Puerto Vallarta Drive

Driving to PV with the help of a GARMIN was a breeze. Depart Chapala at 5:00 AM and bypass heavy truck and bus traffic. Drive on HWY 15 through Guadalaraja, staying in the left lane until you see the RIU hotel on the right.

EXIT RIGHT: Stay on frontage road, pass the RIU hotel, then turn RIGHT at the light. Drive to the dead end of that street, then TURN LEFT and follow signs to JALA, NAYARIT. EXIT on 15D and continue to CHAPALLIA (Little Chapala) this sweet little town greets you with an OXXO, best coffee and clean bathroom for 3 pesos. It is a 5 hour drive on good road conditions. When you get off the toll road, the winding road begins. You have been driving 110

kilometers per hour on the toll road, but once you exit, slow down and drive KNOWING that oncoming Mexican drivers do PASS on BLIND curves. Departing early from Chapala, on a mid-week day, we bypassed tired and hurried truck and bus drivers on this curvy and dangerous 40 mile stretch of 70 kilometer road. Simply follow signs to Puerto Vallarta and EXIT towards COMPOSTELA onto HWY 200. There is only one road into and out of PV and that is HWY 200. Once you enter PV you will pass the

AEROPUERTO and the VALLARTA MARINA. Walmart is directly across the street from the marina. HELPFUL TIP: Park your car safely in the Walmart parking lot and walk to Marina for any water adventures you may sign up for. We stayed at the GARZA which is over the bridge, and up the hill at the end of Old Puerto Vallarta. If you walk the MALECON (boardwalk) in Old PV, drive to the end of the malecon frontage road and drive into the PARKING GARAGE.

There is NO parking on the street even at 7:30 AM. The best breakfast is at the VITEA CAFE on the malecon. You face the Pacific Ocean with the familiar landmark statue of a PADRE right in front of this cafe. VITEA's egg white omlete will dazzle your tastebuds. Clean bathrooms, and air conditioning inside. WELCOME TO PARADISE! Have a BLAST and consider leaving a comment of your favorite cafe.