How to plan the day in PV?

[lovebears]

Our cruise is in two weeks! Our first port and longest day in port is at PV. What is the best use of time for only the one day. There are so many choices for shore excursions, and it is overwhelming to decide how to have the best fun there. What transportation is avaiable? Does anyoe know about the Rhino tour and how to book it? Thanks!

[mexico8]

Our cruise is in two weeks! Our first port and longest day in port is at PV. What is the best use of time for only the one day. There are so many choices for shore excursions, and it is overwhelming to decide how to have the best fun there. What transportation is avaiable? Does anyoe know about the Rhino tour and how to book it? Thanks!

I spend a few months in PV every winter. I don't know anything about the Rhino tour but transportation is easy. About 2 minutes from the port there is a local bus that will take you to the downtown area for about 50 cents. Taxi's will also be close by and it shouldn't cost much to go into town (it's only about 10 minutes by cab). There is an oceanside promenade (called the Malecon) and you can walk for miles and enjoy the view of the ocean. On the other side of the street there are many shops and restaurants and lots of benches to sit.

[Jeff in Torrance]

I agree with Mexico8.

 

Puerta Vallarta is very charming, and an easy bus ride (cost about 50 cents each way - 5.5 pesos) from the main highway just outside the public dock area. Take the "Centro" bus, which goes as far as the old plaza before turning around. On returning look for the "Walmart" bus. Some of the drivers are obviously insane; so, you'll probably get an exciting bus ride. There is also a Sam's Club and Walmart across the highway from the dock. The old town center has great walking, shopping, nice beaches and the old cathedral. We have also just walked south along the beach from the dock and relaxed on lounges at the many resort hotels along the beach. Once we are in the old part of town we sometimes walk up the very steep side streets, where lovely and interesting homes are located. On our last visit we met a local expatriate, who recommended a Spanish tapa restaurant about two blocks away (up the hill a couple of blocks, and off the regular tourist path). We spent $20 for two good Mexican beers, lunch for two, and tip. A nice quiet place. There is decent shopping in town, although you don't find many real gargains. Prices for most goods are cheaper in the states than in Mexico, except for things like leather goods, shoes, and other things that you might not find at home.

[lovevacadays]

What types of things do you like to do? You might want to take a morning excursion and then go into PV by the Malecon in the afternoon. There are so many fun things to do in Puerto Vallarta as well as the opportunity on some excursions to see a couple of villages and areas right outside of PV. As mentioned, you can take the bus or a taxi is about $6 into town. Go outside the pier area to the street to catch a taxi. They are usually a little cheaper than the taxi's waiting right next to where the ships dock. If you take a taxi, be sure and agree upon the price before you get in.

[sunshine426]

I agree with Mexico8.

 

Puerta Vallarta is very charming, and an easy bus ride (cost about 50 cents each way - 5.5 pesos) from the main highway just outside the public dock area. Take the "Centro" bus, which goes as far as the old plaza before turning around. On returning look for the "Walmart" bus. Some of the drivers are obviously insane; so, you'll probably get an exciting bus ride. There is also a Sam's Club and Walmart across the highway from the dock. The old town center has great walking, shopping, nice beaches and the old cathedral. We have also just walked south along the beach from the dock and relaxed on lounges at the many resort hotels along the beach. Once we are in the old part of town we sometimes walk up the very steep side streets, where lovely and interesting homes are located. On our last visit we met a local expatriate, who recommended a Spanish tapa restaurant about two blocks away (up the hill a couple of blocks, and off the regular tourist path). We spent $20 for two good Mexican beers, lunch for two, and tip. A nice quiet place. There is decent shopping in town, although you don't find many real gargains. Prices for most goods are cheaper in the states than in Mexico, except for things like leather goods, shoes, and other things that you might not find at home.

 

I'm not really interested in shopping, unless it is something very unique to the area and easily packed. These ideas are all great as sometimes we jjust like to take a nice long walk, but not into all the typical shops right by the cruise port. We are interested in touring a tequila distillery and have seen ranch veranos listed as a possibility. I know that we can get a ship's tour, but is this easily arranged by local taxi? We do like to walk on a beach, sit in a restaurant and watch the water. Not really into the big resorts with the swim up bars etc that seem so popular with many cruisers. Any other suggestions for this port will be appreciated.

[MSN-Travelers]

I'm not really interested in shopping, unless it is something very unique to the area and easily packed. These ideas are all great as sometimes we jjust like to take a nice long walk, but not into all the typical shops right by the cruise port. We are interested in touring a tequila distillery and have seen ranch veranos listed as a possibility. I know that we can get a ship's tour, but is this easily arranged by local taxi? We do like to walk on a beach, sit in a restaurant and watch the water. Not really into the big resorts with the swim up bars etc that seem so popular with many cruisers. Any other suggestions for this port will be appreciated.

 

Vallarta doesn't really have any production distilleries. There are a number of small demonstration facilities that will tell you how tequila is made and then try to sell you their product, which is made off-site. Nearly all of these "tequila factories" are supported by traffic from organized tours. As long as you go to one of these places for the entertainment value, then they are worth the trip. You will not get the chance to try tequila from different distilleries, just their family product. The one you have found, "Rancho Verano", is located about an hour south of Vallarta and is way off the beaten path.

 

This web site will give you basic information on the city and has very good up-to-date maps- http://www.vallarta-info.com/

 

A major distillery in the city of Tequila, La Cofradia, has a string has a string of "factory outlet stores" in the downtown area. You can sample a variety of their products. http://www.tequilacofradia.com.mx/ Know that there will be a timeshare pitch at the end of any tasting session.

 

What hours will you be in Vallarta? This will help us give you better suggestion on how to spend your time in Vallarta.

[lovebears]

we are in PV our longest day. 8am-10pm not really into ziplining but any other suggetions would be great :-) Thanks!

[lovebears]

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we are in PV our longest day. 8am-10pm not really into ziplining but any other suggetions would be great :-) Thanks!

[sunshine426]

We are on the Sapphire Princess arriving in PV at 10am, departing at 6pm. December 1, 2009.

We like seeing the towns we visit, but not the diamonds international areas. We like making purchases of things that are either handcrafted or unique to the area, again, not the jewelry stores, or the shot glass shops.

While we like beaches and pools, we don't really want to spend a day at a resort.

 

Overall our favorite shore excursions on other cruises have been active ones, but that have guides: bike and brew in Alaska, biking in Volcano National Park in Hawaii, scuba diving in Hawaii and snorkeling and sailing in the Caribbean.

 

So, with that said, any tips and advise will be great. We are planning on horseback riding in Mazatlan, and viewing the Arches, sealions, and lunch in Cabo.

[TCF]

We visited Rancho Veranos distillery in April. It is well worth the time. We booked a van and driver through Johann and Sandra.....they are tour brokers that advertise at the top of the thread pages here. The cost was about half of anything we saw on the ship excursions.

 

Mel...our driver/guide.... toured us around PV to all the 'in town' sites then we went out into the countryside to the distillery and other scenic locations. He was knowledgeable about the area and spoke excellent English....which works very well when your Spanish is as embarrassingly horrible as mine!!

 

It was a great afternoon/early evening in PV!!!