If you want to enjoy a dreamy and relaxing vacation surrounded by warm ocean breezes, mouth watering foods, and beautiful scenery, there’s no place like Puerto Vallarta. It’s not hard to see why Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico’s top tourist destinations with the lush greenery of the Sierra Madre jungle, picturesque cobblestone streets, and serene ocean views of Banderas Bay.

If you stay at one of the Villa Group Resorts in the area, you may be tempted to spend all day lounging poolside sipping a tropical cocktail. Currently, Villa Group Resorts has low cost all-inclusive vacation packages on sale to visit our gorgeous properties in Mexico’s best beach destinations.

However, if you want to get out and about to explore the best of Puerto Vallarta, there are lots of fun things to see and do. In the meantime, keep reading below to learn about unique Puerto Vallarta vacation ideas.

Chocolate Tour at Planeta Cacao

To begin with, many people may not know that chocolate actually originated in Mexico. If you want to learn more about how chocolate is produced, you should visit Planeta Cacao. There, vacationers can learn all about the entire process of making chocolate. Planeta Cacao is a cacao garden located in the town of Tondoroque which is about 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta.

There, you’ll learn all about the importance of chocolate in pre-Columbian times, see how it’s cultivated, and learn all about the process of preparing chocolate for consumption. Plus, guests can sample some delicious artisanal chocolate as well. A visit to Planeta Cacao is a great way to learn more about the history and cultivation of chocolate over the ages while also getting the chance to sample delicious artisanal chocolate, too. Open from Monday through Saturday at 10:30am, tours last around 1 hour and 30 minutes and cost $550 pesos which is around $28 US dollars.

Relax at Hot Springs

Next, while many people are aware that Puerto Vallarat has beautiful beaches, there are also hot springs located nearby as well. Located a bit off the grid, there are hot springs located north of Puerto Vallarta in a small town known as Nuevo Ixtlan in the neighboring state of Nayarit. The hot springs are shaded by mature trees, and you can book a tour that departs from Puerto Vallarta that will include transport to and from the Hot springs.

Guests will love the chance to relax in the soothing medicinal waters of 30 different pools that are a comfortable temperature. Then, guests can also enjoy a traditional Mexican grill lunch prepared with locally sourced food before heading back to Puerto Vallarta. If you want a personalized spa day experience surrounded by nature, plan a trip to the hot springs.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding with Dolphins

Next, another fun Puerto Vallarta vacation idea is to go stand up paddle boarding. If you want a really unique excursion where you can get close to dolphins you should book a tour with Bucerias SUP Experience. It’s a great way to experience the best of Banderas Bay while paddle boarding alongside friendly dolphins. Tours are held in the morning and usually last around 3 hours starting with an introduction to basic paddle boarding and safety procedures.

They offer various types of paddle boards, some which can be shared with others and individual boards, too. Paddles and life jackets are provided as well as a complementary light snack and water. They have state of the art videography and photography services so you can bring back amazing footage of your SUP paddle board experience taken from a drone and edited with music for an additional cost of $800 pesos.

Visit San Sebastian del Oeste

Lastly, another fun thing to do near Puerto Vallarta is a day trip to visit the historic mining town of San Sebastian del Oeste. Located about 1 ½ hours inland from Puerto Vallarta, San Sebastian del Oeste is a charming small town that can easily be explored by foot. Located in the mountains, San Sebastian enjoys a cooler and drier climate than Puerto Vallarta.

If you want an adventure, you can also rent an ATV for about $50 dollars for 2 hours and ride up to the La Bufa lookout point which offers ocean views on a clear day from the summit at 7910 feet of elevation. The lovely central plaza with a gazebo is a nice place to sit down and enjoy ice cream or a cold drink, and make sure to try locally made coffee, too. There is also tequila and raicilla produced in the area as well.

Did you enjoy learning about some of the more unique vacation activities you can enjoy in Puerto Vallarta? If you are ready to book a trip, contact us at the Villa Group Resorts. We have three lovely resorts in Banderas Bay including Villa del Palmar Puerto Vallarta, Villa del Palmar Flamingos, and Villa La Estancia. In addition to PV, we have a total of 10 resorts in Mexico’s best destinations such as Los Cabos, Cancun, Islands of Loreto, and Riviera Nayarit.

We also have a genuine timeshare ownership program for qualified travelers who want to save money on vacation expenses. Also, we have a wonderful Beachfront Rewards program which allows members to earn Rewards Credits when they refer a friend or family member to join our premium vacation club that can be used to upgrade vacations.

Call us today as we have affordable all-inclusive vacation packages on sale right now!