Nightlife & the Arts in Acapulco

Acapulco's clubs are open nearly 365 days a year from about 10:30 PM until they empty out. The minute the sun slips over the horizon, the Costera comes alive. People mill around, window-shopping, choosing restaurants, generally biding their time until the disco hour. Many casual beach restaurants on the strip have live live music.

The resorts often have splashy entertainment, sometimes with big-name artists. At the very least such hotels have live music during happy hour, restaurant theme parties, dancing at a beach bar—or all three. For a more informal evening, head for the zócolo, where there's usually a band on weekend evenings.

The more expensive clubs have $20-$60 cover charges, sometimes including drinks and sometimes not. Women usually pay less than men. In general, a higher cover calls for dressier attire, i.e., no shorts. The more casual open-air bars are mostly free to enter, and shorts and T-shirts are common. Drinks cost $2-$5, and two-for-one drink specials during happy hour are common. The waiters depend on tips in the 15%-20% range. Note that Mexico's legal drinking age is 18.

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