Fiesta & Siesta: Where to Stay and Play in Mexico BridalGuide

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Hit the beach, museums and hottest restaurants in Mexico with these romantic city and beach itineraries.

By: Joe Yogerst

Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

Although the city itself wasn’t founded until the 1850s (making it almost brand new by Latin American standards), Puerto Vallarta has a long and sometimes notorious history. Pirates, smugglers and conquistadores were once attracted to the sheltered waters and lush hinterland of the Bahia de Banderas. After World War II, writers and artists started flocking here, creating a bohemian hub with a tropical slant. That vibe went global in 1964 when the movie Night of the Iguana was filmed on location here. Today, the city has a similar feel, with the beaches and seafood being the main attractions for a crowd that’s a mix of foreigners and nationals. Some say Puerto Vallarta has the best ceviche in all of Mexico. The city also sports a flea market, an archeological museum that traces the region’s pre-Colombian inhabitants, as well as movies and plays in the Belle Epoque-style Teatro Vallarta.

A bird’s-eye view of Puerto Vallarta.
Photo courtesy of Puerto Vallerta Tourism Board

Beginning on the shore of Banderas Bay is the Riviera Nayarit, a string of laid-back beach towns first visited in the 1980s by American surfers, which is now getting a must-see reputation among anyone who cherishes secluded strips of sand. Indeed, the surf is good, and there are plenty of places to rent boards and take lessons. And even if hanging 10 isn’t in your honeymoon plans, the Nayarit coast is a perfect place to while away a day (or two or three) sipping margaritas in a thatchedroof beach bar and occasionally going for a dip in the warm, tropical waters. Away from the shore, Nayarit offers numerous other distractions, including golf at several championship-quality courses, horseback riding, jungle ziplines and off-road vehicle adventures.

Opportunities for water sports abound on the Pacific coast’s Riviera Nayarit.
Photo courtesy of: Riviera Nayarit CVB/ Mark Callanan