San Sebastian for the Day

Not very far from your Villa Rental Puerto Vallarta lies a very different world, a small and charming Mexican town that will take you back to the days before cell phones and satellite television ruled the day. In fact, a trip to San Sebastian will take you back to a time when the community’s the central square, or plaza, was the focal point for social life. That isn’t to say that life in San Sebastian has always been calm. Quite the opposite, in fact: in its heyday, miners pulled gold and silver from surrounding mines, and San Sebastian served as the provincial capital and home to tens of thousands of people.

One look at the architecture and the town’s layout will tell you that this lovely place is not very different today than it was 100 or 200 years ago. A visit to San Sebastian will appeal to everyone who wants to spend a pleasant day exploring the streets of this now-quiet village high in the Sierra Madre. No extreme sports or wild clubs here, just fresh air and nice people.

Make no mistake – you will find things to do in town. Shop for silver and other local items. If you’re visiting in spring, don’t miss the San Sebastian Silver Festival, which takes place over three days in May. Visit the La Quinta coffee farm, a fifth-generation family enterprise which produces organic coffee, takes guests on short tours and serves coffee and fruit rolls from a stand on the road. Enjoy a good meal. The restaurant Real y Minas comes highly recommended. And if you love to sit on the patio with a cup of coffee and watch the world go slowly by, stop at Los Arcos for breakfast.

You can reach San Sebastian by car; simply follow the airport road toward the university; when you reach the Y in the road, take the route to Mascota until you reach Estancia where you’ll see the sign to San Sebastian. If this sounds too complicated, pay a few pesos and catch a bus to the fork in the road and catch a ride to the small mountain town. Or take a tour with one of Puerto Vallarta’s vendors. Either way, you’ll return to your Villa Rental Puerto Vallarta satisfied with a day well spent.

Dance the Night Away in Puerto Vallarta

You simply cannot grow bored in Puerto Vallarta – there are activities to take you from sun-up to sun-down and more. Much of the region’s attraction is a direct result of its location on Banderas Bay at the foot of the mountains, great for outdoor recreationists. But what about indoor recreationists? If you have been itching to step out from your Puerto Vallarta Luxury Villa Rental and have some fun until the wee small hours, this is the city that can make it happen.

There are a number of bars in Puerto Vallarta’s Central District; from the totally loud and touristy to the more low-key and, well, touristy. Still, if it’s a party you want, you will find it at one of these places:

Andale’s, at Olas Altas 425, caters to an older crowd, which isn’t to say they’re a less spirited crowd. You might find one or another guest riding a donkey through the bar.

Carlos O’Briens is pretty widely known and easy to find at 786 Paseo Diaz Ordaz. The late-night crowd dances the night away with the excellent DJ.

The party doesn’t even get started until 10 pm or later, but once the gang at De Santos (771 Morelos) kicks it in gear, they’re likely to party on until 4 in the morning.

The salsa dancer in you will love La Bodeguita de Media, at Paseo Diaz Ordaz 858. And if you don’t salsa, you can sip on a mojito and watch those who do.

Puerto Vallarta’s nightlife (and early morning life, as well) will leave you exhausted but exhilarated. Catch a cab back to your Puerto Vallarta Luxury Villa Rental and tuck yourself into bed for what’s left of the night.

A Treasure Hunt in the Rio Cuale Market

You planned your trip to Puerto Vallarta because you wanted to do something different, to get away from your every-day life and see a bit of the world. That doesn’t mean you have to avoid all your regular activities. Take shopping, for instance. When you’re home, you go to the grocery store, you go to the mall, but honestly - how often do you get the chance to shop at the Rio Cuale Market?

It’s a short trip from your Vacation Rentals in Puerto Vallarta to the Rio Cuale Flea Market, and you’ll be glad you made it once you get there. The market sits on Isla Rio Cuale, a small island in the river very close to Puerto Vallarta’s downtown. The island itself is a focal point for folks who enjoy its walking trails, shops, restaurants, and the Rio Cuale Market.

The market is said to be one of the largest in Mexico; shops and stalls stack two stories high, and their proprietors sell all kinds of local goods, including pottery, leather goods, and jewelry. There is no better place to get a great deal on some wonderful mementos of your Mexican holiday.

Bridges span the river from the island to the surrounding neighborhoods, so you won’t have any trouble getting back to your Vacation rentals in Puerto Vallarta after your shopping expedition. Gather around the pool with a cool beverage and brag about the great deals you made on your newly purchased treasures.

Puerto Vallarta on Two Wheels - Easy as Falling Off a Bike

You remember what it was like learning to ride a bicycle – pedal a couple of times then fall, pedal then fall. You kept after it until you got it right. And you know what they say about bicycles – once you learn how to ride, you never forget. If they’re right, you should still have the cycling skills of an 8-year old. The weather is great, so why not abandon your Puerto Vallarta Villa Rental for a few hours and hop on a two-wheeler?

Tour operators offer mountain-bike tours for riders of every skill level. If you haven’t been on a bike since you were 8, or if you just don’t enjoy the experience of catapulting down a mountainside at top speed, consider biking around Puerto Vallarta itself.

If you want to take the family on a ride that will leave everyone mostly intact, join BikeMex on their Rio Cuale tour. You’ll start riding through town and finish up along the banks of the Rio Cuale. This one takes off twice a day (except Sundays) and lasts about 4½ hours. They provide the bicycle, the guide and the water; you bring the sunblock.

At the other end of the difficulty scale, the Killer Donkey ride will take you along old mining trails, up and down some pretty severe terrain. This one is for experienced, strong riders only. Really. No matter what tour you take, you can soothe your aching muscles in the hot tub when you get back to your Puerto Vallarta Villa rental.

Catch Your Bass in Puerto Vallarta

Bass fishermen, this one’s for you: get your gear to Puerto Vallarta for some great bass fishing. That’s right, Cajon de Pena Lake is home to some great bass, and other sport fishing species, as well. Read on, then reserve your Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rental and head to Mexico to enjoy your favorite pastime.

There’s no denying that La Presa Cajon de Pena is a bit of a trek from town, about two hours’ drive, but you’ll be glad you made it when you get on the lake. The record black bass weighted in at 13 pounds. People who know say you need to be on the lake at dawn for the best fishing. And you don’t really need to bring your own gear if you go with the right guide.

Two guides, Myles Lineberger and Pro Bass Fishing with Steve, will take you to the lake, set you up with all the gear you’ll need for the day, take you out on a fast bass boat and feed you. It’s a long day, 12 hours away from your villa Puerto Vallarta, and lunch is on the fly (so to speak), and you’re going to love it from beginning to end.

If you’re a hardcore bass fisherman, or woman, spend a day on the lake while you’re in Puerto Vallarta. You’ll have to leave your Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rental before the birds start singing in the morning, but then, you’re used to that. And at the end of your expedition to Cajon de Pena Lake, you decide if this isn’t some of the best bass you’ve ever had.