Puerto Vallarta highlights

Spouse & I arrived at the Puerto Vallarta airport just before noon on Tues 1/31.  We taxied to the condo we rented on VRBO.com and checked in.  (Be sure to look at the photos!)  It was everything we expected and more!  We thought it might be a bit small from the photos but it was perfect.  The terrace was huge (dining table and 4 chairs, 2 loungers, built-in grill, potted plants), had amazing ocean, city, and mountain views, and we spent a LOT of time on it.  Here's the view from the terrace:

Seriously, this is what we saw from the loungers.  Amazing!

And here is the view looking down over the railing:

Spouse & I walked the blocks to the beach and had lunch at El Dorado, and outdoor restaurant right on the beach.  Then we went for a walk along the beach, then stopped at a corner market to pick up some food items before heading back to the condo to wait for the Newlyweds.  Once they dropped their luggage the 4 of us sat out on the terrace and enjoyed the view as we talked and began catching up with each other.  A couple hours later when we were all hungry we went to dinner at Cafe Bohemia.  We'd not been there on our previous trip and it looked like a fun, lively place.  All the tables were outside, which we love, and after we finished eating our waiter brought us all sombreros and took our picture.

We walked around a little, then went to Bear Karaoke (Beareoke) at Blue Chairs on their rooftop deck.  Jamie & I both sang and got free shots of tequila.  Then the 4 of us headed back to the condo and talked out on the terrace until bedtime.

Wed we had breakfast at the condo, then went to the beach.  We walked over to the Blue Chairs beach resort because you can get chairs and umbrellas for free as long as you order food or drinks, of which we did both.  The exchange rate was so favorable everything seemed so cheap!  As an example, an average-priced dinner at most restaurants was around $150 pesos, which when converted came to about $7 USD.  So we didn't skimp when it came to eating and drinking.  While at the Blue Chairs beach resort we ran into our friends John & David who live near us!  Small world.  After a few hours at the beach we returned to the condo for showers and naps, then had cocktails on the terrace followed by dinner at a little hole in the wall called Jorge's Hideaway.  The food was absolutely amazing - probably my favorite meal of the trip!  Then we walked to CC Slaughters for a white party.

Spouse & me ready for the White Party

Spouse & Michael at the White Party

Spouse & me enjoying a tasty Pina Colada at the White Party

When we'd had our fill of dancing and the loud thump-thump-thump of the music, we walked across the street to a new open-air bar called Mr Flamingo for cocktails.  Our friends John & David told us about it since its new.  The music was great and we had a really fun time there.

Thurs morning we had a light breakfast at the condo, talked for a while, then checked out the beautiful, L-shaped pool with an infinity edge.  We lounged in the sun and swam a bit, all the while enjoying the spectacular views.

We had an easy late lunch at the condo, talked some more, then had cocktails at Garbo followed by
dinner at Si Senor, an open-air restaurant right on the beach.  The food was really good but we made the mistake of ordering appetizers which means we couldn't finish our meals.  Then we walked over to the Blue Chairs beach resort for a beach cocktail party.  We had a couple drinks, met some new folks, and watched the 'fire dancers', but found it to be a bit dull so we headed back to the condo and had a final cocktail out on the terrace overlooking the city lights.

Fri we had breakfast at the condo, sat around and visited for a while, and then Spouse & I headed out for the day.  Jamie was not feeling well so he and Michael (aka: Newlyweds) stayed at the condo.  Spouse & I went back to Blue Chairs beach resort where we had lunch and cocktails on the beach.  That evening we had dinner at Pizza Noche, then walked the Malecon which is kind of like a concrete boardwalk, with shops and restaurants and bars on 1 side and the ocean on the other.  Then we went to the Cowboy Party at Los Amigos where we met a couple who live about an hour away from us.  They gave us these cowboy hats!

Sat we had a light breakfast at the condo and hung out for awhile.  Then we walked over to the Mantamar Beach Club for a pool party and day at the beach.  It was a lot of fun and we met some fun people. Had had lunch and cocktails on the beach, and went for a walk.  It was a really nice day at the Mantamar Beach Club.  On our way back to the condo we shared the funicular with a couple and chatted with them a little.  When I asked where they lived, it turned out that one of them is also a realtor like me from an adjacent town.  I recognized his name when he said his full name.  Small world!  Spouse showered and napped while the Newlyweds and I went for massages.  Again, due to the favorable exchange rate, an hour massage was like $20USD!  Afterward we had showers followed by cocktails on our terrace.  The weather was sheer perfection the entire time which made us want to be outdoors all the time.  We walked the Malecon again, ducking into a few souvenir shops and such, then stopped for dinner at an Italian restaurant called La Posta.  The food was good and a nice break from Mexican and seafood.  Afterward we returned to Mr Flamingo for cocktails, then stopped in at Los Amigos for a final drink before heading back to the condo to pack.  We took a cab early the next morning to the airport. 

We had a wonderful time in Puerto Vallarta and I can definitely see us returning again and again.  Its and easy place to be, with no need for a car, and lots of variety in restaurants, shopping, activities, and of course the beautiful beaches and views.