some words of caution about Puerto Vallarta
I loved most every minute of our trip to Mexico, but there are a few words of caution I'd like to share with you. My family traveled to the little town of Bucerias (north of Puerto Vallarta) most every year when I was small, and I feel very comfortable there. Still, it is a foreign country with some different ways of doing things and different laws and whatnot, and a little caution goes a long way toward having a wonderful trip.
About the violence in Mexico
- As of this writing violence in Mexican border towns is almost unfathomable and far from being under control. That said, most of Mexico is not directly affected by the violence. These problems are concentrated along the border and are not an issue in most travel destinations that I know of, including Puerto Vallarta.
About driving
I had never driven in Mexico before this year, and while it was nice to have the freedom of a rental car R and I have decided it's probably not worth it for us to drive there again. Why not?
- Rental cars are very expensive ($50 US per day for a tiny car). Cabs are relatively cheap and available all over. Also, we like to walk.
- Driving in Mexico is nothing like driving in the US. People drive fast and crazy. I never saw a stop sign or stop light other than those on the highway. No one uses turn signals. We have both driven in US and Canadian big cities before and it does not even remotely compare. Really.
- The highway system requires you to merge on and off of frontage roads in a confusing way, and to get all the way over to the right in order to turn left. It was a little hard to get used to and not all that easy to do (remember, no stop or yield signs).
About people trying to sell you timeshares and travel excursions
- Expect people to nab you as you exit Mexican customs at the airport. You will be tired and confused, and in the guise of being helpful and showing you about the area they will try to get you to visit one of their resorts and possibly buy a timeshare. There will be lots of discounts and incentives to try to get you to go visit the resort, but it is really just a ruse. Do not be fooled.
Unless buying a timeshare is on your agenda you'll need to tell them "No" pretty firmly. They will work you much harder than any American salesperson ever would, and will not back down easily. Have no fear, though, once you leave the airport you're pretty much rid of them.
Hawkers
- I have come to the conclusion that everyone in Mexico is selling something. With the exception of the timeshare people most everyone will back off if you say, "No, gracias," or "No lo queremos" (we don't want it). Expect people to come up to you while shopping, on the beach, etc. and attempt to sell you stuff. It's a tourist economy and you are a tourist. (And if you can at all rival my Alaskan pastiness you'll be easy to spot as one.)
I hope you can visit soon. Someone needs to keep those hawkers and timeshare salespeople in business!
Also, the weather and the sun and the gorgeous beaches and the food and the shopping and the peacefulness make up for any irritations more than 100 times over. Just so you know.
We stayed in a guest cottage at a private home (email me for the link), and there was no one else on the property other than the owner. We had the beautiful pool and gardens pretty much to ourselves. To the south of Bucerias is "Nuevo Vallarta," essentially a string of 14 huge resorts. We could see their crowded beaches a couple of miles from us, and were happy to have our own beach more or less to ourselves. I'd recommend this sort of vacation to anyone. 
