Vibrant, charming, and sometimes a bit loco, Zona Romantica offers cobblestone streets, boutique shops, clubs, and a variety of excellent dining spots. Bustling Los Muertos Beach and its iconic pier are fantastic places to unwind and watch the sun set. I try to stay in this area for a week or two whenever I visit Puerto Vallarta.
Playa Los Muertos
Lazaro Cardenas Park
AirBnBs
There are a wide variety of AirBnBs here, from modern condos with rooftop pools to older, more classic Mexican spaces. I would just advise one be cognizant of where your place is relative to some of the nightlife hotspots here. My first AirBnB here was nice, but also right next door to Mr Flamingo, the biggest gay bar in town. I could see it from my balcony, and could hear the disco music plainly every night until around 5 in the morning. Keep in mind too that as you move south here it gets quite hilly, and there are steep and winding staircases involved in some places.
Groceries
You won’t find any big supermarkets in Zona Romantica, but there are some decent smaller ones. My personal favorite is Mercado Ollin. I can find most of my usual items there, albeit at slightly higher prices. I suspect many of the markets here stock their goods from Costco, as I often come across a lot of Kirkland brand products. Typically, I make a weekly trip to a larger store while I’m staying here, such as the Ley in 5 de Diciembre, or the La Comer or Walmart in Fluvial Vallarta.
Coffee
There are many nice places to get coffee in town, but not many of them are good for working. But a couple that I like are Cafe Vayan, which is right in the thick of things, and Cafetalito. Cafetalito is a little off the beaten path up the hill, but it’s also quieter. I like the Starbucks too, except it’s often hard to find a place there.
Tacos
If you’re looking to satisfy your taco cravings in the Romantic Zone, there’s an abundance of excellent options. Pancho’s Tacos is probably the most well known, and there’s usually a line. While I quite enjoyed their famous al pastor tacos, I’m not sure they lived up to the hype. Over on Basilio Badillo, there’s a little cart called Taco Memo’s, which serves up an delicious ‘Bin Laden’ shrimp taco. If you have a hankering for Baja-style shrimp tacos, Maria Baja is definitely worth a visit. As for mouthwatering carne tacos, I’ve had some very good ones at Tacos El Moreno. The last time I was there I had two asada, one adobada, and a rice agua fresca, all for just $4 USD.
Restaurants
There are several good restaurants in this area, but a particular favorite is La Palapa. They have tables right on the beach. It’s a little more upscale and romantic option, and a great place to watch the sunset. The shrimp dish I had there was delicious. I am told they have some good vegan options as well; a vegan friend I know raved about a dish they made for her there.
Dessert
A particular place that’s hard for me to resist is Eula’s Bakery. They have so many delicious looking things inside, and on my last visit I found myself there almost daily.
If you’ve spent any time in Mexico, you’ve seen plenty of La Michoacana neverias (ice cream shops). They are everywhere, and at times it seems like there’s one on every corner. The one on Calle Constitución was the first one I remember encountering though. At the time I thought it was just a little mom and pop place, and I fell in love from my first paleta (it was nuez I believe). You never forget your first!
Workouts
The only place I have found for doing pullups outside in the Romantic Zone is some monkey bars at the ‘Area de Juegos’ near the river. Right across the street, however, is Power Fitness Gym. I didn’t go in, but it looks like they offer a cheap day pass. I’ll probably give them a try sometime in the future.
