7 Days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with a teenage daughter

Here’s how I spent 7 days in Puerto Vallarta with a teen daughter (…who doesn’t like to plan things)

My daughter likes that bougie life. I joke that I don’t know where she gets that from because her first trip was to Mali, West Africa where she slept on a mattress on the floor with a mosquito net over her and was bathed in a metal tub outside. Or maybe that’s how. 

She just turned 18 and started college and she asked me to take her on a trip, just the two of us. How can I refuse? We picked Puerto Vallarta (the first time for both of us) because it seemed fun, safe, and affordable. And it was! Here is our 7 day itinerary for Puerto Vallarta including what we did and what we loved.

Day 1-3: Arrival and transfer to Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. Yes, you heard that right –an all inclusive. That was the first time in my life I have ever stayed at an all inclusive. We stayed two nights and I was able to book it on points (Chase Sapphire). It’s a 5-star resort for families.

Pros: It is a smallish resort and the service is amazing. I thought the food was good (pro tip: get the garlic shrimp from the grill and make a reservation for the teppanyaki in advance via the concierge app or message them via WhatsApp), and there was always something fun! Or you could just relax on the beach. The beach was beautiful and every room has a view of the ocean. We stayed on the 8th floor and had a standard double room with a window that slid open to catch the breeze. I loved the diversity of guests there! Families from all over – not a super crazy party scene but plenty to do.

Cons: Some public bathrooms were not as clean as we thought they could be – my daughter thought they needed one closer to the beach that could be the “dirty bathroom”. Not a bad idea. Our room had a bad smell the last day there, but the staff immediately took care of it and offered me an upgrade for the next time I’m staying there. I might go back just for that! Also the food service stopped at 10 pm.

Day 3: We transferred to an Airbnb (linked here) in 5 de Deciembre. We chose this neighborhood based on the recommendation of a friend who lived here many years, and she suggested we go a few streets off the main drag. The views are STUNNING! Pro tip: The streets are steep. This airbnb is perfect for two, and could easily fit 4 if people don’t mind sharing a bed. It’s so spacious. However the walk back up here from a night out is no joke. You can always catch an Uber or taxi.

That night we did THIS food tour with Vallarta Food Tours. Such a great experience – we ate so many delicious tacos and learned a ton about tequila and mezcal. And yes, the legal drinking age in Mexico is 18.

Day 4: We decided that this would be an exploratory day – we had nothing planned. We walked to the malecón, went out for brunch at Calmate Cafe and just enjoyed the city life. The brunch was fantastic! I had egg and bacon tacos and my daughter had French toast.

At night we went for dinner along the malecón. Nothing to write home about but decent coconut shrimp and drinks, and of course the evening air is divine! Plus great people watching. I went salsa dancing at La Bodeguita del Medio which has live music many nights a week.

Day 5: I wanted to whale watch so today we went on this tour. PHENOMENAL. I researched heavily to find a small boat. We only did whale watching and the guide Carlos was great. We saw lots of whales! We ate at Mariscos 8 Tostadas after the tour which is right on the marina. SO GOOD.

That night we went to find pozole (my daughter’s craving) and went to Volver al Taco in Pitillal based on Carlos’ recommendation. (we took an Uber there and back, and asked some locals in the square where to go)

Day 6: Today we decided to head to the beach and went to Conchas Chinas – a local spot with umbrellas and chairs to rent ($300 pesos for the day). This was a beautiful beach filled with local families. Pro tip: Bring a towel and a picnic (no food is available, except those amazing fresh mangos). We took Ubers everywhere. Someone said to pay in pesos but I forgot to change that in the app.

We had dinner at Bar and Restaurant El Panorama at the top of a hotel with a STUNNING view! The food was okay, the Ceasar salad was delicious and the drinks were great! Pro tip: book your reservation for about an hour before sunset.

Day 7: Departure day. I took a morning walk to the malecon before we headed to the airport. Departure was easy and fast. Be sure you keep that small slip of paper that you receive when entering!

Other tips for traveling with older kids:

-I always make sure they can hold their own money. I hate carrying their stuff!

My son liked this one https://amzn.to/43M6WFn

My daughter went for a purse like this. https://amzn.to/43liXBD

-My rule is they have to order food in the language of the country we are in and try to speak the language

-We have ATT, which is great for talk and text in latin America – no additional charge!

-I planned just one event a day, most were just a few hours and only some were full day. That gives everyone free time to relax or explore.

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