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Last week, Jessica, the kids, and I returned from an unforgettable trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—a journey filled with vibrant food, warm people, stunning beaches, and rich local culture. We had high hopes going in, but the experience surpassed every expectation. This was our first family vacation involving a flight since our Disney World trip in May 2021, and it marked the kids’ first time visiting a country where English isn’t the primary language. Now that they’re older and more able to engage with the world around them, we’re hoping to make international travel a more regular part of our lives, both to create lasting memories and to broaden their understanding of different cultures.

As I sat down to write about the trip, I realized a day-by-day recap wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, I want to share the experience by highlighting the key aspects that made it so special. Let’s dive in.

The People

Before the trip, my expectations were centered on food and beaches, and while those certainly delivered, the most memorable and unexpected highlight was the people we met along the way. Nearly everyone we encountered was genuinely warm and welcoming. There was a clear sense that visitors are not just tolerated but truly appreciated, and that hospitality is taken seriously across the board. That spirit of kindness wasn’t limited to restaurants; it extended to drivers, airport staff, and even strangers on the street who offered help when we were clearly a bit lost looking for a bus. Life in Puerto Vallarta moves at a slower, more intentional pace than what we’re used to back home, with a greater emphasis on presence, relaxation, and enjoying the moment, especially when it comes to dining out.

Our favorite people we met during the trip worked at restaurants just down the street from our hotel. The first was Christian, our server at Melissa’s, a seafood restaurant. We arrived in Puerto Vallarta on the afternoon of Saturday, May 24. After checking into La Siesta Hotel, we decided to head down to the Malecon, the city’s famous boardwalk, to explore a bit. On our way there, we noticed Melissa’s and made a mental note to return later since we knew we wanted seafood during the trip. We walked around for a while and even had an appetizer at another restaurant near the water, but when it came time for a proper dinner, we made our way back to Melissa’s.

We sat upstairs on their outdoor terrace, and at first, we weren’t sure we would stay. The kids were having trouble deciding what to order, but Christian, who was born and raised in Puerto Vallarta and now lives just seven blocks away with his wife and mother, stepped in and offered to help. Elise really wanted a seafood quesadilla, so Christian spoke with the kitchen, and they were happy to prepare a shrimp quesadilla just for her. What followed was an incredible meal, with service that exceeded our expectations. Jessica and I both spent years working in restaurants, so we know good service when we see it. It was clear that Christian was making a sincere effort to take excellent care of us.

Around sunset, the evening took a magical turn. Christian pointed out a nightly ritual where a family of bats flies from a nearby building to a mango tree across the street. First, the father bat emerges alone to scout the area; then, the rest of the family follows, circling a few times in the air, almost as if putting on a show, before settling into the tree. Rooftop cats watch their every move from above, completing the scene in a way that felt almost surreal.

As we were watching this unfold, a full mariachi band in traditional attire made their way upstairs, performing as they went. Another table was celebrating a birthday and had hired the band to perform during dinner. We had no idea what was happening at first, but within moments, we found ourselves in the middle of a spontaneous concert. The music was incredible, Christian started dancing, the kids joined in, and Jessica and I couldn’t stop smiling. We assumed the band would play a song or two, but they ended up performing for nearly thirty minutes. It was completely unplanned, completely unforgettable, and an incredible way to begin our trip. Christian brought us complimentary drinks, and we sat back and soaked it all in.

The experience was so special that we returned to Melissa’s on Thursday night, our final night in town, to see Christian again. We went all out for that last meal. While there was no surprise mariachi band this time, the connection we had built with Christian was more than enough. We stayed late, talking with him about his life in Puerto Vallarta. He told us how he and his wife had moved in with his mother to help care for her, and how much he loves living in the neighborhood. He even said that next time we visit, he wants us to come to his home. That kind of warmth and generosity speaks volumes about the people we met during our stay. Whether we return to Puerto Vallarta or not, none of us will ever forget Christian.

Our other favorite people from the trip were Daniel and America, servers at Si Señor Garden, which was also just down the street from our hotel. The hotel was perched on a hill with a courtyard and a series of steps that led down toward the Malecon and the beach. Si Señor Garden sat near the bottom of that courtyard, so we passed it frequently. One of the things that made the restaurant so unique was its resident green macaw, Lola. She was essentially the mascot of the place, which makes perfect sense, since the Spanish word for “pet” is “mascota.”

Lola is 25 years old, and for the past 14 years, she has lived with Daniel. The two of them were often outside in the courtyard, and whenever Lola spotted Daniel holding a bag of pistachios, she would begin squawking loudly in anticipation. He noticed right away how much we enjoyed her, so he invited us over to feed her. At first, we fed her by hand, but then he encouraged us to hold a pistachio in our mouth and offer it that way. Jessica politely declined, but the rest of us tried it—and did so multiple times throughout the week.

Later in the trip, we sat down for an excellent traditional meal at Si Señor Garden, and both Daniel and America were our servers. Just like Christian, they were genuinely warm and attentive, going above and beyond to make the evening special. They knew we planned to come in for dinner on Wednesday night, so they surprised us by arranging for a local musician to perform tableside. It was such a thoughtful gesture and made the evening even more memorable.

Throughout the meal, Lola continued to be part of the experience, stopping by our table and hanging out for a while. It is the kind of thing that would never happen in a restaurant back in the U.S., but it added a personal and unexpected charm that made the evening unforgettable. Every time we walked by the restaurant during the week, either Daniel or America would spot us and come out to say hello.

While these stories about Christian, Daniel, and America stand out, they also reflect a larger truth about our time in Puerto Vallarta. The people we met were consistently kind, gracious, and sincere. I didn’t expect that to be the defining feature of our trip, but in the end, it was. And it is exactly the kind of experience that would bring us back.

The Animals

While I’ve already mentioned some of the animal encounters from our trip, there’s more to share. Lola was certainly our favorite, and we ran into her constantly in the courtyard. Sometimes I’d be walking up the steps without noticing her, only to look up and find her perched right in front of me on a railing. I’ve never been that close to a bird like her before, and it was an incredible experience.

We saw the bat family performing their nightly flight ritual several times, and it never got old. There was also a surprising number of cats in our neighborhood. We rarely saw them during the day, but once the sun went down, they would appear everywhere, quietly moving along rooftops and alleyways.

One regular animal encounter I could have done without—at least at first—came courtesy of the neighborhood rooster, who let everyone know it was morning with a loud chorus at sunrise each day. It became oddly endearing as the week went on, a quirky part of the local rhythm.

During our first excursion, we stopped along the road above Mismaloya Beach, made famous by the 1964 film The Night of the Iguana starring Richard Burton and Ava Gardner. There, the kids had the chance to hold a real iguana named Luca, which was especially exciting since they all love reptiles. On our second excursion, to Las Caletas Beach, they got to interact with a macaw, a hawk, and a monkey as part of an animal attraction on site.

Our final excursion was a private boat tour that included snorkeling and beach stops. We visited Los Arcos, a marine preserve with towering rock formations, where we snorkeled among schools of tropical fish.

Whether it was these planned animal encounters or the spontaneous ones that unfolded naturally in our neighborhood, each added something special to the trip. They gave the experience even more texture and character, making it that much more memorable.

The Food

I had high expectations for the food going into this trip. I knew the beaches would be beautiful, but as a self-proclaimed foodie, I was especially excited to explore the local cuisine. Even with those expectations in mind, the food we enjoyed throughout the week far surpassed anything I had imagined.

Most of our meals were traditional Mexican dishes, as you might expect, but not all of them. Some of the biggest surprises came from the simplest items—like a club sandwich or a tuna sandwich—prepared with such care and fresh ingredients that they became standouts. We would walk into tiny restaurants where an older woman was cooking over a stove, and every single time, the food was outstanding. The use of fresh, local ingredients gave every dish a unique identity. It was common to see unexpected additions like lime, cucumber, corn, or peas, creating combinations that felt both inventive and deeply rooted in local flavor.

We also went out for pizza twice during the week, and both experiences were excellent. One place served traditional Neapolitan-style pizza, while the other offered something more creative, almost like French bread pizza cut into squares, with bold and interesting topping combinations.

Of course, the traditional Mexican food was exceptional. While we all have some familiarity with these dishes through restaurants in the U.S., the versions we had in Puerto Vallarta were on a completely different level. Freshly made tortillas, an array of house-made salsas, time-honored recipes, and locally sourced ingredients came together to create meals that felt both authentic and elevated.

While the warmth and kindness of the people were a pleasant and unexpected highlight, the food was every bit as incredible as I had hoped it would be. I cannot speak highly enough about how well we ate throughout the trip.

The Language

I felt fairly confident about communication going into the trip, thanks to my background with Spanish. I’ve been doing daily lessons on Duolingo for the past 11 months, had two years of Spanish in high school, and also studied Italian for a few years, which shares many similarities. I also made sure each of us had the Google Translate app installed on our phones, but we rarely needed it. Because Puerto Vallarta is such a popular tourist destination, most people speak English, which made things easier. Still, I made a point to speak Spanish whenever possible and only switched to English when absolutely necessary.

Jessica studied Spanish in high school and lived in Italy for six months, so she was able to follow much of what was being said around us. What really surprised us, though, was how quickly the kids began picking up the language and adapting to the culture. None of them had studied Spanish before, yet within a day of arriving, they were already using basic words and phrases. By the end of the week, they had learned quite a bit, simply through immersion.

I left Mexico feeling more motivated than ever to continue studying the language. In fact, when Elise and I went to pick up lunch at a local restaurant after we got home, I almost placed my order in Spanish out of habit. I had to catch myself and switch back to English. That moment stuck with me—it was the first time I truly felt how natural it can become when you’re immersed in a new language and culture.

The Beaches

Naturally, we were all excited to explore the beaches around Puerto Vallarta, and they absolutely lived up to our expectations. We were lucky to experience a wide range of them, from beaches within walking distance of our hotel to more remote spots located farther south, accessible only by boat. One of the excursions we had planned well in advance was a day trip to Las Caletas, a private beach operated by a company called Vallarta Adventures.

Las Caletas is a stunning series of small beaches connected to a larger complex that includes an adventure park, restaurants, and an animal exhibit. We boarded a boat at Puerto Mágico, the main cruise port in Puerto Vallarta, and spent most of the day enjoying everything the destination had to offer. Lunch was included, served buffet-style, and while it wasn’t bad, it was probably my least favorite meal of the trip. The food reminded me of what you’d find on a cruise ship—prepared in bulk to please a wide audience, but lacking the flavor and authenticity of the meals we enjoyed at local restaurants throughout the week.

Despite that, the day itself was a lot of fun. The overall setting had the feel of a vacation theme park, with activities and attractions tucked throughout the area. We spent much of our time at the adventure park, where the kids loved the water slides and zip lines that led directly into the ocean. One of the biggest highlights was riding the banana boat, a long inflatable raft towed by a speedboat, which had all of us laughing and hanging on tight. The kids still talk about this day as one of their favorite parts of the trip.

Before the trip, we only booked two excursions and decided to leave the rest of our schedule open. We knew we wanted another full beach day, and after doing some research, I thought Playa Mismaloya would be a great choice. We had seen it earlier in the week from a lookout point when the kids got to hold Luca the iguana, so we decided to spend a day there and see where it led us.

To make the experience a little more adventurous, I suggested we take public transportation. This put both my Spanish and navigational skills to the test, but everything worked out in the end. We had to take two buses to get there. After we got off the first one, we struggled to locate the correct stop for the second. A local woman noticed our confusion and kindly stepped in to help, pointing us in the right direction. It was yet another example of the warmth and generosity we experienced throughout the trip.

When we arrived at Mismaloya, we were greeted near the beach by a man named Jose, who offered us a private boat tour. Since we didn’t have a fixed plan for the day, we decided to hear him out. We told him we were hoping to go snorkeling, and he recommended visiting Los Arcos, a nearby marine preserve. He explained that we could snorkel for as long as we wanted, then take a tour of several private beaches that are only accessible by boat, spending as much time as we liked at each stop. His father would be our captain for the day.

Knowing this would likely be our final excursion of the trip, we decided to go for it. After a delicious lunch at a beachfront restaurant in Mismaloya, we boarded the boat with Jose’s father, Marin, and set out for Los Arcos. Along the way, we passed a stretch of dramatic coastline dotted with stunning homes, including one owned by Sylvester Stallone.

Snorkeling at Los Arcos was incredible. Even that far from shore, the water was warm and inviting. We saw vibrant schools of fish and explored the towering rock formations up close, making the experience feel both peaceful and awe-inspiring. After nearly an hour in the water, we climbed back into the boat and continued south with Marin.

Our first stop was a small, quiet beach where the kids played in the water while Jessica and I relaxed. After about thirty minutes, we traveled farther south and arrived at what turned out to be our favorite beach of the entire trip—Las Animas. It was absolutely breathtaking, with soft white sand, crystal-clear water, and a row of restaurants lining the shoreline. We spent over two hours there, swimming, playing in the waves, and jumping off the dock. We even grabbed a table at one of the restaurants so the kids could enjoy sodas while Jessica and I had a cold beer.

Everything about the setting felt perfect, from the water to the relaxed energy of the beach. By the end of the day, Jessica and I both agreed—it was our favorite day of the trip.

Summary

Looking back on our week in Puerto Vallarta, we’re filled with gratitude for such an unforgettable experience. We had so much fun exploring the city, relaxing on stunning beaches, and enjoying some of the most delicious meals we’ve ever had. From traditional Mexican dishes to surprisingly memorable takes on everyday classics, the food was a highlight in its own right. But what truly made the trip special were the people we met along the way.

Their kindness, generosity, and warmth left a lasting impression on all of us. Whether it was a server who went out of his way to make our meal unforgettable, a stranger helping us navigate a bus stop, or a friendly face welcoming us back to a restaurant, these small moments of connection became the heart of our trip.

We’re especially grateful that our kids now have a meaningful first experience with international travel. They not only saw new places and tasted new foods, but also began to understand and appreciate a culture different from their own. That exposure, we hope, will stay with them and shape how they see the world.

Puerto Vallarta gave us more than a vacation—it gave us memories we’ll always carry with us. And for that, we couldn’t be more thankful.