I have always believed—strongly—that travel can make children (and adults) better global citizens. Ever since my three kids were very young, I have always attempted for our vacations to have a healthy mix of fun, luxury, and authentic culture—regardless of where we visit. We may stay at a luxury all-inclusive resort for a vacation (such as the Reflect Krystal Grand Nuevo Vallarta featured above) but we don’t STAY there—we venture off to explore the area in which we are visiting—often asking the locals advice on their favorite things to do, places to eat, and hidden gems.
I recently discovered an area of Mexico that offers this balance of family-fun, luxury, and culture. Riviera Nayarit stretches across 66 miles of coastline on the Mexican Pacific and envelops the Western Sierra Madres mountains. It’s a hub for expats and it’s easy to understand why. Riviera Nayarit is a blend of beach towns—each with their own unique vibe—there is something for everyone. Pair that with the warmth of the people, the affordability of living there, the seemingly endless recreation offerings, and the sheer beauty of the area and you have—well—paradise.
My three children are now all teenagers and one would think that vacations would be determined by destinations with the nicest pools or fastest, most thrilling rides, or even based on where wifi is plentiful. Nope—not my kids. They want fun and adventure (and decent wifi) but more importantly, they want to explore new areas, meet people of different cultures, and get in touch with the natural world.
Riviera Nayarit is a wonderful destination for families such as ours. With rappelling and zip lining in the mountains, surfing, SUP, boat tours, scuba diving, and kite surfing along the beaches, and conservation efforts on land and sea—there is much to explore. It’s not unusual to site dolphins, marine turtles, whales, sharks, manta rays, and many birds. In some areas you can even find jaguars. Of course, the iguanas and coatimundis are a much more common sighting.
Riviera Nayarit has boasted the most Certified Clean Beaches in Mexico for the past several years. This is much due to the extensive conservation efforts in the area. Much of the tourism efforts also focus on conservation and eco-tourism—which makes Riviera Nayarit a wonderful spot for families looking for unique experiences they won’t find at home. Here are a few of my favorites:
Entreamigos:
Entreamigos is located in San Pancho and provides educational programs, training, and volunteer opportunities all through collective community action. This 16,000 square-foot community center has a library, computer lab, classrooms, sports and exercise spaces, a re-sale shop and houses a recycling center that serves the entire community. Even if you aren’t headed there to volunteer or take part in a class, the space itself is worth a visit. Entreamigos has been recognized for their beautiful and environmentally responsible design. Even their artwork and much of the infrastructure has been created using recycled or reused material.
Playa Las Tortugas (Beach of the Turtles)
Sea turtles are abundant in Riviera Nayarit—in fact, they are the official mascot of the region. Four different protected species of sea turtles use Riviera Nayarit as their nesting site, including the Olive Ridley turtles. Each year, Playa Las Tortugas becomes home to Ridley sea turtles as they nest and hatch their young. Locals and tourists can take part in protecting nesting sites as well as releasing hatchling turtles to the sea.
Bird Watching in La Tovara National Park
The La Tovara National Park in San Blas is “one of the most important winter habitats for birds in the Pacific, home to 80% of the Pacific migratory shore bird populations,” according to the World Wildlife Fund. With over 500 species, La Tovara is a terrific spot for budding bird enthusiasts.
Whale Watching in Banderas Bay
Visitors to Riviera Nayarit from December to April may spot humpback whales during their migration from Alaska to Hawaii. Check out Vallarta Adventures which offers Whale Watching Adventure Tours. Vallarta Adventures uses aircraft to seek out whales during tours so boats can be notified of their location—almost guaranteeing a sighting.
Safari Adventures in the Sierra Madre Mountains
Vallarta Adventures also offers a safari adventure which is not only an up-close and personal tour of the forest in the Sierra Madre Mountains but also a cultural immersion. Visitors will hop aboard specially-equipped Mercedes-Benz all-terrain vehicles (seatbelts and grab handles are a must) and travel to the Sierra Madres Mountains. Along the way, visitors stop in several towns— meeting locals, exploring the villages, and learning about their lives.
As a mom, I love adventure as much as my teens do but, at the end of the day, I also want a vacation to include plenty of relaxation. No worries—with a plethora of fine dining, spas, pristine beaches, pools, and hammocks around, there are plenty of ways to relax in Riviera Nayarit.
The author was a guest of the Riviera Nayarit region for seven days via their Convention and Visitors Bureau. All opinions are her own.
