Puerto Vallarta Attractions: Festival Gourmet International

Though it’s a little early to be thinking about this event, it’s never too early to plan a vacation. And personally, food is always on my mind!  What I’m referring to is the Festival Gourmet International in Puerto Vallarta! 

Every November visitors get to dive into a night of delicious dishes with cuisine from around the world. In Banderas Bay, food and drink lovers get to experience the cookery of local chefs, chefs from all over Mexico, and chefs from across the ocean! Food tastings are held throughout the duration of the 10-day festival; along with cooking classes, education in wine pairings and tequila tastings. Participating chefs and restaurants will have you begging for more than just a sampling of the savory flavors that they have to offer.  

The festival ends with a bang as a firework show dazzles the crowd. Spaces for this event go quickly so make your reservation today! If you’re planning a Vallarta visit in November 2010, this event is one you won’t want to miss.

Puerto Vallarta Vacations: Spring Break 2010

For some students, spring break is in as little as 2 weeks away. Scrambling trying to find plans? Consider Puerto Vallarta, you’ve still got some time to book! Puerto Vallarta offers an exciting nightlife, fun excursions and perfect tanning conditions for college students looking to get away with friends. 

Many of the resorts will offer spring break packages or student rates that sweeten the deal. And, as much as Puerto Vallarta is a very family friendly destination; students know when it shows up on sites like StudentCity.com and Gradcity.com that they’ve got the party aspect of spring break covered. 

Hot spots include places like your standard, Senor Frogs to local dance clubs like El Zoo downtown. For those wondering, the legal drinking age is 18; making Puerto Vallarta that much more appealing to thirsty spring-breakers. The nightlife here will definitely give students more than one or two facebook albums to fill up. 

For daytime activities, most students love water sports like jet skiing and many indulge in the booze cruises that can be booked by the hotel concierge. College students looking for a spring break party on the beach should consider making their memories this year in Puerto Vallarta!

Puerto Vallarta Attractions: Botanical Gardens ATV tour

When it comes to vacationing, there are those who feel the best way to escape is to lounge by the pool, thoughtless, with the most physical activity being a reach for their daiquiri. But where is the real escape for the get up and go crowd? If you’re someone looking for an adventure, the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden 5-hour ATV tour could satisfy your “call of the wild”. You start off your journey in the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens. Enjoy the view of the lush rain forest and the garden’s colorful orchids. While riding your very own ATV or sharing one with a relative, try to keep your eyes on the road, the gorgeous, natural waterfalls could be distracting!

The first stop on your tour will be to the village of Las Juntas y Veranos where the Don Chendo Tequila Distillery is. You’ll get to learn how tequila is made and taste some local varieties. One tequila, two tequila, three tequila…Hey, get back on your ATV!

Next, the tour stops at the Los Veranos petting zoo. You’ll have the opportunity to hold monkeys, a python, and tropical birds. Some other critters include tarantulas and scorpions; but we promise, petting every animal is completely optional!

Finally, you’ll ride to Chico’s Paradise. Hope you remembered your bathing suit! Here, cliff divers will impress you with their best tricks before you take a dip in the river yourself. Enjoy some playtime in the water and take a ride down the waterfall slide.

Although you’ll be wishing this day would never end, your expedition returns to the Botanical Gardens for either lunch or dinner (depending on your tour time) at the Plantation Restaurant.

You can book a tour for either 9:45am or 2:00pm and it’ll run for 5 hours. The price of the tour includes your one or two-person ATV, all of your equipment, entrance to the gardens, petting zoo and the tequila tasting. All you need to bring is a bathing suit, your driver’s license (to be eligible to drive your own ATV), extra money for meals, and of course, a craving for some adventure!

By: Brittany Mignanelli

Puerto Vallarta Attractions: Aquaventuras Water Park

Not enough water at the beach and the pool? Well, that’s hard to believe; but if you’re looking for some extra excitement and even more water, there’s a place you’ve got to visit on your Puerto Vallarta vacation. Aquaventuras Park is a 15-acre water park that has fun for the whole family.

However, this won’t be your typical water park experience. Along with several pool areas, ten toboggan water slides and a relaxing lazy river, Aquaventuras has some pretty talented creatures that you may want to meet. That’s right, you can get both an adventurous day at the park as well as the ever-popular dolphin encounter that so many vacationers enjoy. But, if you’ve already gotten kisses from dolphins, how about giving sea lions a try? At Aquaventuras, you have the opportunity to swim with both of these amazing animals.

So, when you’re done speeding down water slides and swimming with dolphins and sea lions, head on over to the sea lion show at 12:30 pm and the dolphin show at 1:00. These adorable, aquatic performers live to make you laugh with their outrageous stunts.

My biggest tip for your Aquaventuras day? Don’t forget your camera. This is one Puerta Vallarta experience that you’ll want to remember forever!

By: Brittany Mignanelli

A bird's eye view of Puerto Vallarta

The activities are never ending in Puerto Vallarta ranging from family fun in the day to parties in the nightlife. Today, I'm going to share my experience zip-lining through a jungle dubbed “Los Veranos.” In one word, it was breathtaking. Words can't effectively describe flying through a jungle, suspended in mid air, through the tops of lush canopies and finally over the Orquidias river.

It may sound cheesy but I literally felt like a bird. I mean, it felt like I was flying in midair like one and when I looked to my left and right I saw birds. And I am not talking about pigeons or any other average day American bird - colorful, tropical, exotic birds. I literally locked eyes with a Toucan! Not to mention other sightings of wild monkeys and ridiculous looking insects (not my favorite part, not the hugest fan of bugs). But it was an authentic experience! This was the bird’s eye view of paradise.

After your adventure through the jungle tops you fly over the rushing Orquidias River. The refreshing breeze off the river is just what you need after flying through the humid jungle canopies. It was somewhat of an adrenaline rush, to say the least, to look down from 500 feet to find only air between you and a roaring river. A rush I thoroughly enjoyed. The tour in all was 3 hours, 2 miles and 14 zip lines. Once I finished I felt I had visited another world and glimpsed a side of life not everyone gets a chance to see.

I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed this so much, aside from the obvious, is that it was so different from what I usually do on my vacations in Mexico. This was far from the all-inclusive resort with the beach 100 feet away and a daiquiri in your hand. Don’t get me wrong, that style of vacation is amazing as well but it was refreshing to spice it up. This felt more authentic, rural and adventurous. The canopy tour was only 3 hours, probably 5 with transportation and everything involved, which still leaves a good 8-10 hours to hang by the pool with your piña colada. Not to mention the rest of the days you are there. My consensus is - visit Puerto Vallarta , relax by the beach, zip-line and repeat. I plan on doing so myself in the very near future.

Puerto Vallarta Vacation Villas

Puerto Vallarta has all sorts of vacation villas you can rent. These lodgings give you privacy, luxury, and convenient access to events, attractions, and activities. You will also find that they offer a very wide range of personal services in addition to their many amenities, and every villa is located near at least one key point of interest.

Casa Paty
Casa Paty is considered by most to be one of the best houses in all of Puerto Vallarta. This five bedroom house is situated in one of the best parts of the city, and it is a must rent if you are looking for access to events and activities. It has a private swimming pool, in-house chef, and a housekeeper. This is truly a luxury rental in every respect.

Villa Hereau
This Puerto Vallarta vacation villa was once a convertible studio that was later refurbished. It is located in the Romantic Zone and features an Olympic-size pool only 14 steps from the door. The best thing about this villa is a wall that is literally made entirely of windows that gives you a sweeping view of the blue expanses of the Pacific and Banderas Bay.

Villa Forloine
One of things that you will love about this moderately-priced vacation villa ($200 to $300 USD per night) is its enormous balcony. The unit itself is built to house up to five people, and the balcony is big enough for the entire group to get together for conversation and cocktails. Here, you can survey a great portion of the Pacific Ocean from multiple vantage points.

Casa O'Sullivan
Although this Puerto Vallarta vacation villa is only one story tall and has only one bedroom, it offers a tremendous amount of space. Built right on the beach, it gives you a seaside view of the water. Recently, it was renovated in a very special way. Modern conveniences were added in such a way as to preserve the traditional interior architecture and decorating.

Casa Hortencias
This Old Town Puerto Vallarta vacation villa is located very near Los Muertos Beach. It is a great place to stay if you want proximity to all the shops and restaurants that make Viejo Vallarta a favorite destination of travelers. Casa Hortensias features two bedroom suites with private baths and a third queen bedroom. Additional half baths are also located in the unit.

Condo Linda Vista
This is another Viejo Vallarta villa, featuring two bedrooms and two baths. It is only steps away from great dining, shopping, and local musical events. You can spend a week or two at this vacation villa and bask in the sea breezes while you experience a fantastic view of the area from its double level terrazas. Amenities include a built- in BBQ, an infinity pool, and a fully air-conditioned gym.

Puerto Vallarta Travel

Puerto Vallarta offers all sorts of activities, events, and sights for those who travel abroad. People who look for seclusion and privacy can find peace of mind in a quiet villa. Some villas are equivalent in price to hotel rooms, while others are custom homes epitomize the high life. Hotels of every variety can be found here, including all-Inclusive resorts.

Puerto Vallarta Tours
If you are an adventurer who prefers remote destinations to standing elbow-to-elbow with other tourists, there really is no place like Puerto Vallarta. Here, you can travel out to sea and watch humpback whales give birth to their calves, or you travel along the shore to watch the playful antics of Sea Lions. You can snorkel or scuba dive or you can cross the bay for an evening of traditional dance, music, and dinner on the beach. If the jungle is your passion, there are all sorts of eco tours that will take you into the heart of the wilderness.

Puerto Vallarta Fishing
The best time for Marlin fisherman to come to Puerto Vallarta is between the months of August and November and March and April. Fishing for Pacific Sailfish is excellent year round, and fishing for Dorado and Yellowfin Tuna fishing is consistent all summer long.

Puerto Vallarta Water Sports
The Bay of Banderas is the second largest bay in North America, with over 40 beaches along its shoreline. North of Puerto Vallarta, you can travel to beaches where the wind and water conditions are ideal for fast activity on the water. If tranquility is more your style, you can head south along the shoreline to the beaches that lie at the foot of the Sierra Madre Mountains.

Traditional Culture
Perhaps no major tourist destination in Mexico offers you the richness of authentic Mexican culture the way Puerto Vallarta does. Travel into nearby villages that date back to Spanish times, where the simple life still means the good life.

Weddings
If you are looking to get married in Mexico, consider Puerto Vallarta. Travel packages of all sorts can be purchased that include lodgings, catering, and event planning services. Puerto Vallarta wedding planners can coordinate every element of the event to give you the memories of a lifetime. Event planners can even help you find lodgings for guests at different income levels so everyone can afford to see you on your big day.