Puerto Vallarta NOW – July 2019

By Paco Ojeda

Many tourists that enjoy Provincetown during the summer months would probably not consider the popular LGBT beachfront destination during wintertime, when the weather is cold and the whole town is covered with snow. Along the same lines, folks that flock to Puerto Vallarta during the winter and spring months looking for our city’s renowned beach and nightlife tend to shy away during the summer months, heat, humidity and rain mentioned as major deterrents.

“Puerto Vallarta’s appeal doesn’t fade away; it changes,” explains Hotel Mercurio owner, Paul Crist, who like many other locals, is quick to highlight the so-called ‘off season’ appeal. “During the winter, you wait in line to get seated at many restaurants, or to get into your favorite dance club. During the summer, you waltz right in to the tune of employees and business owners welcoming you by your name. Puerto Vallarta’s laid back pace during the summer months affords travelers a more personalized experience wherever you go, such that while some of your favorite shops, art galleries and restaurants may be ‘closed for the season,’ those that remain open—and many of them do—are able to give you more personalized attention and a sense of belonging.”

It is that sense of belonging that sometimes creates a subtle distinction between ‘tourists’ looking for a fun-filled vacation, and ‘travelers’ looking to weave themselves more deeply into the local social and cultural fabric. Getting your morning coffee at the shop around the corner from your hotel or condo rental in the summer means that the employee behind the counter is likely to greet you by your name, and ask you about that massaged you booked the previous afternoon went, or the dinner party you were attending.

Also, the more relaxed pace that prevails during the summer allows locals to enjoy some of the city’s appeal just as much as visitors do, such that you are more likely to run into local business owners and staff out and about or at the beach, for example.

And while all of this is happening, Puerto Vallarta is quietly casting its spell on you. “You could live here,” she seems to whisper in your ear.

Mind you, this falling in love with Puerto Vallarta happens year around, and for many first time tourists travelling on cruise ships that arrive and leave on the same day, it happens in a matter of hours—for example, simply turn to real estate wunderkind Ryan Donner elsewhere in this publication and you’ll see what we mean!

So, if you are considering visiting Puerto Vallarta for the first time, or perhaps returning, don’t skip over your calendar’s summer months and consider the destination’s multi-faceted appeal: be a tourist during the winter/spring season, and party all night long, attend art gallery openings and shows to your heart’s content. Then, be a traveler during the summer, nurturing deeper connections with locals, enjoying the local flora and fauna as it springs back to life with refreshing rain, and escaping the heat by visiting nearby mountain towns!

Paco Ojeda is a Puerto Vallarta-based influencer, photographer and musician. Learn more about his activities by visiting his website, paco-ojeda.com.