Tours & Activities

Tours & Activities

Boat trips, whale watching, hiking, and more.

✦ All 🤿 Water & Sea 🐋 Whale & Wildlife 🌿 Jungle & Land ⛵ Boat & Sailing 🏛 Cultural 🌮 Food & Drink 🧘 Wellness 🏄 Surf 🎣 Fishing 🍸 Nightlife

What's on · September in Puerto Vallarta

September — quietest month, softest prices, warm rain. Turtle releases nightly; whales a month off.

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15 experiences
Butterfly Sanctuary & Museum
from $28USD /person
Butterfly Sanctuary & Museum
Jardín Mariposario
4.9 (460) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
A small enclosed butterfly garden and natural-history museum a short drive from Centro — hundreds of native morphos and swallowtails, shaded paths, and a quick, cheap, kid-proof hour out of the heat.
⏱ 1h 📍 Las Juntas
Details
Meet
Las Juntas — a short taxi from Centro
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop
from $63USD /person
Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Workshop
ChocoMuseo
4.9 (394) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Roast, peel, grind and temper your own chocolate bar from Mexican cacao in a two-hour hands-on workshop in Centro. Take the bars home. Works for kids and non-drinkers, unlike most of the food tours.
⏱ 2h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Centro workshop, sessions through the day
Ages
4+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Mexican Cooking Class
from $80USD /person
Mexican Cooking Class
Vallarta Eats
4.9 (713) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour hands-on Mexican cooking class. Visit the local market, cook 4 dishes including mole and ceviche, eat what you make.
⏱ 3h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Mercado Municipal, 9am
Ages
8+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Sierra Hot Springs, Massage & Grill
from $139USD /person
Sierra Hot Springs, Massage & Grill
Hidden Vallarta
5.0 (595) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
A day in the Sierra Madre foothills: soak in shaded natural hot-spring pools by a river, a short massage in the trees, and a Mexican grill lunch. Slow, quiet, out of the sun — a good rain-day or heat-day pick.
⏱ 8h 📍 Sierra Madre
Details
Meet
Hotel pickup, ~8:30am
Ages
8+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
couple, solo, groups
Water
you will get wet
Night Street Tacos Tour
from $31USD /person
Night Street Tacos Tour
Taco Tour PV
5.0 (512) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
2-hour guided walk to 5 of the best street taco stands in Centro. Eat birria, carnitas, fish tacos, and elote. Local guide, no tourist traps.
⏱ 2h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Malecón, 7pm
Ages
10+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, groups
Tequila & Mezcal Tasting Tour
from $43USD /person
Tequila & Mezcal Tasting Tour
Vallarta Bar Tours
4.8 (273) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
2-hour guided tasting of 8 artisanal tequilas and mezcals at 3 bars in Zona Romántica. Expert guide explains production and regions.
⏱ 2h 📍 Zona Romantica
Details
Meet
Zona Romántica, 6pm
Ages
18+
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, groups
PV Street Food & Culture Tour
from $49USD /person
PV Street Food & Culture Tour
Vallarta Food Tours
5.0 (3,933) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour walking food tour through Centro and Zona Romántica. 8–10 tastings including tacos, birria, mariscos, agua fresca.
⏱ 3h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Malecón Boardwalk, Los Arcos amphitheater
Ages
6+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Food & Mixology Tour
from $98USD /person
Food & Mixology Tour
Vallarta Food Tours
5.0 (1,942) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
An evening walking tour built around drinks as much as food — tequila, mezcal, raicilla and agave cocktails paired with tacos, birria and street snacks across Centro. From the team behind the Downtown Food Tour.
⏱ 4h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Centro, ~5pm
Ages
18+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
couple, groups, solo
Colomitos & Las Ánimas Coastal Hike
from $12USD /person
Year-round (hot midday Apr–Oct)
Colomitos & Las Ánimas Coastal Hike
Self-guided (water taxi)
4.8 (606) Viator
Jungle trail from Boca de Tomatlán to Colomitos (PV's smallest beach) and on to Las Ánimas. Hike one way, water-taxi back. No guide needed; bring water and reef shoes.
⏱ 4h 📍 Boca De Tomatlan
Details
Meet
Boca de Tomatlán trailhead
Ages
10+
Effort
demanding — active
Suits
solo, couple, groups
Water
you can stay dry if you want
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
from $22USD /person
Year-round (best Nov–Mar)
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
Vallarta Botanical Gardens
4.8 (135) Viator
Self-guided day at the botanical gardens 30 min south of town. Orchid house, jungle trails, river swimming hole, hacienda restaurant. Bus 'El Tuito' from Centro.
⏱ 4h 📍 Mismaloya
Details
Meet
Carretera 200 sur, km 24
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family
Sea Turtle Release
from $35USD /person
August–December
Sea Turtle Release
Eco Tours Vallarta
4.9 (128) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Sunset release of newly-hatched sea turtles with a marine biologist, on a protected beach. August–December only. Low-key, moving, and a favourite with families.
⏱ 1.5h 📍 Nuevo Vallarta
Details
Meet
Beach location, ~5:30pm
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Sierra del Cuale Jungle Hike
from $55USD /person
Year-round (best Nov–Apr)
Sierra del Cuale Jungle Hike
Eco Tours Vallarta
4.7 (82) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
Guided half-day hike up the Cuale river valley — swimming holes, birdlife, an old mining trail. Moderate, ~6 km, cooler under the canopy. Good for fit families.
⏱ 4h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Hotel pickup, 7am
Ages
10+
Effort
demanding — active
Suits
solo, couple, groups
Water
you can stay dry if you want
Beginner Surf Lesson — Sayulita
from $43USD /person
Year-round (Apr–Oct best)
Beginner Surf Lesson — Sayulita
Lunazul Surf School
5.0 (93) Viator
✓ Free cancellation
2-hour beginner surf lesson in Sayulita with certified instructor. Boards and rash guards included. Best for first-timers.
⏱ 2h 📍 Sayulita
Details
Meet
Sayulita beach, 8am or 3pm
Ages
8+
Effort
demanding — active
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Water
you will get wet
Taco & Cerveza Bike Tour
from $55USD /person
Taco & Cerveza Bike Tour
Taco Tour PV
4.8 (84) Viator
Cruiser-bike ride between four taquerías and a craft-beer stop, with a guide who knows which stand does the best al pastor. Flat route, ~3 hours, plenty of eating.
⏱ 3h 📍 Centro
Details
Meet
Centro, 5pm
Ages
16+
Effort
some walking / uneven ground
Suits
solo, couple, groups
Whale Watching Tour
from $77USD /person
December–March
Whale Watching Tour
Vallarta Adventures
4.7 (187) Viator
✓ Free cancellation Reserve now, pay later
3-hour guided whale watching in Banderas Bay. Humpbacks December–March. Hydrophone on board to hear whale songs.
⏱ 3h 📍 Marina Vallarta
Details
Meet
Marina Vallarta pier, 8am and 12pm
Effort
easy — little walking
Suits
solo, couple, family, groups
Marina Vallarta
Off the Malecón

The good stuff is
a boat ride away.

Humpback whales from December, the Marietas Islands, a panga to Yelapa for lunch and a waterfall. Book direct with the operator where you can — more of it stays in town.

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