Perhaps it is a legacy of the Hollywood era that Acapulco essentially is for grown-ups, an adult playground built around sun and sand by day and a salsa beat by night. The Sierra Madre del Sur provides a lovely mountainside backdrop for the action. Acapulco the city wraps around Acapulco the bay, so most accommodations and many restaurants offer spectacular views of blue sky and blue water. La Costera, properly known as Avenida Costera Miguel Aleman, is the main thoroughfare, running parallel to the coast and along many of the city's beaches. Resist the temptation, however, to rent a car.
Buses are even cheaper.
Just be sure to negotiate the price ahead of time. Most visitors to Acapulco make it to the world-famous cliffs at La Quebrada, from which the bold clavadistas dive five times daily. After swimming the narrow, rough channel, they ascend the other side, climbing with bare feet and hands. At the top, they pray for protection at the small altar to the Virgen de Guadalupe, then take their turns diving into the choppy waters some 130 feet below. We opted for the latter, arriving for the sundown show and descending the stairs to the viewing area.