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Visit the beach & beach clubs. Blue Chairs is the classic tried-and-true option, Mantamar is where the party’s at, amongst several beach club options. Most have a cover charge or a minimum order, but you can also just hang out on the beach for free. If you’re not into sand, check out the rooftop at the Almar Resort just behind Mantamar.Have a meal in Zona Romántica. Tons of great restaurants here. Have a romantic dinner on the beach at one of the many beachside restaurants (Blue Shrimp, Daiquiri Dick's, El Dorado, etc.) Grab a bite at Pancho's Takos if the lineup isn't too long, or else try Margarita Grill down the block. Check out the super-cute La Romántica for churros, or Coco's Kitchen for some Mexican-inspired American cuisine. Hit up the bars & clubs. Industry is serving circuit party while CC Slaughters is the classic gay club experience, but there are lots of options right around that intersection, like Mr. Flamingo and La Noche for drinks and drag shows.
Port Activities & Shore Excursions
Shore excursion are organized by Virgin (not Atlantis). Virgin calls them "Shore Things" and you can view the full catalog of Shore Things
. For our LA-Mexico cruise, here are some of my favorite shore excursions and things in do in the places we’re scheduled to stop at.
Cabo San Lucas: Glitz & Glam
Great for shore excursions
Cabo is a "tender" port, meaning the cruise ship does not dock at the pier. Instead, you take a small boat from the cruise ship to the marina, where most shore excursions meet.
If you're interested in a shore excursion, I recommend doing it here in Cabo because there are tons of options. These are just some of my favorites for Atlantis cruisers:
Mazatlán: Historic Colonial Port
Explore on foot or stay on ship
For this cruise, I recommend not booking a shore excursion in Mazatlán before we set sail, and expect to either explore Mazatlán on your own or stay on the ship.
This is because we're only in Mazatlán for 6 hours, there aren't many shore excursions, and we arrive on day 6 when you might feel a bit tired or prefer to sleep in, as there are also many things happening on board!
If you wanna get off at Mazatlán, pack comfy walking shoes for the 20-min walk to historic Old Town (Centro Historico). From there, you can walk to the waterfront and beach.
If you really want a shore excursion, I recommend the (warning: it's steep!) or the .
Puerto Vallarta: Iconic Gay Destination
Visit the beach, bars, and clubs
Ahhh, Puerto Vallarta. If you only get off the ship once, make it PV, one of the most gay-friendly destinations anywhere in the world. Skip the shore excursions and do this instead:
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