Marina Vallarta, attractions & sightseeing (Puerto Vallarta)

Marina Vallarta at night

Marina Vallarta is a bit like a resort within a resort, with an exclusive Marina filled with yachts, boats, and charters, plus a championship 18-hole golf course designed by Joe Finger.

It is located just 15 minutes north of downtown Puerto Vallarta and some 5 minutes away from the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, Lic. Gustavo Diaz Ordaz.

The Marina boardwalk offers lots of good shops, a great range from inexpensive restaurants to fancy elegant dining options, delis, a Starbucks, spas, cafés, bakeries, and ice-cream stores too, even a little supermarket.

Vallarta Whale, Marina Vallarta entrance

The view and the relaxed atmosphere make it a great afternoon sunset stroll for couples and families, watching the yachts and boats. The Marina is close to the airport, but planes do not fly close so you actually don’t hear them unless you are on the north side.

There are many luxurious hotels and resorts in the Marina area, including the Marriott Casamagna, Velas Vallarta, Westin Regina, Casa Velas and many others.

The beach is a bit complicated to get to unless you stay at one of the beachfront resorts if not, use this guide to get to El Salado Beach.

The Marina area is more exclusive and a bit more expensive than other areas in Puerto Vallarta. It was built during the most active years of the city in the 1980s, specifically in 1986, by the Güitrón brothers Jorge and José Martínez Güitrón, they took a leap of faith and really planned big.

Cruise ships at Puerto Vallarta harbor, Marina Vallarta

The population of Puerto Vallarta had managed to nearly double between 1980 and 1990 due, in large part, to a sudden devaluation of the peso at that point in time, something that attracted many visitors from both Canada and the United States, due to their sudden purchase power increase.

Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta panoramic view

This sudden growth in tourism inspired the Güitrón Martinez brothers to start an important and visionary residential and business development, the one we now know as the Marina Vallarta, where you would be able to shop by the Marina and enjoy luxury hotels, condos, housing developments, private schools and top-level maritime amenities that could even welcome luxury yachts in what was at the time the largest marina in Mexico with 500 slips.

Marina Vallarta view, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco State, Mexico

They also had excellent marketing sense and convinced the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor, that already owned property in the city and lived many years here, to buy one of the first available condos by the Marina, which helped give it all some extra appeal, for sure.

The Marina Vallarta area is delimited to the north by the airport to the east by Francisco Medina Ascencio Avenue and the El Salado Estuary. To the southeast, the limit is the Puerto Vallarta harbor area and southwest the Pacific Ocean (Banderas Bay).

Marina Vallarta Lighthouse, Puerto Vallarta Mexico

[Currently closed] Marina Vallarta has its own little lighthouse, more for the show that really useful, surrounded by buildings that are higher than it is :-). At the top of the lighthouse, you can enjoy a drink at the El Faro bar.

The Marina Lighthouse offers a fantastic view of the Marina area, the Sierra Madre Mountains and wonderful sunsets (very romantic). At night they also have live music to take romantic to an even higher level.

Marina Vallarta boardwalk, Puerto Vallarta

Enjoy great restaurants, specialty stores, cafes and shops offering quality products around the Marina, the view is great, the ambiance, relaxed, great for a day out with the family.

Vallarta Whale, entrance to Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Another attraction for young and old is the bronze sculpture at the entrance to the Marina called “Vallarta Whale“. This sculpture was installed in 2001 as a tribute to the whales that visit the harbor and Banderas Bay each year, according to the locals it is the largest bronze sculpture in the world.

Read more on this Whale sculpture and how it is unique.

Art & Market Marina Vallarta, a colorful family-friendly event

Every Thursday, from October through May, you are invited to one of Puerto Vallarta’s trendiest neighborhoods, the Marina Vallarta.

Enjoy live music as you browse the local vendors’ stalls along the Marina boardwalk. There’s so much to see, and buy: fresh vegetables, honey, pastries, crafts, paintings, photos, unique clothing and even sculptures.

The Art & Market season starts off in October and ends in May, exact dates vary each year (in 2022, the start date is Thursday, October 27). Each Thursday it’s open from 6 PM to 10 PM.

We recommend visiting their FB page for updated information: https://www.facebook.com/artandmarketpv/

Phone: (322) 221-0503

Joe Finger Golf Course Marina Vallarta

Marina Vallarta Golf Course was designed by the famous American architect, Joe Finger, it’s an 18 hole course located in the marina area of Puerto Vallarta.
A marvellous mix of tropical ambiance with views of the Sierra Madre and the Banderas Bay. Offers a hacienda-style clubhouse right beside some of the most important hotels in Vallarta. The club each year hosts the International Pro-AM.

• Marina Vallarta Golf Course
• Designer: Joe Finger
• Holes: 18
• Length: 6701 yards
• Class: Blue, Professional White & Red · Operator: Club Corp
• Distance: 15 minutes.
• http://www.marinavallartagolf.com/

Plaza Marina, Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta

Even though it seems that Plaza Marina has never really been 100% full, it does offer a number of very useful day-to-day stores and businesses, there are banks, a supermarket, a drugstore and various places to eat. It’s very useful for those that live in the area and as a place to pass the time when waiting for a flight to leave or arrive.

• Address: Gansos, Marina Vallarta, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
• Phone: (322) 221-0060
• Website: http://www.plazamarina.com

Marina Vallarta offers many of the best hotels in Puerto Vallarta and the area. You’ll find both international brands as well as the best Mexican hotels and resorts.

From north to south the lodging options here are:

• One Puerto Vallarta Aeropuerto
• Holiday Inn Express Puerto Vallarta
• Casa Ritual Hotel Boutique
• Quinta del Sol
• Comfort Inn Puerto Vallarta
• Holiday Inn & Suites Puerto Vallarta Marina & Golf
• San Trópico
• Casa Velas Hotels & SPA
• Flamingo Vallarta Hotel & Spa
• Velas Vallarta
• Marriott CasaMagna
• Vamar Vallarta Hotel
• The Hotel Flamingo Vallarta
• Meliá Puerto Vallarta
• Mayan Palace at Vidanta Puerto Vallarta
• Villa Vera Puerto Vallarta
• The Westin Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta

El Salado Beach (June 7, 2022 – Marina Vallarta)

Marina Vallarta hides the beach access…

Marina Vallarta Beach access through Paseo Bocanegra

There is an ugly beach to the right (north), where you’ll have planes taking off overhead and to the left is the nicer beach, though you can’t see it for the boulders.

I am sure there is a “technical” explanation for all the boulders, the sea, erosion, etc., but they are there just to make it hard to get to the beach, obviously, if you have mobility issues or find it hard to jump from one rock to another, you won’t get to the beach. Me, thanks to my billy goat genes, did the hike and it’s not too bad.

The public access point to the Marina beach is blocked with boulders

The Marina Vallarta beach is alright, the sand darker and hotter than the beaches in Nuevo Vallarta. It is wider than the beaches further south a bit less than the hotel zone beach, though. There are places where the slope is steeper slope.

In general, a good beach, there are no public access restaurants, bars or stores here on the beach, only resorts, hotels and condos and their offerings. So bring your food and drinks along, in any case, I’d recommend Nuevo Vallarta or Destiladeras more than this one.

You may be able to walk into some of the hotel restaurants. I know Velas Vallarta has the Andrea Restaurant that is open to the public, so if pressed, ask around.