Trip IdeasFodor's Puerto Vallarta 2010
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About This Book
Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Puerto Vallarta!
•Updated annually, Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.
•Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Puerto Vallarta.
•Experience Puerto Vallarta like a local! Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta includes unique photo features that impart the resort’s culture, covering its sophisticated culinary scene, chic spas, and renowned traditions---from mariachi to fine tequila.
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. Although you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in Puerto Vallarta!
•Updated annually, Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta provides the most accurate and up-to-date information available in a guidebook.
•Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta features options for a variety of budgets, interests, and tastes, so you make the choices to plan your trip of a lifetime.
•If it’s not worth your time, it’s not in this book. Fodor’s discriminating ratings, including our top tier Fodor’s Choice designations, ensure that you’ll know about the most interesting and enjoyable places in Puerto Vallarta.
•Experience Puerto Vallarta like a local! Fodor’s Puerto Vallarta includes unique photo features that impart the resort’s culture, covering its sophisticated culinary scene, chic spas, and renowned traditions---from mariachi to fine tequila.
•Indispensable, customized trip planning tools include “Top Reasons to Go,” “Word of Mouth” advice from other travelers, and tips to help save money, bypass lines, and avoid common travel pitfalls.
Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers.
Table of Contents
Be a Fodor’s Correspondent............3
About This Book............6
Chapter 1: Experience Puerto Vallarta............11
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta............12
Puerto Vallarta Planner............14
Top Experiences............16
The Malecón............17
Top Puerto Vallarta Attractions............18
Cruising to Puerto Vallarta............20
Gay Puerto Vallarta............21
Weddings and Honeymoons............23
Kids and Families............25
Great Itineraries............27
Snapshot of Puerto Vallarta............29
Festivals and Events............34
Chapter 2: Beaches............37
Beach Regions............38
Puerto Vallarta............40
Nayarit............43
South of Puerto Vallarta............49
Costalegre............53
Chapter 3: Adventure............59
Cruises............60
Land Sports............62
Water Sports............68
Wildlife-Watching............74
Chapter 4: Where to Stay............79
Where to Stay Planner............80
Puerto Vallarta............83
Nayarit............100
Costalegre............114
Chapter 5: Where to Eat............121
Where to Eat Planner............122
Puerto Vallarta............124
Nayarit............138
Costalegre............149
Chapter 6: Shopping............151
Puerto Vallarta............155
Nayarit............174
Chapter 7: After Dark............177
Puerto Vallarta............179
Nayarit............192
Chapter 8: Overnight Excursions............193
Excursions from Puerto Vallarta............194
Excursions Planner............196
San Blas and Environs............199
The Mountain Towns............205
The Guadalajara Region............213
Understanding Puerto Vallarta............241
History............242
Chronology............245
Books and Movies............247
Spanish Vocabulary............248
Travel Smart Puerto Vallarta............257
Getting Here & Around............258
Essentials............264
Index............278
About Our Writer............288
PUERTO VALLARTA IN FOCUS
Where to Stay
SPAAAHH............102
Where to Eat
Mexico’s Gourmet Town............139
Shopping
The Art of the Huichol............166
After Dark
¡Tequila! ............180
Overnight Excursions
Mariachi: Born in Jalisco............223
MAPS
Puerto Vallarta............7
The Central Pacific Coast............8-9
Zona Romántica, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera............10
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta............12-13
Banderas Bay Beaches............42
North of the Bay Beaches............47
Costalegre Beaches............55
Where to Stay in Zona Romántica............85
Where to Stay In and Around Centro............91
Where to Stay in Marina Vallarta............95
Where to Stay in Banderas Bay............99
Where to Stay North of the Bay............113
Where to Stay in Costalegre............116
Where to Eat in Zona Romántica............125
Where to Eat In and Around Centro............131
Where to Eat in Marina Vallarta ............136
Where to Eat In and Around Banderas Bay............144
Shopping in Zona Romántica............158
Shopping in and Around Centro............162
Shopping in Marina Vallarta............172
Excursions from Puerto Vallarta............194-195
San Blas............200
Inland Mountain Towns............207
Greater Guadalajara............216-217
Historic Guadalajara............220
Tlaquepaque............228
About This Book............6
Chapter 1: Experience Puerto Vallarta............11
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta............12
Puerto Vallarta Planner............14
Top Experiences............16
The Malecón............17
Top Puerto Vallarta Attractions............18
Cruising to Puerto Vallarta............20
Gay Puerto Vallarta............21
Weddings and Honeymoons............23
Kids and Families............25
Great Itineraries............27
Snapshot of Puerto Vallarta............29
Festivals and Events............34
Chapter 2: Beaches............37
Beach Regions............38
Puerto Vallarta............40
Nayarit............43
South of Puerto Vallarta............49
Costalegre............53
Chapter 3: Adventure............59
Cruises............60
Land Sports............62
Water Sports............68
Wildlife-Watching............74
Chapter 4: Where to Stay............79
Where to Stay Planner............80
Puerto Vallarta............83
Nayarit............100
Costalegre............114
Chapter 5: Where to Eat............121
Where to Eat Planner............122
Puerto Vallarta............124
Nayarit............138
Costalegre............149
Chapter 6: Shopping............151
Puerto Vallarta............155
Nayarit............174
Chapter 7: After Dark............177
Puerto Vallarta............179
Nayarit............192
Chapter 8: Overnight Excursions............193
Excursions from Puerto Vallarta............194
Excursions Planner............196
San Blas and Environs............199
The Mountain Towns............205
The Guadalajara Region............213
Understanding Puerto Vallarta............241
History............242
Chronology............245
Books and Movies............247
Spanish Vocabulary............248
Travel Smart Puerto Vallarta............257
Getting Here & Around............258
Essentials............264
Index............278
About Our Writer............288
PUERTO VALLARTA IN FOCUS
Where to Stay
SPAAAHH............102
Where to Eat
Mexico’s Gourmet Town............139
Shopping
The Art of the Huichol............166
After Dark
¡Tequila! ............180
Overnight Excursions
Mariachi: Born in Jalisco............223
MAPS
Puerto Vallarta............7
The Central Pacific Coast............8-9
Zona Romántica, El Centro, and Zona Hotelera............10
Welcome to Puerto Vallarta............12-13
Banderas Bay Beaches............42
North of the Bay Beaches............47
Costalegre Beaches............55
Where to Stay in Zona Romántica............85
Where to Stay In and Around Centro............91
Where to Stay in Marina Vallarta............95
Where to Stay in Banderas Bay............99
Where to Stay North of the Bay............113
Where to Stay in Costalegre............116
Where to Eat in Zona Romántica............125
Where to Eat In and Around Centro............131
Where to Eat in Marina Vallarta ............136
Where to Eat In and Around Banderas Bay............144
Shopping in Zona Romántica............158
Shopping in and Around Centro............162
Shopping in Marina Vallarta............172
Excursions from Puerto Vallarta............194-195
San Blas............200
Inland Mountain Towns............207
Greater Guadalajara............216-217
Historic Guadalajara............220
Tlaquepaque............228
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