Streets inland from the waterfront are lined with wonderful shops, restaurants and galleries , with many interestin g original works. Several of the galleries carry prints of Puerto Vallarta s native son, Manuel Lepe, known for his modern naif paintings. City tours are available, as are tours of some of the casas in Gringo Gulch the area where many of the early visitors from the U.S. built homes. Several harbor cruises will give you a sea view of the sweeping coastline. Night cruises offer beach parties and romantic dinners in torch-lit jungle settings.
Most cruises have an open ba r and entertainment, which can be fun or annoyingly overdone.
Boats leave from the tour-boat dock beside the cruise terminal. In addition to the nighttime cruises, Vallarta has several other options for after-dark entertainment . The better restaurants stay open late to serve cocktails and appetizers in their bars, often to the sounds of live jazz or piano music. Expect a well-dressed clientele there. The discos are also full of spiffed-up patrons who shake it to the pulse of the dazzling sound and light systems.