Five "Don't Miss" Activities in Puerto Vallarta

Sitting around a nice resort sounds like a great vacation for a lot of people but if you are the type who likes to get out and explore the place you are visiting, here are five of the best activities in Puerto Vallarta. They are all family friendly and offer a great value for the money.

1) Scuba/Snorkeling: Even the most novice snorkeler or scuba diver can have a safe and fun experience at Los Arcos marine reserve. With surface water temperatures ranging from 70 to 86 degrees year round, it's never too cold to jump in the water in Puerto Vallarta. Because of the popularity of this site, the fish are used to boats offering salted fruit as a lure to get them to the surface. Now just the noise from the boats brings up massive schools of Butterfly fish, Jacks and other tropical fish for your viewing pleasure.

There are wonderful coral formations, dolphins, manta rays and more to be seen in the Bay of Banderas. Puerto Vallarta is also a great place to get your scuba certification. While the water is certainly different than the Caribbean, the Pacific waters offer a tremendous variety of sealife. Rays, octopus and lobster are common as are Parrot fish, Trumpet fish and Nudibranch.

The dive shops that have the best reputation for safety, small groups and highly trained dive instructors are PV Scuba and Pacific Scuba. These shops also offer snorkel packages for the whole family.

2. Puerto Vallarta Zoo: The Puerto Vallarta zoo offers an experience unlike anything you or your children will get at home; an up close and personal visit with exotic animals. Most recently the zoo has produced some charming tiger and panther cubs and for a very small fee, you and your family can get your picture taken cudding with these furry babies. The zoo is located in Mismaloya, just 35 minutes from Puerto Vallarta and costs less than $10 to get in for adults.

There are more than 100 species of animals to see and lunch packs are available for feeding a variety of animals. If you are an animal lover, don't miss this zoo!

3) The Crocodile Farm in Bucerias: A short bus or cab ride from Puerto Vallarta will take you to a crocodile farm located just south of Flamingos Resort. Two kilometers down a dirt road, the drive itself is interesting as it winds through the swamp. At the end of the road you will find the crocodile farm and the entry fee is $1 or ten pesos.

Giant crocodiles line the banks of the enclosed lake and a short walk around the property reveals many other animals to see as well. There are baby crocodiles, turtles, wild pigs, coatimundi and more. After your short tour, you can have lunch at the fantastic restaurant located on the property. Imagine dining only feet from a crocodile! The restaurant portions are massive, consider yourself warned!

4) Humpback Whale Watching: If you are lucky enough to visit Puerto Vallarta during whale season, December-March, you can go on an amazing whale watching trip with Open Air Expeditions. I recommend this company above all others because each staff member is a trained oceanographist and is directly involved in research of the humpback whales that come to Vallarta to mate and give birth. The money they make from the trips funds this research. You will learn more about the whales with this trained team than anywhere else. They use an inflatable Zodiac and can safely get very close to the whales. The groups are small and they are very respectful. This is a VERY exciting trip for the whole family!

5) Yelapa: Yelapa can only be reached by water taxi, which you can get at the Los Muertos Pier. The boat ride is about 30-40 minutes, during which you can view some of the spectacular manions that line the coast, including the house belonging to Stephen Spielberg. Because of its location, Yelapa has no cars. Imagine that!

Once reaching Yelapa, your options are many. You can relax on the beach at one of the restaurants, all of which offer lounge chairs and shaded tables. The beach vendors offer jewelry, clothing and hammocks. Enjoy authentic Mexican food and fresh seafood, frozen drinks and then top it off with a slice of famous Yelapa pie from one of the pie ladies. The pie ladies bake fresh pie in a variety of flavors every day and sell them on the beach. You can have fresh coconut, chocolate, banana and more. Do not miss the pie!

You can hike or take a horseback ride up to the nearby waterfall for a more energetic pursuit or get a massage at the local health center. Yelapa is an experience of natural beauty and seclusion and makes a great, relaxing day trip.