Last Updated on December 30, 2023 by Natalie
Are there things to do in Puerto Vallarta with kids? Luckily, the answer is yes! There are many options to keep the whole family entertained. From snorkeling, to board walks, to beaches, to great art, Puerto Vallarta delivers a cool vibe and welcomes families. Let’s see what we can get into in this lovely Mexican city!
Guide to Puerto Vallarta with Kids
We’ve visited Puerto Vallarta twice, first when the kids were just barely out of the toddler stage (4 and 5) and again when they were 7 and 8. We drove from Queretaro to Puerto Vallarta (which takes about 8.5 hours and is a great road trip). However, many of you will fly directly into Puerto Vallarta from their home airports. If you’re planning to road trip around Mexico and you decide to drive to Puerto Vallarta from Guadalajara, a new highway opened between the two cities in 2018 and it does shave off an hour from the drive. I advise tourists to always take the cuotas (toll roads) and drive only during the day. Please remember to exchange your dollars into pesos for this purpose.
Here are some awesome Puerto Vallarta kids activities!
Best Things to do in Puerto Vallarta with Kids
We went in 2020, things are a bit different than they were previously. Should you choose to travel, you will have to wear masks in public areas, for tours, in hotels, etc. That being said, the vibe in Puerto Vallarta was pretty relaxed even so. Things are a lot different in 2024!
Before your trip, remember to pack your ocean safe sunscreen and I definitely recommend a swim shirt (rash guard) for the kids.
Disclaimer
Blissmersion is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Posts on this site might contain affiliate links. If you click them and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. We pay for all of our excursions with our own money.
The Best Puerto Vallarta Boat Tour
If you want your time in Puerto Vallarta to truly shine, there is one tour I highly recommend (that I paid for with my own money). We took the Bioluminescent Plankton Boat Tour by Jet’s Private Boat Tours one evening and it was magical. It is something that has to be experienced because photos just can’t capture the experience. We just happened to read this book beforehand, so the kids were excited to see marine bioluminescence in action. We hopped on the boat at our 9 pm departure time and then headed out to Los Arcos Park, where there are dark tunnels and caves to go into and see the lights better. The water is black until you put your hand into it and swirl it around. Then, it lights up like a galaxy of stars.
This tour is one of a kind and an unique things to do in Puerto Vallarta. It’s my secret tip and I think one of the best kept secret boat tours in Puerto Vallarta!
Why should you book with Jet’s? Jet’s is committed to raising the standard of living for Mexicans and pays the boat crews and tour guides double wages. The company is also committed to helping the environment and have eco-friendly measures in place (such as only using reusable water bottles). The tour guides are also top notch – and yes, they speak English!
If the Bioluminescent Plankton Boat Tour starts too late for your little ones, Jet’s Private Boat Tours also has other wonderful tours, such as this one to Yelapa.
Blissmersion readers get 10% any Panga boat tour they choose at Jet’s! Use code: Bliss10
Remember to use the code for your discount!
Some of the artwork on the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta
The Malecón
The Malecón is 1.6 km boardwalk. Yes, it’s touristy. However, it’s also beautiful, exciting, and shouldn’t be skipped. Plus, it’s free (except for taxi or parking, if you aren’t staying close). There are shops of all varieties along one side and the Pacific is on the other. Even if you don’t want to see the shops or get a picture with the Puerto Vallarta sign, go to see the sculptures that line the walkway.
Another highlight was getting gelato. It’s so satisfying on a hot day. I finally got to try a “mermaid” flavor called spirulina algae. The funny thing is that prior to eating it in ice cream, I’ve never particularly cared for the flavor of spirulina. I ate the algae ice cream along with berry flavored. Oh my stars, the berry flavor was wonderful.
The Malecón was a favorite of ours due to the variety of shops, art work, and interesting things to do with kids in Puerto Vallarta.
The Dance of the Flyers in Puerto Vallarta.
Danza de los Voladores (Dance of the Flyers)
What to do in Puerto Vallarta with kids? See the Voladores!
We walked along the Malecon twice. The second time, we were lucky enough to stumble into a performance of Danza de los Voladores (Dance of the Flyers). Four participants (all men) climbed a very tall pole (though we missed this part and our first sight of the performers was seeing them all sitting far above us on top of the pole). One performer started playing music and just like that, they all “flew” off their seats and gracefully glided to the ground as the ropes they used slowly untwisted.
While this is being done to entertain and awe the tourists, the Danza de los Voladores has a rich cultural history. The Ritual Ceremy of the Voladores of Papantla was recognized in 2009 by UNESCO as Intangible cultural heritage (ICH).
I was so thankful to be able to see this incredible ceremony, especially with the pacific ocean as the backdrop to their performance. I hope to be able to see another performance (or two) while we live here because it is so incredible!
Playa Los Muertos, Puerto Vallarta.
Los Muertos Beach or Playa de los Muertos
Los Muertos Beach (Beach of the Dead) is the best known beach in Puerto Vallarta. Of course, that also means it attracts a lot of tourists. Along the beach are restaurants, hotels, and nightclubs. It’s considered to be one of the best beaches in Puerto Vallarta and I found that it lived up to the hype. The famous pier is found at this beach, which is fun to walk around, too. The water is fairly calm and I think it’s a good family beach. Be aware that due to its popularity, it might be too busy for comfort. An awesome alternative is Palmares beach.
Visit other Puerto Vallarta beaches
Our accommodations were on Playa de Oro (Golden Beach) in the hotel zone. It’s a gorgeous beach, too. There are other wonderful beaches in and around Puerto Vallarta, including Palmares, Los Animas, and Yelapa. The latter two are accessible by boat.
I really enjoyed Los Animas.
Algae (blue) and berry gelato from a shop along the Malecon.
Esterto El Salado
The estuary is a surprise in the middle of the city. The tour takes you on a boat ride through the river and the mangroves, where you will see some wildlife and learn about the “Lungs of Vallarta.” At the end of the tour, you can hold a baby crocodile. Normally, I’m anti-animal petting and holding, however, it sounds like they are doing a lot of valuable work at Esterto El Salado and I believe they aren’t putting the animals in danger. Reservations for Esterto El Salado are required.
La Isla Mall
La Isla Mall is a beautiful mall that happened to be next to the Grand Venetian, where we were staying during our first visit. Though I didn’t opt to spend a lot of time there, we did walk through and tried a restaurant. It is a nice break to stay out of the sun for a bit on a hot afternoon. It’s a great place to shop for needed items or to have a yummy meal.
Museo Naval, Puerto Vallarta
It’s nice to visit Museums to take a break from the hot, mid-day sun. If you have older kids who are history buffs, they might be interested in seeing this. Younger kids might enjoy the ship steering simulator (heck, the whole family might like that!)
Plaza de las Armas
We stumbled up the Plaza de las Armas as we walked along the Malecon. It’s considered a gathering place and you will also find local artists set up selling their creations (in fact, they will be all throughout the Malecon). They aren’t pushy. In the evenings, the plaza is home to free performances of various genres. The Arches are dramatic, especially against the Pacific backdrop.
Puerto Vallarta Excursions
As per usual with ocean side tourist destinations, there are many tours and excursions you can book. There are so many fun things to do in Puerto Vallarta and surrounding areas. Here are other awesome activities that are available!
The view from the Grand Venetian pool in Puerto Vallarta.
Things to Consider Not Doing in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta Zoo
The Puerto Vallarta Zoo has some mixed reviews online. Many people mention that you get a bag of food at the entrance and you can get pretty close to to the animals as you feed them. Should the public be feeding the zoo animals? Should the public be close enough to touch them? Next, the cages are small, but the animals do appear to be well fed. Finally, they do have an area where you can get your pictures with baby animals like tigers. After finding this out, it is unlikely that I will be able to ethically support this activity.
Aquaventure Park
Your mileage may vary on this one. Admission to the park (check prices and availability) includes access to the water park, but NOT the animal attractions. This one is worth considering if you only do the water park activities and avoid the animal attractions (why should we avoid animal attractions?)
Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta with Kids
The view from our condo. It was relaxing!
VRBO, Airbnb, Etc.
We had the good fortune of staying at a wonderful Airbnb nestled in the Grand Venetian complex. There are 5 pools available and beach access. If you book through Airbnb, VRBO, or other similar website, and a pool is important to you, ask if the pool will be available during your stay. I heard a rumor that a lot of pool maintenance is done during the summer. In fact, my first reservation had to be cancelled because the pool was closed for maintenance for several months.
We loved our condo. The host even brought over a brand new coffee maker the first morning of our stay because there wasn’t one already. The condo had an ocean view and the complex had not three, not four, but FIVE pools for guests/owners. Three were infinity pools and two of those had basically zero entry areas that my kids really enjoyed. I worried about our first vacation rental experience for no reason (isn’t that often how it is?)
All Inclusive Resort in Puerto Vallarta
There are so many all inclusive resorts in Puerto Vallarta, which can make choosing a good one a challenge. We loved this amazing resort that is right on the beach! The room was spacious and clean, which is always helpful with a family. The food was phenomenal, too! We upgraded to the ocean view room, which put us on the 10th floor with an unobstructed, amazing ocean view. Another bonus is that there’s a small, protected cove on the beach just to the left of the hotel. We found this area awesome for swimming when the ocean waves were a bit rough for us. We also didn’t get bombarded with people trying to sell a timeshare/vacation club product. Best of all, there was a coffee shop in the lobby as part of the all inclusive offerings where you could get specialty coffee drinks and espresso every day (which I definitely did!)
Should I Go to Puerto Vallarta with Kids?
Absolutely!
Puerto Vallarta is a wonderful destination for families. There many Puerto Vallarta kid friendly activities available from awesome tours to relaxing on one of the wonderful beaches. It’s a great, family friendly destination and I can’t wait to visit again!
Do you have feedback on Puerto Vallarta with kids? My best recommendations come from readers like you! Please share your thoughts in the comments.
