around the town

Five Must-Do’s When You Bring Your Children to Puerto Vallarta There are some incredibly fun things for kids to do in Puerto Vallarta. We often have guests with kiddies and find it’s not difficult to maintain a high level of entertainment. We have an ongoing list of adventures and pastimes and tend to let them […]

Amigos The concept of friendship is different in Puerto Vallarta than that of the United States and Canada. North Americans might have many friends, through school, fraternal organizations, church, the neighborhood, Facebook. In Mexico, an amigo is someone you are close to and you maintain that relationship, through good and bad times, no matter the

The Amazing GrackleWe love birds and for those who come to Puerto Vallarta with the intention of bird watching, there is a huge and entertaining variety up and down the coastline and into the jungle. Our personal favorite is the Common Grackle. They have similar manners to their northern neighbors, the crows, but have a

The Incredible Maple Forest of Talpa The lovely village of Talpa, east of Puerto Vallarta, is a wonderful getaway for a weekend or midweek for those of us without constraints. Though we have driven through, stopped for meals, shopped and even spent a night or two, it was a great surprise to learn about La

Our Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens The Botanical Gardens of Puerto Vallarta belongs to all of us, even though the curator Robert Price is the founder, developer, property owner and magician of this amazing venue south of town. Beginning with a magnificent yet simple lodge in 2004, Bob and his mother, Betty, who has since left

Iguanas Puerto Vallarta is famous for iguanas. It was here that the famous film based on the Tennessee Williams book The Night of the Iguana was filmed. Some people think iguanas were more plentiful during those times but that’s not true. We’ve heard rumors of iguanas disappearing on the Isla Cuale, being eaten my feral

The Zocalo Our introduction to the plaza in the center of Puerto Vallarta was definitely a gradual one. Over time we have found this to be one of the most magical, interesting and entertaining places in town. If you journey out of Puerto Vallarta and visit any city, town, or village, you will find a

Stormy Weather The first thing we tell visitors who inquire about our weather in Puerto Vallarta, is that it is a lot of things but always unpredictable. One can feel rain coming, see black heavy clouds on the horizon, essentially know a downpour is imminent and… nothing happens. The ceiling fans tick along, the air

Banda! We love this style of music, which we first discovered years ago at a rodeo in Sayulita on our first visit to Puerto Vallarta. Some may find it brash and loud but, to us it represents joy, liveliness and people having a darn good time. Wind and brass in large and small combinations make

Las Animas is the first stop made by the water taxis (pangas) on their way down the southern shoreline. Our first visit to the beach community of Las Animas was in the late ‘90’s and not much has changed. That’s what we like about it… there are a few more houses and some improvements to

Thursday Marina Market We love to take a Thursday trip out to the Marina in high season. The Marina Market was once a small shopping experience that we enjoyed before dinner at one of the fine marina restaurants. We would buy some vegetables and sometimes pick up bread or sweets from one of the bakers.

Independence Day in Mexico is traditionally celebrated on September 15, the eve of the actual event, just as most holidays in Puerto Vallarta and other cities. To take in all the merriment, the Malecón is the best place to observe the celebration. Expect thick crowds and lots of noise, as this festival seems to grow