Puerto Vallarta

Outdoorsy Vallarta switches gears after dark and rocks into the wee hours. When the beachgoers and sightseers have been showered and fed, Vallarta kicks up its heels and puts the baby to bed. Happy hour in martini lounges sets the stage for an evening that might include a show, live music, or just hobnobbing under the stars at a rooftop bar.

Many hotels have Mexican fiesta dinner shows, which can be lavish affairs with buffet dinners, folk dances, and even fireworks. Tour groups and individuals—mainly middle-age and older Americans and Canadians—make up the audience at the Saturday-night buffet dinner show at Playa Los Arcos and other hotels. Vaqueros (cowboys) do rope tricks and dancers perform Mexican regional or pseudo-Aztec dances. The late-late crowd gets down after midnight at dance clubs, some of which stay open until 6 am.

The scene mellows as you head north and south of Puerto Vallarta. In Punta Mita (aka Punta de Mita), Bucerías, Sayulita, and San Francisco (aka San Pancho), local restaurants provide live music; the owners usually scare up someone good once or twice a week in high season. Along the Costalegre, tranquility reigns. Most people head here for relaxation, and nightlife generally takes the form of stargazing, drink in hand. If you're visiting June through October (low season), attend live performances whenever offered, as they are few and far between.

Although there's definitely crossover, many Mexicans favor the upscale bars and clubs of the Hotel Zone and Marina Vallarta hotels, while foreigners tend to like the Mexican flavor of places downtown and on the south side (the Zona Romántica), where dress is decidedly more casual.

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  • 1. Act2PV

    A breath of fresh air in the nightlife scene of Puerto Vallarta, Act2PV is a multigenre theater, cabaret, and sophisticated bar all in one. On the top floor of a little shopping center in Zona Romántica, it offers a great diversity of shows, both on the Main Stage and in the more intimate Red Room. Altogether, it's an excellent option for a different kind of night out in Puerto Vallarta. 

    Calle Basilio Badillo 330, 48380, Mexico
    322-222–1512
  • 2. El Solar

    This oceanfront bar is just the way a beach bar is supposed to be—small, hip, and laid-back—making it a real pleasure to enjoy a beer while watching the waves of Playa Camarones. There's live music on Friday night and a DJ on Saturday. There's always a good vibe, and if you feel like having a bite, you can always ask the waiter to bring you some food from their next-door sister restaurant, El Barracuda.

    Calle Paraguay 1290, 48350, Mexico
    322-222--4034
  • 3. La Santa

    The trendiest club in town and a favorite of locals and foreigners, La Santa has two different dance floors, one playing electronic and house music and the other mixing a variety of pop and rock in English and Spanish. There is a stylish swimming pool in the second room, where things can sometimes get a bit out of control. It has some great parties, but can get a bit too crowded.

    Francisco Medina Ascencio 2468, at Av. Fluvial Vallarta, 48312, Mexico
    322-321--3994

    Nightlife Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Wed.
  • 4. Los Muertos Brewing Company

    If you love a good beer, Los Muertos Brewing Company is for you. The first craft brewery in Puerto Vallarta offers a relaxed atmosphere and the best beer on tap in town. It's a mix between a typical cantina and a traditional sports bar and they have a selection of rock and pop both in English and Spanish. Young gringos love it, and it's also getting attention from locals who come for the pizzas and stay for the beer.

    Calle Lázaro Cárdenas 302, 48380, Mexico
    322-222–0308
  • 5. Roxy Rock House

    Puerto Vallarta's only rock house is a very energetic club that features live music every night at 11 pm. Roxy is an institution and one of the few places that attracts all kinds of visitors—you'll find nationals and foreigners of all ages on the premises, and they're not afraid to sing and dance. 

    Ignacio L. Vallarta 217, 48300, Mexico
    322-105--8515

    Nightlife Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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  • 6. Strana

    This stylish nightclub can seem a bit small, but it features an enormous dance floor. The light and sound systems are state-of-the-art, which is highly appreciated by the world-famous DJs that come here to mix it up. They play mostly electronic dance music (EDM), but, as the night goes on, you'll also hear some '80s and '90s pop-rock hits. 

    Francisco Medina Ascencio 2125, 48333, Mexico
    322-107--5324

    Nightlife Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Wed.
  • 7. Almacén Cocktail

    This high-end cocktail bar is frequented by young affluent locals. The atmosphere is sophisticated and stylish, and the design of the place is quite impressive. From Thursday to Sunday it gets really busy and it's a good spot to kick off the night.

    Calle Popa s/n, 48335, Mexico
    322-221--2188
  • 8. Apaches

    PV's original martini bar, Apaches is the landing zone for expats reconnoitering after a long day, and a warm-up for night owls. When the outside tables get jam-packed in high season, the overflow heads into the narrow bar and the adjacent, equally narrow bistro. If you're traveling alone, this is the place to make friends of all ages.

    Av. Olas Altas 439, 48380, Mexico
    322-141--6752
  • 9. Blue Chairs

    In addition to its famous beach scene, Blue Chairs, at the south end of Los Muertos Beach, has the popular Blue Sunset Rooftop Bar, which is the perfect place to watch the sunset. It has daily late-afternoon and evening entertainment, and is open to the public between 3 and 11 pm; after that, it's hotel guests only.

    Malecón 4, 48380, Mexico
    322-222–5040
  • 10. Burros Bar

    Right on the sand across from Parque Lázaro Cárdenas, this restaurant-bar has bargain brewskis and equally inexpensive fruity margaritas by the pitcher. The seafood is less than inspired, but nachos and other munchies are good accompaniments to the drinks. Watch the waves and listen to Bob Marley and the Gipsy Kings among lots of gringo couples and a few middle-age Mexican vacationers.

    Av. Olas Altas 280, at Calle Lázaro Cárdenas, 48380, Mexico
    322-222–0112
  • 11. Café San Angel

    A classic of the Olas Altas/Zona Romántica scene, Café San Angel used to be the place where one would go for a coffee, grab a book (English or Spanish), and enjoy the slow pace of Vallarta’s afternoons. Today it has evolved into a lively mix between a breakfast spot and a trendy burger grill. They still have books and sofas, but the pace is not as slow as it used to be.

    Av. Olas Altas 449, 48380, Mexico
    322-294--0417
  • 12. Cheleros Bar

    Cheleros Bar is the perfect place to have a beer and watch the sunset in a nice and comfortable setting. 

    Av. Miguel López de Legazpi 250, Mexico
    315-355--5122
  • 13. Disco Jarro Beach Sports Bar

    This popular bar by the beach shows most live sports events, features a pool table, and plays good dance music until 4 am every day.

    Av. Miguel López de Legazpi s/n, Mexico
    315-100--2020
  • 14. El Soñador

    El Soñador is a small but cool and unpretentious bar where you can have a cold beer or a fancy cocktail, and play pool downstairs or dance on their rooftop terrace. 

    Ignacio L. Vallarta 229, Mexico
    322-100--3828
  • 15. Garbo

    This isn't necessarily the kind of place where you'll strike up a conversation with the guy on the next barstool; rather, it's an upscale place to go with friends for a sophisticated, air-conditioned drink or two. A musician plays piano or gentle jazz on weekend nights during high season, less often the rest of the year. Garbo, renowned for its martinis, is primarily a gay club but is straight friendly.

    Calle Púlpito 142, at Av. Olas Altas, 48380, Mexico
    322-223–5753
  • 16. Jax Bar and Grill

    Live music is played in this simple but fun grill. You can also enjoy burgers, steak, salads, and tacos here, as well as blues and good rock.

    Av. México 17, at Calle Miguel Hidalgo, 63732, Mexico
  • 17. JB Disco Club

    Originally located in the Hotel Zone, JB has now moved, with all its Latin rhythms, to the Zona Romántica. It's the best club in town for salsa, hands down. The crowd varies but tends toward the 30s–40s age group, and because JB is serious about dancing, it feels young at heart. It's a favorite of locals and upbeat expats alike.

    Calle Francisco I. Madero 178, 48333, Mexico
    322-224–4616

    Nightlife Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.–Tues.
  • 18. La Bodeguita del Medio

    People of all ages come to salsa and drink mojitos made with Cuban rum at this wonderful Cuban bar and restaurant with a friendly vibe. The small dance floor fills up as soon as the house sextet starts playing around 9:30 pm. There's no cover.

    Paseo Díaz Ordaz 858, 48300, Mexico
    322-223--1585
  • 19. La Madalena

    A cool—although a bit posh—bar with the largest TV screen in Puerto Vallarta, it attracts locals for "pre-copa" (pre-drinks) and to watch big soccer or boxing matches.

    Francisco Medina Ascencio 2025, 48333, Mexico
    322-135--9982
  • 20. La Noche

    This charming martini lounge has red walls and a huge, eye-catching chandelier. Gringo-owned, it attracts a crowd of gay 20- to 40-year-old men (a mix of foreigners and Mexicans). Electronica and house music are the favorites. But, to get back to the martinis, the house makes excellent cocktails, and they're not too expensive, either. Make sure to visit the spectacular rooftop garden. 

    Calle Lázaro Cárdenas 263, 48380, Mexico
    322-222–3364

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