Puerto Vallarta, formerly known as Las Peñas, is a city and main port of the state of Jalisco, located in the lowlands of the Pacific coast. It is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. In Spanish, Puerto Vallarta is often abbreviated as Vallarta, while English speakers call the city P. V.
or PVR, after the International Air Transport Association airport code for its Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport. In the early 19th century, when the United States discovered silver, the price of silver plummeted and so did mining profitability in the Puerto Vallarta area. This led to a U. S.
agricultural company called the Montgomery Fruit Company creating banana plantations in the valley around the area that is now the Ixtapa neighborhood, just outside of downtown Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta has schools for all levels, from kindergarten to college education, both private and public. As it grew in size, it was necessary to expand beyond downtown Puerto Vallarta and no one wanted to see tall buildings that obstruct the view of the bay or destroy the typical Mexican town atmosphere of the city. National bus lines connect Puerto Vallarta (via the Central Bus Station near the Modelo building north of the city, near the airport) with Guadalajara, Mazatlán, Manzanillo and points beyond.
During this time, tourists from Mexico began traveling to Puerto Vallarta because of improved infrastructure (4-lane paved roads) that made travel easy and convenient. In 1968, Puerto Vallarta went from municipality to city in celebration of its 50th anniversary as a municipality. In the mid-1980s, Puerto Vallarta experienced a rapid expansion of makeshift communities underserved even by basic public services. Flights and vacation packages from the United States to Puerto Vallarta soon became popular with many Americans and expats from all corners of the world began to choose this incredible place as their retirement destination. Today, Puerto Vallarta is a thriving tourist destination with many attractions and activities for visitors to enjoy.
From its fascinating history to its modern amenities, Puerto Vallarta has something for everyone.
