And if you happen to be here on Halloween, you can have a nice dinner at the yacht marina and have fun passing out candy to trick-or-treaters right from your dinner table!
Hi, it’s Maya! Many people have asked me what would be a really good day-trip to do in Puerto Vallarta? Well, there are many different fun and interesting things you can do in one day such as shopping, sight-seeing, adventures, day-cruises, water parks, zip lines, eating and drinking, or just hangin’ out on the beach with your toes in the sand. Most of these are just a few minutes from downtown and a short ride in a taxi, Uber, or city bus. Quick FYI; if you are leaving from the airport or ship terminal the taxis that are permitted there are more expensive than the yellow city cabs that you can find just outside. And don’t worry-Puerto Vallarta is just like any civilized city, it is mostly good neighborhoods with a few questionable outlying areas, and for the most part good family people, just like anywhere else. Just use the same common sense you use at home and you will be fine, and I promise I won’t send you anywhere that I wouldn’t feel safe myself. What you should really be watching out for while walking around is uneven pavement, unexpected steps, and protruding sharp objects that may be electrically active.
The tradition of Halloween trick-or-treating is fairly new for Puerto Vallarta, and there are really only two places in town where candy is given out. Most kids go to El Centro, the downtown area just north of the malecón, as there are lots and lots of little shops that hand out candy. But that’s way too crowded for me, so me and my friends always go to the marina area as it is more relaxed and not so busy traffic-wise. But I do have to say from personal kid experience that the candy giving was much better there a few years ago, and has significantly tapered off especially in the houses around the golf course. My friends and I used to dress up in our crazy costumes and walk all around the houses in the marina, a couple of miles of walking for sure, and it was a lot funner when more of the houses participated.
There even used to be several houses that would decorate their doors and yards, like not just a little bit, the whole yard! One year, one of the houses had a girl who looked and acted kinda zombie-ish, and she just walked around in circles and wouldn't speak. I think it was the girl from that movie where if you watched the video, she crawled out of your TV and got you. She was pretty creepy and it creeped my mom out pretty bad, which was fun!
But anyways, it is still fun to trick-or-treat the shops around the marina, and the best part is when people come to have dinner, choose a table at the outer edge of one of the restaurants, which are right on the waterfront walkway, and pass out candy that they brought just for the occasion. It is so much fun because those people came there for the purpose of having fun and enjoying the kids and their costumes. I invite everyone who thinks this sounds like fun to come down with a big bag of candy, have a great dinner, and enjoy the costumes! Oh- and it totally adds to the experience if you dress up, too! I've already started working on my costume, maybe I'll see you there! And FYI- it starts a little early, usually around 6:00.
And have you ever visited a cemetery during or right after Day of the Dead? It's a really awesome thing to do! When my parents first came to Puerto Vallarta 30 years ago it happened to be right after Day of the Dead. They had rented a jeep to go sightseeing through the countryside, and came across several small cemeteries along the road all recently beautifully and colorfully decorated. My mom said it was very heart-warming to see how they honor and respect their departed loved ones, and she stopped and took some awesome pictures, like lots of them! Back then cameras used film, and those pictures cost a small fortune! Since then, and now that we live here, she likes to go visit the cemetery during this time to look at the graves and appreciate this tradition of love, honor, and respect.
There are several cemeteries in this town, the most known being the 5 de Deciembre, located at 715 San Salvador St., not too far from the Stadium. This is also where you can find the grave of Manual Lepe on the left side just as you walk in, my mom likes to leave him an offering of paint brushes. If you go during the week of Day of the Dead, the entire street in front of the cemetery turns into a flower mart, with lots of food vendors as well, and people selling all sorts of adornments for people to put on the graves of their loved ones.
The Panteón Ramblases, also called Panteón de La Moderna, is a slightly larger cemetery in a quieter neighborhood, with better parking availability. It is located at Calle Santa Maria #585, which is the next street just past Vancouver School in Moderna. There are some other cemeteries in farther out places, but I have not visited those, such as Panteón El Progreso, which is way out to the end of, and a few streets north of, De Los Poetas.
November 1st and 2nd are the traditional days of Day of the Dead. Throughout the month of October, many people and even some businesses will make an altar in their home or business honoring their departed loved ones, and you can see them all over town! They usually include a photo of the person or people being honored, decorations, offerings of the favorite food and drinks of the departed, sugar skulls, candles, and pieces of memorabilia. These items are displayed as a welcoming gesture inviting the souls of their lost loved ones.
Families may begin the clean up and maintenance work at grave sites a week prior to the Day of the Dead celebration, when they clean, paint anything that needs painting, and even plant flowers or trees. Especially marigolds, which are even called Flor de Muerto, and are thought to attract the souls of loved ones to the offerings left at graves.
Some of the graves are the final resting places of infants and children. I found this section of the Ramblases Cemetery, which is all small children and babies, and it is very difficult to walk through without dropping a tear, or two.
Then, on the evening of November 1st, families come to the cemetery to honor their loved ones and celebrate their life, and to share festivities with them; often picnicking, playing and sharing music, and drinking with them all night long. It's like they came there to have a party with them. Well, traditionally anyways, this year there are some Covid rules disallowing live music, eating, and alcohol. Sorry about that folks, I think celebrating with departed loved ones is a beautiful and meaningful tradition. Though I do have to say at least the cemeteries are open this year, as last year families were shut out of this tradition when due to Covid festivities were cancelled and cemeteries were closed.
Anyways, really you should go to a cemetery AFTER Day of the Dead, to see the incredible displays. It truly is an awe-inspiring experience that I highly recommend. And visiting afterward you can also avoid the crowd of the people who came there to honor their loved ones, and not disrespect them by turning their celebration into a tourist attraction.
If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, CLICK HERE to visit my other Day Trippin’ suggestions. And speaking of suggestions, if you plan to visit Vallarta, allow me to give you two. First, especially if you come between December and March, whale-watching season, get yourself good quality, compact binoculars that you can carry around with you, and BRING THEM! Second, especially if you are in a poorer area, tip well and don’t haggle them down too far, they have families to feed! Have a Great Trip!!