Puerto Vallarta with Kids

Calm beaches, short boat trips and a base that doesn't involve a hill — the family version.

By Sam Med · Last updated October 2026

Palm trees, umbrellas and a sailboat on a beach in Puerto Vallarta — A beach day in Puerto Vallarta. Photo: Jeffrey Eisen, Pexels.

Puerto Vallarta works well with children, but the choices that suit couples don't always suit families. The two that matter most: pick calm water, and pick a base where you're not hauling a pushchair up cobbled hills.

Where to stay with kids

This is the one place we'd steer families away from Old Town. Two bases suit children better:

The Hotel Zone — wide, calmer beaches, resorts with pools and kids' clubs, flat and easy access, and still only 15–25 minutes by taxi from the Malecón.
Nuevo Vallarta — the bay's biggest cluster of family resorts, most with kids' clubs and several with teens' clubs, on a long, flat beach 10–15 minutes from the airport. The trade-off is distance: Old Town is 30–45 minutes away. The resorts are compared in hotels in Nuevo Vallarta.

Old Town's cobbled, steep streets and narrow, lively beach are charming but hard work with small children; a carrier is easier there than a pushchair. See all-inclusive resorts for what a family package does and doesn't cover.

Day 1 — Settle in

Pool and beach, nothing planned. Let everyone adjust to the heat and the time change.

Arrival: car seats aren't standard in taxis or airport transfers, so ask for one when you book (airport guide).
Afternoon: the pool, then a first look at the beach and its flags — green calm, yellow caution, red stay out of the water.
Evening: an early dinner at the resort or nearby, and bed.

Day 1 tips

Set up the water routine on day one: bottled or purified water only, for drinking and for mixing formula (drinking water).
Nappies, formula and children's medicines are sold in the big supermarkets and pharmacies (supermarkets).

Day 2 — Beach morning, Malecón evening

Morning: the beach while it's cooler — the wide Hotel Zone or Nuevo Vallarta sand is easiest with little ones.
Midday: shade, lunch and the pool. Midday sun here is intense, especially for small children.
Early evening: a taxi to the Malecón for sunset: sand sculptors, street performers and the sculptures along the seawall are a hit with children, and it's free. On Sunday evenings, people dance danzón in the main square.

Day 2 tips

The Malecón is flat and pushchair-friendly; Old Town's side streets behind it are not.
Uber works well between the Malecón and the Hotel Zone, with the fare fixed in the app; coverage is thinner on the Nayarit side, so from Nuevo Vallarta agree a taxi fare or book a return (Uber and taxis).

Day 3 — A boat trip that isn't too long

Which boat: a larger, stable catamaran rather than a small fast boat — toilets, shade and less seasickness.
December to March: whale watching (8 December to 23 March; around US$50–90 per person) is the one children remember. Sightings peak from late January to early March.
Otherwise: a bay cruise with a swim stop, or Los Arcos for older children who swim confidently; the water is deep right up to the rocks, so life jackets stay on. Avoid the longest offshore trips with under-8s.
Afternoon: back at the pool. Plan nothing else.

Day 3 tips

Ask the operator about minimum ages, child prices and whether life jackets come in children's sizes before you book (boat tours).
Pack a dry change of clothes, hats and sun protection.

Day 4 — Jungle, garden or a boat-only beach

Canopy: a gentle zipline circuit in the Sierra Madre. Every park has age and weight limits, minimum and maximum; check them first, and wear closed-toe shoes.
Botanical garden: forest trails and a river to swim in, about 45 minutes by the El Tuito bus. In 2026 adults pay MXN 300, children aged 5 to 10 MXN 150, and under-5s go free; it's closed on Mondays from April to November (botanical garden).
A boat-only beach: a short water taxi from Boca de Tomatlán to Las Ánimas, about MXN 100, which has palapa restaurants and gentle waves. Note the time of the last boat back.

Day 4 tips

Thinking of a dolphin swim? Read what Mexico's 2025 law changed, and the welfare debate, before you book (swimming with dolphins).
Carry pesos in small notes for buses, water taxis and snacks.

Day 5 — Pool and pick-your-own

Morning: let the children choose: their favourite beach, the pool, or the activity they liked best.
Late afternoon: in season, a sea-turtle release — at the Boca de Tomates camp near the airport from September to December, or at San Pancho's camp from July to December. Read how to do it responsibly first.
Evening: ice cream on the Malecón and an early dinner.

Day 5 tips

Flying home? Allow 10–15 minutes from the Hotel Zone to the airport, 15–20 from Nuevo Vallarta, and more in high season.
Keep sun cream, water and a snack in the day bag for the airport — queues can be long when several flights leave together.

Swap in, depending on age and season

Sea turtle releases (September to December, at sunset): at the Boca de Tomates camp near the airport, children help send hatchlings to the sea; it's free, with donations welcome. Read how to do it responsibly first.
Isla Río Cuale: a shady, flat walk on the island in the river between downtown and Old Town, with footbridges, craft stalls, birds and iguanas. See hikes and viewpoints.
The botanical garden: forest trails, a river to swim in and hummingbirds from May to October. In 2026 children aged 5 to 10 pay MXN 150, and under-5s go free. See the botanical garden.
Snorkelling at Los Arcos for older children who swim confidently: the water is deep right up to the rocks, so life jackets stay on. See Los Arcos.
Marina Vallarta's boardwalk is flat and pushchair-friendly, with an eight-metre bronze of a whale and her calf at the entrance to the district. See Marina Vallarta.

When to come with children

December to March is whale season and the most comfortable weather; see whale watching.
Mexican school holidays fill the resorts: 21 December to 5 January, and 22 March to 2 April around Semana Santa in 2027. Book early, or avoid them.
Green season (June to October) is cheaper but hot and humid for small children, with afternoon storms; see the weather guide.

Practical notes for families

Watch the flags — the open beaches have rip currents; see safety.
Heat and shade — midday is intense; plan pool or indoor time.
Don't drink the tap water, and be careful with ice outside established places.
Car seats aren't standard in taxis or airport transfers; ask for one when you book. See the airport guide.
Nappies, formula and children's medicines are sold in the big supermarkets and pharmacies; see supermarkets.
If someone falls ill: the private hospitals CMQ, Joya Marina and Hospiten have 24-hour emergency departments, and 911 is the emergency number. See living in Puerto Vallarta.

Frequently asked

Is Puerto Vallarta good for kids?

Yes, with the right base. Families do best in the Hotel Zone or Nuevo Vallarta, with calmer, wider beaches and resorts with kids' clubs, rather than in Old Town, whose steep, cobbled streets are hard work with small children.

What is the best area of Puerto Vallarta for families?

Nuevo Vallarta has the most family resorts, with kids' and teens' clubs on a long, flat beach near the airport. The Hotel Zone is closer to the city, 15 to 25 minutes from the Malecón.

What is the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta with children?

December to March, for whales and the most comfortable weather. Mexican school holidays fill the resorts: 21 December to 5 January, and 22 March to 2 April around Semana Santa in 2027.

Can young children go whale watching?

Yes, on a larger, stable boat; whale-watching trips run from 8 December to 23 March. Check the operator's minimum age and that life jackets come in children's sizes.