With its inventive food scene, excellent beaches and “Night of the Iguana” mystique, the city makes the perfect weekend getaway.
Despite its reputation for numerous Señor Frogs and lowbrow all-inclusive resorts, Puerto Vallarta — and especially the older part known as Viejo Vallarta — was actually once one of the country’s most glamorous getaways, with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton among the A-list fans. Now the destination is drawing a new set of stylish devotees for its vibrant local community and charming architecture, as opposed to the coastal towns built in the last decades just for tourists. Because of this authentic but still party-happy vibe and the excellent beaches, Puerto Vallarta has become one of the country’s preferred getaways, both for snowbirds and for visitors looking for a long weekend escape. But it is not just sun and sand that make “P.V.” (as it is known locally) a draw, but the new generation of shops, restaurants and galleries that have grown up in the old town’s storefronts. A growing food scene, including hole-in-the-wall taco spots and new restaurants with up-and-coming chefs, makes it one of Mexico’s best eating cities. And with a plethora of gay bars and clubs (and a four-year-old Gay Pride event), the city has the deserved reputation for being one of the most L.G.B.T.-friendly destinations south of the border.
