There are vacation days that call for beach, pool, and a sunset from the Sky Bar. And there are others when the family gets curious about what lies beyond the sea. Puerto Vallarta has the advantage of being a short ride away from some of Mexico's most beloved magical towns — little towns with cobblestone streets, mining stories, mountain coffee farms, and even a different beach from your own. Here we tell you which 3 we recommend the most, how much time it actually takes to get to each one, and why it's worth setting aside a day (or an afternoon) on your next family getaway.
Why leave the beach, even for just a day?
Because the best family memories don't always happen at the pool. Sometimes they're an ice cream in a town square, a zipline through the pines, or that photo in front of a 200-year-old church that no one expected to take on a "beach" trip. These three magical towns are all different from one another — one is quick and coastal, the other two are mountain towns full of history — so you can pick the one that best fits your family based on the time you have available.
1. Sayulita — the quick beachfront getaway
Time from Puerto Vallarta: approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Sayulita is the perfect plan when you want a change of beach without losing the whole day. It's a Magical Town in Nayarit with art-filled streets, craft shops, fish tacos, and waves ideal for kids (and anyone wanting to try it for the first time) to give surfing a shot. You can leave after breakfast and be back in time for the evening show at the hotel.
Ideal for: families with young children, those with half a day free, those who want beach + town in the same outing.
2. Mascota — history, coffee, and a dreamlike lagoon
Time from Puerto Vallarta: approximately 2.5 to 3 hours on a mountain highway.
Mascota is one of those towns that surprises because almost no one talks about it. There you'll find the Juanacatlán Lagoon, known as "the emerald of the sierra," an Archaeological Museum with pieces nearly 3,000 years old, and in town you can try a pozole that's worth the trip on its own. The mountain climate (cooler than the coast) is a nice change halfway through your vacation.
Ideal for: families looking for a full day of adventure and nature, those who want to combine it with San Sebastián del Oeste in the same outing.
3. San Sebastián del Oeste — the mining town that time forgot
Time from Puerto Vallarta: approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours on a mountain highway.
This was a mining town during colonial times, and it still shows: its streets and houses preserve 18th-century architecture almost intact. It's one of the quietest magical towns in Jalisco, perfect for an unhurried walk, visiting the Santa Gertrudis Mine, and sitting down for a cup of local coffee while the kids run around the square.
Ideal for: families who want history and tranquility, those looking to combine it with Mascota on the same mountain route.
Buenaventura Tip: if you have a full free day, many families combine San Sebastián del Oeste and Mascota on the same mountain route, since they're close to each other. If you only have half a day, Sayulita is the more practical option.
Back home: your beach awaits
After a day of town-hopping, mountains, or mountain coffee, there's nothing like coming back to Buenaventura Grand's location, just steps from the Malecón, and closing out the night with dinner at our restaurants or a sunset from the Sky Bar. In the end, that's the magic of Puerto Vallarta: you can have mountains and beach, history and pool, all in the same family trip.
If you haven't planned your next getaway yet, check out our current deals and the experiences we've designed to make every day of your stay a great moment.