The Vallarta Botanical Garden is a 79 acres botanical garden at 1,300 ft above sea level, near Puerto Vallarta. For a change of scenery from the beach, head for the tropical highlands of the Sierra Madre mountains and visit Mexico's most extensive orchid collections and a fascinating variety of native plants and birds. If you get hungry, once inside get a bite at the onsite restaurant Hacienda de Oro. The open-air restaurant and bar serves breakfast dishes, fish tacos, burgers and brick-oven pizza; no outside food or beverages are allowed.
Zona Romantica is a historic neighborhood with a relaxed atmosphere. You can find restaurants serving global fare. Quaint courtyard cafes and contemporary art galleries sit alongside boutique hotels on cobblestone streets. The popular Los Muertos Beach draws visitors to it's broad, curved pier, which lights up at night. Lázaro Cárdenas Park hosts the Olas Altas Farmers Market in winter and spring.