Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Riviera

Ever since Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor filmed "Night of the Iguana" here in 1963, Puerto Vallarta has been a vacation destination for throngs of visitors. Today, cruise ships pull into the harbor while sunbathers and shoppers alike find something special here in this lovely port. You can even visit Casa Kimberly where Liz Taylor and Richard Burton had their rendezvous and take a tour. First find the Virgin of Guadalupe Church and take Zaragoza Street up the steep stairs to Miramar. Proceeds from the tour benefit a local charity, and the view from the hill is spectacular.

The seaside promenade in Puerto Vallarta is known as the Malecon, and you are sure to enjoy a lovely stroll past the outdoor sculpture gallery. Don't miss Los Arcos, or the Aquiles Serdan Amphitheater, where you can watch artists at work and even purchase completed works directly from the artists. Take a short walk from the Malecon to see the City Hall, or Palacio Municipal, which has a very interesting mural on the second floor, as well as the Plaza de Armas and the Virgin of Guadalupe Church.

Shopping is more than just a past time here in Puerto Vallarta - it has been raised to an Olympic event. While the shops in the hotel zone incude some lovely boutiques, downtown you'll be able to find folk art from all over Mexico. The majority of folk art shops are located on Avenida Morales, which is one block inland from the Malecon, and if you go one block further you' find many art galleries on Juarez.

While Puerto Vallarta is especially well known for its beaches, you'll find some nice places to sun and even enjoy water sports in the hotel zone. For a more peaceful view of Puerto Vallarta, cross the Cuale River which divides the town, and you'll find beautiful scenery and quiet beaches. On this side, you'll still find women washing their clothes by pounding them on rocks in the river, cobblestone streets, and a very different atmosphere from the shops, restaurants and nightclubs found on the opposite shore. Stephanie Larkin is the editor of http://www.Cruise-to-Mexico.net, as well as http://www.WaltDisneyCruise.net and other cruise websites. She and her family are avid cruisers - her 3 children especially love the towel animals and chocolates left on their pillows at night!