Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
We've compiled the best of the best in Puerto Vallarta - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Continuing down the road from the contaduría brings you to El Templo de la Virgen del Rosario. Note the new floor in the otherwise ruined structure; the governor's daughter didn't want to soil the hem of her gown when she married here in 2005. A bit farther on, San Blas's little cemetery is backed by the sea and the mountains.
A block beyond the other end of the plaza, the Museo Arqueologico de Mascota is worth a look. It has some pictures of petroglyphs of the area as well as remnants of the pre-Hispanic era.
Even though it's not a typical excursion for tourists, the Alta Vista petroglyphs offer an interesting and different day in the outdoors. Discovered by the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the petroglyphs are a series of drawings set in stone in what seems to have been a ceremonial center for the ancient people of the Texcoquines. The petroglyphs possibly represent a 1,500-year historical span. Nowadays, the indigenous Huichol people still visit the site to celebrate different rituals. The self-guided tour ends up at the majestic "King's Pool," a naturally formed pool surrounded by cube-like stones. You can finish your history-rich excursion with a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear waters. This is a hard-to-get place, so make sure you have a reliable guide.
