Puerto Vallarta NOW – November

The Fall season is back! Many of our friends abroad begin making plans for seasonal travel to Puerto Vallarta, so questions regarding what’s new and exciting in town seem to increase by the minute. Here are a few upcoming events: By the time this issue reaches your hands, or you’ve had the opportunity of reading it online, Mexico’s traditional Day of the Dead celebrations will be in full swing. The annual iconic celebration takes place November 1 and 2 and this year as in years past, a traditional parade along Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón with many wearing the traditional catrina (skull) makeup. If you’ve enjoyed cocktails at Blondies PV on the way to the beach or back, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to hear about their brand new location, Los Otros Blondies (The Other Blondies) on Basilio Badillo Street, featuring their premium frozen and craft cocktails and a retail store for all things Blondies—fashion, gifts, beach gear and more.

Come US Thanksgiving, there will be no shortage of restaurants offering a special dining experience on November 28. That said, Casa Cupula just announced that Barrio Bistro, a renowned gourmet restaurant, is taking over the LGBT boutique hotel’s food and beverage operations, offering their guests an even more luxurious experience. With Barrio Bistro behind Casa Cupula’s emblematic Thanksgiving dinner, I am quite certain that it will be wise to reserve a spot early by emailing concierge@casacupula.com.

On Sunday, November 17, Hotel Mercurio’s traditional Sunday Beers, Boys & Burgers switches gears for the season, bringing back live entertainment, DJ and sexy gogo boys wearing Mercurio Swim apparel to the already festive weekly party. Meanwhile, Casa Cupula’s clothing-optional Pool Club continues with their Saturday parties, but any day is a good day to visit this relaxing spot that offers poolside food and beverage service, not to mention a stunning view of the bay.

Mantamar Beach Club is never shy when it comes to partying. They will host their own Day of the Dead celebration on November 2 with a Masquerade Pool Party. To commemorate Mexico’s Revolution Day (November 20, officially) Mantamar will host a two-day weekend fest November 16-17, with guest DJs and other surprises. US Thanksgiving weekend will feature the House of Olympus White Party, with three days of non-stop parties and entertainment spilling over to Industry Nightclub. Their Top Sky Bar has been hosting RuPaul’s Drag Race UK viewing parties and it’s worth liking their page on Facebook (TheTopSkyBarPV) to be up to speed with their live entertainment schedule. Their New Year’s Eve celebration is already announced, with a special four-course dinner, premium open bar, live entertainment and other amenities. Late-night mongers, rejoice!

With over 25 gay bars, dance floors and stripper clubs, there is no shortage of evening fun and entertainment in town. Many of these establishments will announce special events around big holiday dates, such as US Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve as they near. Newcomers will be pleased to learn that all the aforementioned establishments are located within walking distance. Finally, we are entering that time of year where it truly pays off to plan your Puerto Vallarta vacation and make hotel and flight reservations as early as possible in order to get the best possible deals. Although we are quite used to booking through online engines, it always pays off to visit the hotels’ websites directly on a regular basis, in search of last-minute deals or other promotions not available elsewhere. Happy travels!

DON’T MISS EVENTS • White Party Puerto Vallarta Thanksgiving Mantamar November 29th – December 1st Three days of parties with top DJs from around the world. Weekend passes available now! (jeffreysanker.com). Stay at the fabulous Almar Resort (almarresort.com). • White Party Puerto Vallarta NYE Mantamar and Top Sky Bar December 27th – January 1st Ring in a new year with a week of events. DJs from around the world. Weekend passes available now! (jeffreysanker.com). Stay at the fabulous Almar Resort (almarresort.com).