By Will Walker | Editor-in-Chief, I AM Puerto Vallarta

The calendar turns from September to October this week, and Puerto Vallarta gives you a few good reasons to leave the house. You can walk through Centro with a local guide, spend the weekend south among butterflies, take in a Sunday drag brunch, or follow the chefs arriving for Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica.

Here is what has been announced for Monday, September 28, through Sunday, October 4, 2026. Plans change, so use the organizer links before heading out.

Walk through Centro for free

If you have passed the same downtown buildings a hundred times without knowing their stories, the city’s guided walking tour is a good place to start. The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Office lists 9:00 AM tours on Tuesday, September 29, and Wednesday, September 30. Meet outside City Hall at the tourist information office, opposite the Parish of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The route explores Centro, the Malecón, sculptures, and local landmarks.

The fall schedule begins in October, with a 9:00 AM tour on Saturday, October 3. The tourism office lists +52 (322) 222-0923 for a final check. Free is a lovely price. Showing up at the wrong time is less lovely. Official walking-tour details.

Give Butterfly Weekend a little room on your calendar

Vallarta Botanical Garden’s Butterfly Weekend runs Saturday and Sunday, October 3–4. Its announced activities focus on butterflies and the work native pollinators do for the environment. This one suits families, nature lovers, and anyone whose weekend could use a few fewer notifications.

The garden is south of Puerto Vallarta at Km 24 on Highway 200 toward Barra de Navidad. Check the garden’s event page for the detailed program and admission before making the trip. The public listing confirms the dates, but it does not give a complete activity timetable.

Make Sunday brunch an event

If your preferred Sunday activity involves a performance and a table, The Tryst Puerto Vallarta lists drag brunch on October 4 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The venue says Pelayo hosts at The Courtyard with a rotating cast of performers.

Check The Tryst’s event calendar for reservations and the current price. A date on a calendar is useful; a confirmed seat is better.

Follow the food conversation into October

Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica begins Sunday, October 4, and continues through Wednesday, October 7. The tourism board lists the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort in the Hotel Zone as the main venue for its eighteenth edition, with a theme of “Discovering a New Reality.”

Here is the useful distinction: the full program was not yet on the official listing when this guide was prepared. Check the official event listing and organizer updates before choosing a session or booking anything. I would rather give you a confirmed start date than invent a dinner you cannot reserve.

Pick the plan that fits your week

You do not need to do everything. Take the free walk if you want a better sense of the city. Choose the garden if you need open space. Book brunch if Sunday calls for a little theater. Keep an eye on Gastronómica if food is why you make plans in the first place.

We will keep covering the stories and events that give Puerto Vallarta its pulse. For the immediate decisions, confirm times and admission directly with the organizers before you leave.

Will Walker | Media King of PV
Editor-in-Chief | PV Insider
@IAM.PuertoVallarta | @PuertoVallartaCalendar

Last updated September 29, 2026