With tourism numbers returning to 2019 levels in Puerto Vallarta, the two week Easter vacation, known in Spanish as Semana Santa, will be back and as busy as ever with foreign and national tourists pouring into the city and the Tourism Board already predicting 100% hotel occupancy from April 9th to 23rd.
Vacation homeowners that list their properties as short term rentals will also be enjoying “full house” numbers, but for residents that live in Puerto Vallarta, while we certainly welcome seeing our city bustling with visitors and regenerating the city’s economy, getting some day-to-day things accomplished during Easter holidays in Puerto Vallarta can be a little challenging. So, we have some tips for PV residents to make life a little easier as our city welcomes back our guests.
- For parents, the last day of school will be April 9th with students returning to school on April 28th.
- Plan your banking in advance as banks will be closed on the 14th and 15th of April and one should anticipate long lines the week prior and after. Also, it is common for bank machines to run out of cash, so you may have to visit a couple of machines to find one that is stocked.
- Many small businesses may close or have limited hours of operation during Semana Santa.
- Plan your trip to Costco or the grocery store before the holidays begin and stock up in advance or be prepared for long lines and some sold-out items.
- Plan additional time to get places as traffic will be heavy, parking will be more challenging than normal, and car-sharing apps will take longer than usual.
After a difficult two years when many of our tourism-based businesses struggled, it’s wonderful to see Puerto Vallarta welcoming guests back during what the most popular vacation time of the year has always been. With a little planning, you can avoid any “high season” frustration and enjoy feeling our city come alive again and the important boost to our local economy that it brings.
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