The remodeled stretch of Avenida México in front of Parque Hidalgo, where the street extends the Malecón in downtown Puerto Vallarta, officially opened on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Mayor Luis Ernesto Munguía González led the opening of the two blocks between Argentina and 31 de Octubre streets, a little over a year after work began on October 13, 2025.
The idea was to join the Malecón and Parque Hidalgo into one space, and the city wants the park itself to become a spot for art and culture. According to NNC, the street now uses the same materials as the Malecón (porphyry stone, a washed concrete finish, Wixárika-inspired stamped patterns and lit bollards). The surface was also raised, with new storm drains to handle rainwater better, which anyone who has seen a summer downpour downtown will appreciate.
Can you drive on it?
For now, yes, but walkers and cyclists have priority. The city started a two-month pilot plan that lets vehicles through while it checks how the street works and keeps talking with local business owners. Some of them would like the street to stay pedestrian only, while many drivers want it back in the downtown road network. One option the mayor mentioned is setting days and hours that alternate between pedestrian and vehicle use, but no schedule has been announced yet. The city has also set aside a space for taxis.
So the next time you stroll the Malecón, it now flows straight into the renovated street in front of Parque Hidalgo. You can read how the project looked last December in our earlier report on the Parque Hidalgo to Malecón connection. For more to see nearby, check our guides to the sculptures on the Malecón and attractions in downtown Puerto Vallarta.
