Puerto Vallarta has so much more to offer than the requisite sun, sand and surf — which happen to be outstanding here, Banderas Bay privileged with weather as perfect as it gets, some 25 miles of silky sand beaches and crystalline waters.

This destination is so friendly and comfortable, offering just the right mix of the exotic and the familiar, that it’s the rare person who doesn’t return every chance they get and stay as long as possible.

Whatever you’re into, hip modern culture or its more traditional manifestations, you’ll find a wealth of it here. Vallarta has more world-class art galleries than any other resort in this country, an age-old tradition of fine artesania, and Huichol Indians, who bring wonderful spiritually based art works to town from their homes in the surrounding mountains. Several of Mexico’s most esteemed cultural traditions originated in Jalisco — Mariachi music, tequila and the colorful charreada rodeo among them. Daily life here is enriched by myriad impromptu and well-organized cultural experiences, pre-Hispanic, colonial and modern-day music, dance, theater and other performances frequently scheduled and free of charge.

Outdoor activities: You name it, chances are good Vallarta offers it, the fabulous weather and nature’s bounty here conducive to healthy outdoor living. The easiest and most popular way to exercise while checking the place out is walking.,  the steep cobblestone streets of El Centro comprising the world’s most intriguing StairMaster. The bay invites sport fishing, whale watching, yachting, diving, snorkeling, swimming and even parasailing over it, while there’s a different golf course to play every day of the week. Organized outdoor adventures include soaring above the tree canopy and rappelling through waterfalls, with bird watching, hiking, tennis, and water aerobics in your hotel pool just a few of the many other options.

Food: If you appreciate fine food and drink you’ll be ecstatic here, our thriving dining scene enjoying an international reputation for being far superior to that of any other resort in Mexico. For more than a decade, Vallarta has hosted the exciting International Festival Gourmet, which features dozens of the world’s best chefs creating culinary masterpieces in tandem with those at our finest restaurants every November. And more recently, May is when Puerto Vallarta’s restaurant week  takes place, the ideal time to discover all those great places you’ve been hearing about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Vallarta