Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

The beachfront Holiday Inn Beach Resort Puerto Vallarta is located in Puerto Vallarta's hotel zone, approximately two miles from Puerto Vallarta International Airport. Hotel amenities include a free-form pool, a sandy beach with mountain views, the Lobby Bar, La Isla Bar (located in the middle of the pool), activities program (in pool and on the beach), kids program, two tennis courts, a basketball court, and full health club with spa. Room service is available. Other services include valet laundry service, babysitting, and computer equipment. The hotel also has a beauty shop, tobacco shop, pharmacy, currency exchange desk, and shopping arcade. All rooms have air-conditioning, private balconies (overlooking the beach and bay), full bathrooms, digital telephones, voicemail, security boxes, coffeemakers, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards, and satellite TVs.

Puerto Vallarta is a popular vacation resort on the Western Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Jalisco. Along with its cobblestone streets, stunning beaches, plentiful marine life, lush Sierra Madre Mountains, exceptional restaurants, fine Gourmet Festival, new golf courses and vibrant culture, Puerto Vallarta is a vacationer's paradise that has maintained its unique Old Mexico charm despite the addition of these modern conveniences.

Around the Bay, beautiful beaches, lush jungles and sparkling waterfalls offer many opportunities for the adventurous, while five star resorts, world-class shopping and gourmet restaurants satisfy even the most sophisticated traveler. Stretching from the south end of Old Town to central downtown, a newly extended and refurbished boardwalk along the ocean, called the Malecon, often plays host to mimes, breakdancers, clowns and artists.

Puerto Vallarta has many activities and excursions to keep you entertained. The adventurous can hike or mountain bike in the hills, explore the jungle and hidden trails on horseback, take a jeep safari, snorkel, scuba dive, charter a yacht or sailboat, or take a cruise on one of the many party boats.

The Vallarta Boardwalk, known as the Malecón, is a favorite place among locals to have all sorts of events, and at the beginning of Spring they gladly celebrate with a parade and a few musical events in its open air amphitheater. Spring also marks the birth of one of Mexico's favorite presidents, Benito Juarez, considered by some as the Lincoln of Mexico. So, it being a National Holiday, paraders and party-goers abound.

Sit down and get ready to enjoy traditional Italian foods prepared with love and attention. The Garlic and Anchovy Spaghetti is not for anyone afraid of strong flavors, but everyone else will enjoy this powerful blending of tastes. The restaurant also offers homemade sausage and big sandwiches. Everything is moderately priced, and the staff is competent and friendly. The recommended attire here is resort casual.

As tequila begins to achieve worldwide prominence as a libation, the owners of this liquor shop smile. They have always known the magic of good tequila, and what a difference the brand (hence quality) can make. Excellent cigars are also available for purchase, or they can be enjoyed along with the array of tequilas, in the adjacent garden bar area. If tequila is a mystery to you, this is a great place to start cracking open its secrets, with good prices and a wide selection.

Every year, the Club de Pesca de Puerto Vallarta A.C. invites all fishing enthusiasts to participate in its traditional sailfish tournament. Several categories with different prizes are available. Sailfish, Marlin, Tuna, Wahoo and Dorado categories for the best catch offer different tournament levels and prizes. Sponsored by many important Mexican companies and the government, the tournament has grown to be recognized as a world-class championship. The waters around Puerto Vallarta are filled with very diverse fish populations, offering good competition. To preserve the environment, total catch trophies and smallest fish caught are not considered in the competition.

This shop provides a good selection of unusual and local music on CDs, and in a few cases, cassettes. It is a great place to shop and be able to take home some of the musical vibrations experienced here in Puerto Vallarta. Also, check out the book selection, which includes many titles specifically related to Mexican culture and music. At night, the adjacent nightclub draws in music lovers from all over the world for a different kind of groove.

This renowned cafe claims to be "one of the best restaurants in the world" and has the reviews to support that notion. Chef Thierry Blouet was recently named a Maitre Cuisenaire de France. The menu changes seasonally; a recent offering included grilled lamb chops cooked with local spices and balsamic vinegar, served with a garlic creme brulee. The desserts are also extraordinary. The self-described dress code is "dressy to casual," but you may wish to dress up a bit. Located across the street from the Galerie des Artistes.