Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

PUERTO VALLARTA : Overview

OVERVIEW

Puerto Vallarta is a popular resort town situated on the western coast of Mexico, south of Baja. Puerto Vallarta has a lot to offer visitors with mobility impairment, but accessibility can be a bit challenging. In the older part of town, there are many streets paved with cobblestones, and there are also a lot of sidewalks that are missing curb cuts. The city is still continuing to work on making Puerto Vallarta a more accessible travel destination for people who utilize mobility devices. Accessible transportation is a must because the town is very spread out. The best time to visit is between November and March.

LANGUAGE

The official language of Mexico is Spanish.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Mexico is the Peso.

QUICKLINKS

LOGISTICS: Air – Water – Ground
ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels – Resorts
ENTERTAINMENT: Tours – Activities – Restaurants & Nightlife
EMERGENCY SERVICES: Hospitals – Medical Equipment
ABILITYTIPS: Precautions

PUERTO VALLARTA : Logistics

AIR TRANSPORTATION/AIRPORT

Puerto Vallarta Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport: We were unable to locate any information about accessibility at this airport.

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GROUND TRANSPORTATION

TAXI

There are taxis in Puerto Vallarta, but unfortunatelly we weren’t able to locate any with accessible features (e.g. ramp, lift).

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RENTAL VEHICLE (Accessible Van)

Mexico Accesible: Mexico Accesible offers wheelchair accessible transportation complete with a driver. The company has one van and it cannot be rented without using the company’s driver. The vehicle is a full size van with a pop top and a rear lift. There is plenty of room for an individual utilizing a power wheelchair, plus family and friends. The service is for rent by the hour. Mexico Accesible will also provide a car seat upon request. Mexico Accesible also offers scooter rentals and beach wheelchair rentals.

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SHUTTLE

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BUS

Buses in Puerto Vallarta are currently not wheelchair accessible.

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TRAIN (Light Rail)

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FERRY

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PUERTO VALLARTA : Accommodations

HOTELS & RESORTS

“My partner Tom and I just got back from Puerto Vallarta. We were down there for 9 days. We stayed at a hotel in the “Zona Romantica” or “Old Vallarta”. I rely on a motorized wheelchair, and was unable to use it at all in this part of town. The cobblestone streets, and sidewalks with many steps, made it impossible to use a wheelchair of any kind. Its lovely, but not for ppl who have trouble getting around. I would guess that the Marina area, and Nuevo Vallarta are more modern and more accessible, however we wanted to stay in the wonderful Zona Romantica. I used a cane, and my partner’s help to get around to cafe’s etc., on Olas Altas.” Rick, 11/24/2011

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PUERTO VALLARTA : Entertainment

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

Mexico Accesible: Mexico Accesible offers wheelchair accessible tours. The vehicle is a full size van with a pop top and a rear lift. There is plenty of room for an individual utilizing a power wheelchair, plus family and friends. Mexico Accesible will also provide a car seat upon request. Tours are for rent by the hour.

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ACTIVITIES

Aquaventuras Park: Aquaventuras Park is a water park 30 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta. A featured activity of the park is “swim with the dolphins,” where visitors can swim in a pool with dolphins and interact (e.g., kissing, touching belly, shaking fin). There are 3 tiers of interaction available at varying prices. Trainers educate participants about the dolphins and how to be more responsible with our environment so we can preserve the oceans. People with disabilities are welcome to participate; however, there is not a wheelchair accessible beach entry. Life jackets are provided and must be worn in the dolphin pool. Only water proof cameras are allowed in the dolphin area.

Beaches: There are some fabulous beaches in Puerto Vallarta. Unfortunately, none are accessible without the use of a beach wheelchair. Beach wheelchairs are available for rent from Mexico Accesible.

The Malecon (Boardwalk): The Boardwalk is a scenic walkway along the downtown seaside and is a popular place for both locals and tourists to visit. The curb on the boardwalk is very high but there are access points for individuals utilizing wheelchairs or scooters. There are numerous sculptures along the boardwalk, and it’s also a great place to people watch. There are also many restaurants and bars lining the road opposite the Malecon, but most have steps at entryways.

Cathedral of our Lady Guadalupe: The Cathedral is a landmark site in Puerto Vallarta and was built in the early 1920s. The cathedral is ornately decorated on the inside with large columns and elaborate molding. Unfortunately, the Cathedral of our Lady Guadalupe is not wheelchair accessible. There is a small step at the entrance of the cathedral making it difficult for people who use mobility devices. There has been talk about rennovation to make this landmark accessible in the near future.

City Tour: A city tour is a great way to visit Puerto Vallarta and gives visitors a taste of what Puerto Vallarta has to offer. It’s also a great tour if you’re just visiting Puerto Vallarta for a day and want to see the highlights. Mexico Accessible listed above offers city tours.

Galleria Dante (Art Gallery): “The Galleria Dante has ramps into the garden areas. Because of the high sidewalks in Vallarta, for the rainy season, getting to the gallery may be the biggest obstacle. Most street corners have ramps, but not all sidewalks are level.” Claire, 5/10/2010

Olas Altas (Romantica Zone): Olas Altas, also known as the Romantica Zone, is a popular area in Puerto Vallarta for both visitors and locals. There are several restaurants and shops with either ramps or flush entryways in Olas Altas. Compared to other areas of Puerto Vallarta, Olas Altas is relatively wheelchair accessible.

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RESTAURANTS/NIGHTLIFE

Finding a wheelchair accessible restaurant can be difficult in Puerto Vallarta due to the overall age of the buildings in the city. There are steps at entrances of the majority of restaurants. However, there are some that are accessible; below we have listed some restaurants, which are accessible to varying degrees. Although some of the restaurants in Puerto Vallarta are wheelchair accessible, most do not have accessible bathrooms.

El Dorado by Boca Bento: El Dorado restaurant is located on the Los Muertos beachfront in Olas Altas (Romantica Zone). The restaurant’s entrance is wheelchair accessible, and there is also outdoor dining underneath palapas. Note that only portions of the restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

La Palapa Restaurant and Lounge: The La Palapa Restaurant and Lounge is wheelchair accessible, and is located on Los Muertos Beach in Olas Altas (Romantica Zone). Live Jazz music is featured in the evenings.

Mi Querencia: Mi Querencia offers traditional Mexican cuisine. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible via ramp and is located on Morelos #426 Col. Centro.

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PUERTO VALLARTA : Emergency Services

MEDICAL SERVICES/HOSPITAL

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MEDICAL EQUIPMENT RENTALS

Mexico Accesible: Mexico Accesible offers medical equipment rentals including wheelchairs, roll in showers, and beach wheelchairs. These items are available for delivery.

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PUERTO VALLARTA : AbilityTips

PRECAUTIONS

“We rented a wheelchair accessible sightseeing tour in Puerto Vallarta and visited the Aquadventuras Park to swim with the dolphins. Our friends wanted to stay longer with their child while we explored the downtown area of Puerto Vallarta. When we came back to pick them up, a taxi service contracted with Aquaventuras would not allow us to pick up our friends without paying a fee $15 (wanted to charge us $30). He claimed we were taking a taxi fare from his company, although we clearly rented the van service as a group. We feel he took advantage of us because we were tourists.” Christopher, 5/3/2010

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OTHER USEFUL LINKS:

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