My daughter, her husband and the cutest grandchild ever would like to take a vacation in Mexico at the beginning of January for a week or so and have asked me to help research. I know little about Mexico so thought I'd ask the experts here.

They are looking for a family friendly low-key place, ideally with a beach and pool but don't need a lot of activities as their little one will have just turned a year old. A kitchenette would be helpful. Budget is always a concern so they are not looking for high-end luxury but would like a comfortable, safe location. I believe they'd like to stay under $250 (ideally less) per night. They live near San Francisco so I think the Pacific side of Mexico would be more convenient and would lessen flight times.

I've heard Puerto Vallarta is fairly safe but would love your suggestions and advice. Thank you!

I also see Cabo San Lucas is considered a good family area. Thoughts?

I can help. I've been to Puerto Vallarta 30+ times (been going there since the early 90s). I am female and most often travel solo. PV is a lovely city and they can easily find what they are looking for in that price range. For myself, I rent a condo now (used to stay in a basic local-style Mexican hotel) and give about $100usd/night. There are different areas of PV... from the airport heading north there is a resort area called Nuevo Vallarta with larger resorts. From the airport heading south you have: The Marina, Hotel Zone, Centro (downtown), Zona Romantica (old town), then the Southshore along the coast. The airport code is PVR. Beach and pool, super easy to find... literally probably 100 choices.

I've been to Cabo San Lucas but only once. There the airport is much further from the cities... there are two: San Jose del Cabo, the tourist "Corridor" of resorts in between, the Cabo San Lucas. In Cabo there is Medano beach and the Marina area with resorts. It is more expensive and more 'Americanized' than PV.

Either would be fine for what they are seeking. Flight time SFO to PVR is just under 4 hours, to Cabo even a bit less than that.

buena suerte/good luck, suze

Adding... temperatures would be about the same both places in January, expecting 80F by day and maybe down to 60sF at night.

Thank you, suze!!

https://vallartainfo.com/puerto-vallarta-bay-map/
Here are maps. Click up and down to move around the different areas and see some of the resort and hotel options.

If they get to narrowing down specific places to stay, or want suggestions, feel free to post back. I'll check in again soon.

Thanks for your help, suze! They are ideally looking for a family friendly, place to relax that has a pool and beach and air conditioning. If it is an all-inclusive place, then they don't need a kitchenette but they'd like a kitchenette at a non-inclusive spot. They don't need a lot of bells and whistles or a fancy resort as they'll be traveling with their one year old but would like either good food at the place where they're staying or access to nearby tasty (but not high end) restaurants featuring local cuisine. They are not shoppers but do enjoy culture, history and strolling. They do watch their money carefully but appreciate a splurge now and then.

If that rather lengthy description makes you easily think of a place, that would be great. If not, they are doing some research and I'll likely return with questions about a few places. Thanks again!

I think they're now just focusing on Puerto Vallarta which narrows it down very slightly.

As far as local restaurants there are literally hundreds (I think I read the count is something like 900!) in town PV. Once they choose where they will be staying we can make them a list of places close by. The area of the city I know best is Zona Romantica (aka Old Town or Southside, as it that neighborhood is south of the Rio Cuale, the river that cuts thru between Centro and ZR).

If they want a condo with a kitchen I'd look first at www.pvrpv.com. It's the local rental agency I've used most recently and is well-respected with a large inventory of properties.

For All Inclusive hotels there is Playa Los Arcos and San Marino in Zona Romantica or Buenaventura in Hotel Zone. There are other AIs out in the Hotel Zone and Marina but I am not personally familiar with those other than location.

If they want a basic local hotel I've stayed here many times: https://hotelposadaderoger.com/ Cute small family-run place with a pool and a restaurant (Fredy's El Tucan) in the same building. It's a couple blocks from the beach. Street name is Basilo Badillo (also dubbed "restaurant row").

Feel free to name names as they do their research. Likely I will know something about most of the places. I'm very active on the Trip Advisor Puerto Vallarta forum (besides going to PV once or twice every year for decades) so feel fairly up-to-date.
suze