Gallery Pacifico is one good one — and look for the lovely Mata Ortiz pottery, thin as eggshells, fine and smooth in the hand, and painted with delicate finesse. Every Wednesday night in season there is the Art Walk, a self guided walk, for which an excellent map is provided, and it’s a great way to discover some of the...

The Zona Romantica, also calle Old Vallarta, Old Town, or the South Side, is the part of the city that still feels like a Mexican village and is, to my mind, the most exciting part of PV. The streets are cobblestone, the buildings are white adobe with red roofs, and the whole feel of the area is decidedly welcoming. This...