Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta with Kids: A 2026 Family Guide
Walkable Mexican beach town with family resorts on the bay. Everything you need to plan a Puerto Vallarta with kids trip — best activities, where to stay, and honest tips from parents.
Pack the perfect travel companion
A Sunlight Kids activity book made for travel days. Ships from Amazon.
Instant PDF you print at home. Paperback coming soon on Amazon.
Why families love Puerto Vallarta with kids
Puerto Vallarta is the under-rated Mexican family destination. It has a walkable, charming Old Town (Cancún does not), calm-water beaches, and resort zones that are easier to navigate with kids than the much larger Cancún Hotel Zone.
Flights are direct from most major US cities, the dollar goes far, and the family-vibes locals welcome.
Best things to do in Puerto Vallarta with kids
Walkable streets, kid-friendly cafés, Malecón (boardwalk) sculptures.
Calm-water swimming, beachside restaurants, easy umbrella rental.
Marigalante pirate ship tour
Best for ages 4-6Best for ages 6-8All-day family pirate cruise with shows. Touristy but kid-perfect.
Aquaventuras Park
Best for ages 4-6Best for ages 6-8Family water park north of town.
Sayulita day trip
Best for ages 6-8Surf town hour north — easier for first surf lessons (kids 6+).
Mismaloya snorkel + beach
Best for ages 4-6Best for ages 6-8Calm cove south of town; reefs and a Hollywood-history backdrop.
Each attraction links to Google Maps for directions and reviews.
Free things to do in Puerto Vallarta with kids
The Malecón (boardwalk) along the bay is free to walk — 12-block paved promenade with sculptures, street performers, and ocean views. Los Muertos Beach is a free public beach. The Zona Romántica neighborhood is free to wander. Sunday afternoon free concerts happen at the main plaza. Marigalante pirate ship can sometimes be watched leaving the harbor for free entertainment.
Keep them busy on the plane, in the car, at the hotel
The Sunlight Kids books were made for exactly these moments.
Instant PDF you print at home. Paperback coming soon on Amazon.
Where to stay in Puerto Vallarta with kids
Marina Vallarta / Nuevo Vallarta
Big family-resort zone. Best for resort-focused trips.
Zona Romántica (Old Town)
Walkable, charming, smaller hotels. Best for explorers.
Punta de Mita
Quieter, more upscale, calmest beaches.
Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta with kids
Tacos al pastor everywhere. Beachside restaurants on Los Muertos Beach. La Palapa is the family-friendly upscale dinner. Skip resort buffets for at least one street-taco lunch.
Day trips from Puerto Vallarta with kids
Sayulita
1 hour north. Bohemian surf town, easy half-day.
Yelapa
Boat-only fishing village. Adventurous day trip.
Marietas Islands (Hidden Beach)
Boat tour to the famous hidden beach. Best for kids 6+.
Puerto Vallarta with toddlers
Puerto Vallarta with toddlers is a walkable, easier-than-Cancún Mexican beach trip. Old Town (Zona Romántica) is walkable with strollers — Cancún's resort zone is not. The Malecón is the daily kid-magical walk.
Los Muertos Beach is a real public beach with calm water, restaurants on the sand, and umbrella rentals — toddler-perfect. The pier (Muelle de Los Muertos) is a 200-meter walk with a kid-thrilling viewpoint at the end.
All-inclusive resorts in Nuevo Vallarta or Punta Mita have toddler-shape pools and kids clubs. Old Town hotels offer a charming small-scale alternative — pick one with a small pool. Sunset on Los Muertos pier is the universal kid-magic moment. Tap water is unsafe — bring or buy bottled. Sunscreen is reef-safe required at most beaches.
Best time to visit Puerto Vallarta with kids
November–April. Summer is rainy and humid.
Tips for visiting Puerto Vallarta with kids
- Old Town is walkable with strollers; resort zones aren't always.
- Reserve the Marigalante cruise — sells out in season.
- Tap water — drink bottled. Most resorts have refill stations.
- Cab fares within town are cheap; resort shuttles are easier.
- Sunset on Los Muertos pier is the kid-magic moment.
Puerto Vallarta with kids: FAQs
Is Puerto Vallarta safer than Cancún for families?
Both are safe in resort and tourist areas. PV's Old Town is unusually safe and family-walkable.
Puerto Vallarta or Cancún with kids?
PV is more walkable and charming; Cancún has bigger all-inclusive resorts and closer Mayan ruins. PV wins for families who want a real town feel.
How many days in Puerto Vallarta?
Five to seven nights is ideal.
Best beach in Puerto Vallarta for kids?
Los Muertos Beach in Old Town for walkability and calm water; Punta de Mita for the calmest, most resort-style beach.
When to visit Puerto Vallarta with kids?
November–April for the driest weather and best temperatures.
Make the trip even better
Travel days are long. The Sunlight Kids activity books make them feel short.
Instant PDF you print at home. Paperback coming soon on Amazon.