Some helpful things to keep in mind when traveling to Mexico...
First of all, this is a resort we are going to so don’t expect a “true cultural” experience. We have found Puerto Vallarta to be very travel/American friendly.
1). You will need a passport!
It can take about 2 months to get so plan accordingly!
http://www.usa.gov/topics/travel/international/passports.shtml
2). Quite a few airlines have direct flights…
Delta out of SLC does, US Airways out of Denver. Vegas does not. Sorry L
3). Plan for transportation to your hotel. Most hotels will shuttle you for a small expense if you set it up. Barcelo will allow you to add it on to your “package”. You can also take a taxi or rent a car. Barcelo is about 30 min from the airport. (Give or take)
3) Barcelo is all inclusive…
You don’t need to plan for paying for meals and drinks as long as you eat at the resort!
4) What to pack
1). Camera: you will want pictures, right?
2). Bug spray (if you are checking your bags)… Be warned… some times of the year there are some strange bugs that bite and the bites can take a week to heal. They itch like crazy for the first few days too!
3). Sunscreen. You will be outside a lot.
4) Swimsuits. When we go, this is our main article of clothing. Krissy loves wraps she can put over and turn into dresses to go in to the restaurants. Matt brings a few shirts to throw on for the same reason.
5). The wedding is casual. A summer dress for gals with flipflops and traditional Mexican pants or shorts with a Cuban or Hawaiian type shirt for men would be perfect. Krissy suggests: DON’T BRING HEELS!! Our wedding venue has a lot of stairs and they are unnecessary. (Plus they take up room in your bag!) *BONUS: your wedding clothes will be perfect to double for any dinners you want to get dressed up for at the resort.
6). Guys There is a dress code for some of the restaurants that includes long pants and closed toe shoes. Matt loves to get the cotton traditional Mexican pants for this but up to you. Jeans are usually hot and heavy though so keep that in mind.
7). Gals As for jewelry, hair and make-up Krissy suggests this: it is humid, hot, and you will most likely want to dip in the pool. (There is a great lay out area in the pool for those seeking a golden tan!) Waterproof or minimal make-up, long hair gals plan on ponytails and up-dos (messy buns), and I always buy cheap jewelry that I can swim in but not care if I lose it. Keep it simple girls… I used to pack all of that just to never get it out of my suitcase. We won’t be getting too dressed up.
8). Clothes. In general it is hot and humid. I have never needed a jacket although I always pack one. (Those coming from the cold will most likely have one right!) Jeans are very hot and heavy there. Loose fitting, breathable fabrics and clothes that can work with your swimwear have worked best for us. If you have other plans though of course plan accordingly.
9). Shoes. Ladies, leave your heels at home unless you have a pair you can’t live without! It is slippery and we can wear our flipflops/sandals into any resort restaurant. You may want a pair of athletic type shoes if you plan on going on any excursions such as zip lining (which we highly recommend trying!! So fun!!) Men, flipflops and a pair of closed toe shoes as mentioned before. If you don’t care about fashion your athletic shoes will suffice. (Matt has been known to wear his hiking boots with his pajama pants to get into the resort restaurants before!!)
