Featured Gay Friendly Hotels in Puerto Vallarta

Gay Puerto Vallarta

In 2017, Puerto Vallarta became our first Gay Travel Approved®  city in Mexico and Zona Romantica was crowned as the 2016 Gay Travel Awards  Gayborhood of the Year.  This was the inaugural year for the award which recognizes global travel and hospitality providers that exemplify the spirit of inclusiveness, as well as innovators that constantly improve their amenities and service levels for the LGBT community.  

Considered by many to be the San Francisco of Mexico, gay tourists from all over the world travel each year to beautiful Puerto Vallarta, an easily accessible, accepting, and a very affordable gay beach destination. Unlike some cities in Mexico focused exclusively on modern day luxury with a distinctly resort feel, Puerto Vallarta offers a little something for everyone. There are luxury accommodations, but Puerto Vallarta has so much more to offer — it is truly all about showcasing the best of Mexico.

Do you want adventure travel? It's here. Fine cuisine? Done. A drink at the gay beach? Puerto Vallarta has that too. And it's all set against a rich cultural landscape that seamlessly blends the finest modern amenities with the tradition and history of the Mexico of yesteryear. Puerto Vallarta has more gay English speakers than anywhere else in Mexico, and its year-round beach climate makes LGBT tourists from all over the world flock here. If you're looking for a gaycation you won't soon forget, Puerto Vallarta has it all. 

Puerto Vallarta Gay Scene

Puerto Vallarta is a great place to be gay. You can be naughty and stay up all night, or relax in the shade and sip margaritas. There’s a little bit of everything here, and as such, it has become a go-to beach destination for spring breakers to large groups of gays coming from all over the world. 

If Puerto Vallarta is the “San Francisco of Mexico,” then consider Zona Romantica the city's Castro district. Packed with dance clubs, more than 20 gay-friendly bars, saunas, gay boat tours, cabarets, a gay beach, a gay bar hopping tour, and a thriving arts and culture scene, it's the official gayborhood in Puerto Vallarta. If you're looking for your time in Puerto Vallarta to be gay-centric, you never have to leave Zona Romantica. Centered in PV's Old Town, Zona Romantica plays foil to the sprawling resorts dominating “Nuevo Vallarta” north of the river. The Mexican colonial charms of the Puerto Vallarta gay zone are similar to San Francisco and Ibiza.

The center of the daytime action normally begins around 2pm until sunset at the end of Playa Los Muertos, centered in front of the world famous Blue Chairs Resort. Keep walking until you see the clusters of men in Speedos sitting on blue chairs or lounging on the beach. The newer Mantamar beach club next door offers a great day pass with a large beachfront infinity pool, several jaccuzzis, and fantastic food and service. Northward, Lido Beach club is currently constructing a modern upscale beach club. 

Blue Chairs Resort, directly behind the beach bar, also has a rooftop bar offering the best sunsets in town – and a hilarious drag show on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays during peak tourist season. The rest of the nightlife is centered around the Old Town's Romantic Zone, with many bars offering a great start to any night. Most are located right on the Olas Atlas road and the crowds spill out onto the street. Like most places in Latin America, nightlife only gets going around midnight and most places peak around 2 am. Latin Fever is contagious, so pace yourself, it’s going to be a long week! The dance clubs, strip clubs, and saunas are centered within an easy, safe walk from the gay beach on Lazaro Cardenas street. The city has invested millions in widened, lighted sidewalks for a safe easy walk around the city's gay zone.

When to Visit

Puerto Vallarta is a top beach destination for Mexican tourists as well as foreigners, so visiting during large public holidays like Semana Santa and Latin Fever (Thanksgiving and New Years) will ensure the town is extra-packed. Peak travel season coincides with the colder climates up north — "the gays" tend to start migrating really south starting in October! The summer months between June until October provide daily tropical, refreshing rains to cool down some of the humidity. Puerto Vallarta also hosts one of Mexico's largest gay pride festivals each year in May.

But no matter when you visit, Puerto Vallarta has something to offer everyone, and it's a destination city unlike no other in Mexico. Read on for some of our personal recommendations and tips and to check out our Gay Travel Celebrity Gurus making some memories of their own in Puerto Vallarta. 

Join Gay Travel Celebrity Gurus Bria & Chrissy on their Puerto Vallarta adventure.

 

Gay-Friendly Activities & Attractions in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta offers an extreme variety of activities that will seduce even the most urban, social media addicted gay visitor. With 27 miles of coastline, there is plenty of space to allow you be in the throng of thongs or enjoy a secluded beach just for two. Besides the many things to see and do right in Puerto Vallarta, there are some great day trips to nearby towns and beaches. Jump on a city bus and visit the nearby surfer’s paradise town of Sayulita for a day of shopping. Or jump on scheduled boats which leave from Los Muertos Pier to a variety of secluded gay hotspots, including the small, care-free village of Yelapa. 

Playa Los Muertos pier

Playa Los Muertos is one of the more popular beaches that's very easy to reach directly from the town center. The Playa Los Muertos pier has an iconic design and is situated near a lot of beachside shops and cafes, making it a popular spot for sun-lounging. Just a little further south from Playa Los Muertos is the gay beach, just the area directly in front of the Blue Chairs and Mantamar resorts.

Day trip to Punta de Mita

Punta de Mita is a 1,500-acre private peninsula that' home to two luxury hotel resorts and some other residents. On the north end of Banderas Bay, it's about 10 miles north of Puerto Vallarta but the resort restaurants are great to visit for their world-class spa treatments, private beaches, and fine dining restaurants. Don't miss the Signature Restaurant Carolina inside the St. Regis Resort, and the expansive spa on-site which offers great amenities and treatments—the perfect way to spoil yourself on a trip in Puerto Vallarta.

Water activities in Banderas Bay

The expansive Banderas Bay on which Puerto Vallarta is the main hub not only provides the backdrop for endless beaches and some of the most fantastic sunsets ever photographed but also creates some incredible opportunities to explore beyond the city. 

Gay-Friendly Dining in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is home to some of the world’s finest restaurants and has won many accolades due to its variety of restaurants ranging from the urban chic to the ultra gourmet. There are three annual culinary festivals and one for wine connoisseurs, where you can indulge on both delicious food creations from global chefs flown in for the events, and excellent wines from around the world. While in Puerto Vallarta, go for some of the local delicacies like Agua Chile, Chile Rellenos, and Birria available.

Pancho's Takos

An iconic spot for late-night dining in Puerto Vallarta, Pancho's Takos is located right on the same street as all the gay bars and nightlife. It's the perfect spot for a quick bite to eat either before, during, or after hitting up all the clubs! It's a cheap takeaway spot, but has some of the best views of the gay clubs and all the gay travelers & locals hanging out!

Sapphire Ocean Club

Featuring the finest amenities including a swimming pool, comfortable lounge chairs and cabañas, towel service, national and international drinks, and fabulous breakfast and lunch menus from an internationally experienced chef, the Sapphire Ocean Club like many of the other beachside resorts offers a relaxing place to enjoy lunch on the beach.

Tuna Azul

Serving seafood specialties, Tuna Azul offers a beautiful dining experience in an elegant setting. The restaurant is on the second floor and provides a view over the Olas Atlas street below. Famous for their tuna steaks, you'll find everything from smoked marlin to lobster tacos on the menu.

Gay-Friendly Bars & Nightlife in Puerto Vallarta

The nightlife can start on the beach in early afternoon and has be known to end up back at the beach after a dizzying 24 hours. Bars come and go with changing trends and fads, the leaders in today ́s Vallarta include Paco ́s Ranch, La Noche, CC Slaughters, and Enter on Weekends. Check out Garbo for entertainment. There are probably over 30 bars and clubs on offer catering to every category from Bears and Cubs, Sugar Daddies, EMOS, Muscle Marys, Cowboys, and Preps. Drag shows are still popular as are go-go boys in bikinis.

Mr. Flamingo

With an everyday happy hour from 2-8pm, Mr. Flamingo is a fun gay bar to start the night out at. The corner bar opens out on the street and is a great spot for casul meet-ups early in the night, with dance parties & DJs later.

La Noche

La Noche opened in 2002 initially as a small martini lounge in a neighborhood with very few other gay venues at the time, but today it's the heart of Puerto Vallarta's gayborhood in the Zona Romantica. With a rooftop garden bar, it's a great spot to perch and overlook the shenanigans happening on the street below.

CC Slaughters

One of the few clubs in Puerto Vallarta, CC Slaughters hosts DJs in an intimate club setting for gay and lesbian visitors. There are two bars inside and a large dance floor where you can even catch drag queen shows early in the evening, and techno club music until closing time.

Safety

Puerto Vallarta is a very safe destination for gay travelers, and has been a longtime destination for Mexico's gay and lesbian community. There is the possibility for petty crimes like pickpocketing, so it's best to keep your belongings secure and in your eyesight at all times. The nightclub area around Zona Romantica is safe, though because of the clubs, watch out for pickpockets. And when on the beach, always make sure to keep your belongings close and don't leave your wallet or bags unattended while swimming.

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