The 6 Best History Tours in Puerto Vallarta

1.Pueblos Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $109Our pick

Leave Marina Vallarta for San José del Valle, Valle de Banderas, and San Juan de Abajo. You’ll visit churches and plazas, learn about cacao, masa, and honey, then prepare and eat a local meal with guides such as Juan Carlos, Karla, or Mauricio.

“Knowledgeable, professional, fun and informative way to spend the day. Lovely to get out of puerta Vallarta into the countryside. Cooking class was fun and the meal was delicious. Very comfortable van with Felipe as an excellent driver and Mauricio as our guide. These guys deserve a raise! Thank you.”

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2.Photo Shoot in Puerto Vallarta Historic Downtown

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · 1 hour (approx.)

Meet at the Guadalupe Parish Church at 5:00 pm for a private, walking photo session through Puerto Vallarta’s historic downtown. Your photographer, including guide Star when assigned, takes you to an iconic building and other city spots, then delivers 20 high-resolution JPEGs within 10 days.

“Our photographer was so nice and accommodating. She went above and beyond to make us happy! It was a hot day and she did everything to make us comfortable. Definitely worth it! Gracias!”

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3.Historic Downtown Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $29

Join an English-speaking guide at 8 pm for a 90-minute walk through Puerto Vallarta’s old town. Hear local ghost stories, learn about the original townsite and Day of the Dead, visit Parque Hidalgo, the Malecón, Guadalupe Parish, and Isla Cuale, and receive a souvenir gift.

“Very knowledgeable and well spoken tour guide. Ghost stories included a lot of information about the history of the area which was excellent.”

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4.Gastronomic, Historical, And Cultural Tour In Sayulita

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $75

Start in central Sayulita with a guide such as Moisés or Alejandro, then sample aguas frescas, seafood empanada, birria, carnitas, cacao, and choco-banana. Add Wixarika crafts, local history, and Playa Los Muertos for a well-rounded five-hour introduction.

“We had such an excellent time wandering through Sayulita with Alejandro. As he brought us to several of his favourite street vendors with amazing local foods he shared with us stories of their businesses, and gave recommendations for exemplary foods from each of them. He also introduced us to several artisans who have goods for sale that they themselves have crafted. It is clear that Alejandro loves sharing stories about the town, showing people around, and is simply a really pleasant guide. Our group of four tourists ended up at a local brewery and shared a final drink with Alejandro as we also shared stories of our own home towns…”

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5.Puerto Vallarta’s Historic Mexican Village Tour: El Tuito

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $49

Travel south from Puerto Vallarta with an English-speaking guide, following the coast and jungle roads to El Tuito. Walk through its plaza, cemetery, arts centers, shops, and fields, then return by local bus. Expect a small group of up to 12, with lunch and bus fares extra.

“This turned out to be a private tour as it was just my wife and I. We had 2 tour guides, 1 in training. We took a local bus there and back which was fine. While in Tuito, we stopped at a good restaurant for lunch.”

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6.Puerto Vallarta Historical El Centro: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $9Best value

Use the VoiceMap app to walk from the Seahorse Sculpture through Puerto Vallarta’s historic center and Malecon. In about an hour, you’ll hear stories about Plaza de Armas, Casa Kimberly, Huichol art, Guadalupe Church, and the city’s famous public sculptures. English audio, maps, and offline access are included.

“This self- guided walking tour was very informative and easy to follow. We got distracted and didn't finish it all but the section we did was great!”

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