How to celebrate the holidays in Puerto Vallarta

December is 1 of the astir energetic times of twelvemonth to sojourn Puerto Vallarta — erstwhile the metropolis melds longstanding taste traditions with large-scale nationalist celebrations that bring unneurotic residents, seasonal homeowners and travelers from astir the world. Equally memorable, New Year’s Eve present is 1 of the largest and astir electrical citywide celebrations successful Mexico, wherever the full waterfront becomes a communal party.

Here is simply a usher to celebrating the holidays successful PV. You won’t get snowfall here, but you volition get blazing reddish and orangish sunsets implicit Banderas Bay, fireworks implicit the Pacific and plentifulness of chances to observe accepted celebrations.

Fiestas Guadalupanas: A large taste tradition

Fiestas Guadalupanas successful grant of the Virgin of Guadalupe are a large seasonal solemnisation successful Puerto Vallarta. (Visit Puerto Vallarta)

The vacation play officially begins with the Fiestas Guadalupanas, held successful Puerto Vallarta from December 1–12, and which grant the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. The solemnisation is 1 of the astir significant taste events successful the region and has been declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of the State of Jalisco.

For 12 consecutive days, downtown Puerto Vallarta becomes a halfway of question and sound: More than 400 processions walk done the historical territory toward the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the city’s astir recognizable landmark, with its crown-shaped operation overlooking the bay. The processions diagnostic families, schools, civic groups, businesses and vicinity organizations, often accompanied by folkloric dancers, mariachi musicians and decorated floats. Fireworks punctuate the nights, and plazas capable with vendors preparing seasonal foods — from tamales and pozole to churros, buñuelos and roasted corn.

The astir important event, La Peregrinación de los Favorecidos, takes spot December 12, drafting up to 20,000 participants. For observers, it is an accidental to witnesser a meaningful nationalist look of individuality and religion grounded successful the section community. It offers travelers a uncommon accidental to prosecute with section contented straight yet respectfully.

Christmas successful Puerto Vallarta

Christmas is observed present with spiritual and societal customs, ranging from religion gatherings and posadas to celebratory eating experiences that spill retired onto the beaches and waterfront. 

Posadas — processions reenacting Mary and Joseph’s hunt for structure earlier the commencement of Jesus — are backstage assemblage events that instrumentality spot successful neighborhoods crossed the metropolis successful the week starring up to Christmas Eve. Your vicinity mightiness beryllium having one. They often reason with vicinity gatherings that diagnostic music, lukewarm effect punch for everyone and piñatas for the children.

For a much public, commercialized experience, galore restaurants connection peculiar menus connected Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, making eating retired a cardinal portion of the acquisition for some locals and visitors. Popular options see La Palapa, El Dorado, Mar y Vino, Daiquiri Dick’s, River Café, La Madalena, NOROC, Casa Prime, Cristina Vallarta, Pinocchio, Sapphire Ocean Club, The Blue Shrimp and Le Bistro. 

Posadas, oregon reenactments of Mary and Joseph’s hunt for structure to springiness commencement to helium babe Jesus, are communal during the run-up to Christmas successful Puerto Vallarta. (Villa del Palmar)

Reservations capable rapidly — peculiarly for beachfront seating — truthful readying up is essential.

Holiday eating connected the Malecón oregon straight connected the soil is particularly fun: Vendors merchantability thoroughfare snacks, unrecorded musicians execute on the waterfront and the boardwalk’s nationalist creation installations are illuminated for nighttime strolls.

New Year’s Eve successful Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is 1 of the country’s apical destinations for New Year’s Eve, drafting ample crowds to the waterfront and hosting a scope of celebrations, from informal formation gatherings to organized ticketed events.

The Malecón boardwalk is the epicenter of activity, wherever thousands stitchery to bask thoroughfare performances, unrecorded music, dancing and the ample fireworks show astatine midnight implicit the bay. The lawsuit is public, escaped and unfastened to each ages. 

Another large gathering tract is Holi Beach, wherever festivities instrumentality connected a much grassroots style. Families get aboriginal to acceptable up tiny camp-style areas with tables, grills, coolers, drawstring lights and portable speakers, giving the formation a pop-up festival environment. 

The solemnisation often continues good past sunrise, with radical swimming, dancing and watching the archetypal airy of the caller twelvemonth implicit the bay.

Fireworks displays are portion of immoderate New Year’s Eve solemnisation successful Puerto Vallarta. (Visit Puerto Vallarta)

Across the city, hotels, villas and backstage boats connection their ain celebrations, ranging from gala dinners to DJ-driven parties. Major events instrumentality spot passim Marina, Centro, the Romantic Zone and Cinco de Diciembre. Keep your oculus retired for website and societal media announcements astir these events, and for signs astatine section hotels and connected the thoroughfare to find retired wherever these events volition instrumentality place.

Local traditions and ample nationalist celebrations coexist

What distinguishes Puerto Vallarta from different coastal destinations during December is the coexistence of authentic section traditions and ample nationalist celebrations that stay unfastened to everyone. Travelers tin enactment successful the Fiestas Guadalupanas, stock a Christmas repast connected the formation and past articulation thousands on the waterfront to invited the caller twelvemonth successful 1 of the astir magnetic atmospheres on the Pacific. If celebrating the wintertime holidays successful abbreviated sleeves sounds bully to you, there’s nary amended spot to bash it than Puerto Vallarta. 

Meagan Drillinger is simply a New York autochthonal who has spent the past 15 years traveling astir and penning astir Mexico. While she’s connected the roadworthy for assignments astir of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her location base. Follow her travels connected Instagram astatine @drillinjourneys oregon done her blog astatine drillinjourneys.com.