The reason I ask is that we do have some terrific restaurants in PV, but many of our favorites are only open for dinner.  If we are just talking about lunch there are quite a few options but they are not what I would categorize as "special" restaurants.  You also need to make a decision whether you want to simply do things on your own (DIY), take a cruise line excursion, or book a private tour.  Ine (who is usually around this blog) and I can certainly help you with any kind of DIY day and lunch options.  If you would like to hire a private guide/driver I can also make some suggestions.  But keep in mind that Puerto Vallarta is a tourist-friendly area (there are more than 50,000 Canadians and Americans living in the area) and very safe.  DIY is relatively easy and you can take advantage of reasonably priced taxis (they are everywhere), Uber, or the local buses.  Many visitors prefer to spend their entire day in town (which consists of "Centro" and the Old Town (Zona Romantica) which are adjacent areas separated by a tiny river.  The reality is that if you are all mobile and can handle a few miles of walking it is very easy to grab a taxi or bus into town (about 3 miles from the port) and then spend your day walking, shopping, and eating.   If you prefer to something a bit more organized (and touristy) there is the excursion (on almost every cruise) to Las Caletas which is a long boat ride (from the port) to a private area that has a decent beach, food, and adjacent jungle area.  There are also other tour options such as "swimming with Dolphins" (very commercial) and there is even a water park (this is pretty far out of town).

 

The reason I said that Ine and I can help is because we both live in PV for part of the year.  I think there are a few others who contribute to this blog who also live in PV for part of the year.

 

Hank

[57redbird]

Again, don't know your time frame but Tours With Roberto can customize whatever you want to do----he's Canadian & has lived in PV for years.  Great rates, great guide ---- check him out on Trip Advisor.   I'm thinking maybe a trip to Sayulita for lunch....

[Ine]

Just walking along the Malecon and the section near the pier in old town will give you a great time. Many shops, restaurants (many right on the Beach) and some nice streets with cobblestones.  Check this website with some good maps and info: https://vallartainfo.com/

Something special might be a.o. a zipline tour. Our favorites are  1. Canopy River, high in the mountain at a beautiful spot. https://canopyriver.com/en/

or 2. Los Veranos, more south of Vallarta. https://canopytours-vallarta.com/

In season Sayulita can be very busy with tourists and in the past it got a bad reputation beause of sewage problems.

 

[ndstanley]

Thanks everyone.  We are only in port until 6 pm and while my son and I would probably have a blast at zip lining, she may not, at least for her birthday.  Definitely going to check out Roberto on trip advisor and have heard great thinks about some of the areas to walk around.  Looks like an early dinner spot won't really pan out, but walking and shopping are right up her alley. 

 

Thanks again for the tips.