The Beaches of Acapulco, Mexico

We really enjoyed our recent trip to Acapulco and the beaches were definitely the star of our time there. We have been to other Pacific resort towns in Mexico including Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. Acapulco was unique in comparison to both of those for a variety of reasons. One is the proximity of Acapulco to Mexico City, which makes it a destination for locals who would like to get away from the city and enjoy time at the beach. Another is the combination of restaurants, water sports, and water that is suitable for swimming throughout all of the beaches that line the bay.

People Enjoying the Water
Sitting in a Palapa
Enjoying Our Time at the Beach
Looking Down the Beach from Our Resort

The beaches are very walkable and you can easily spend all of your day exploring all along the beach. You will find many different companies offering you the opportunity to rent jet skis, parasail, or take a ride on a banana boat. There are also people selling various items, especially jewelry, which is inexpensive in the area, as well as food. We didn’t find them to be as pushy as perhaps they are in other resort areas. As you walk passed all of the palapas that line the beach, you will get many offers to join the different restaurants for lunch and there isn’t anything that distinguishes where one restaurant’s tables end and another begins.

Parasail Over the Bay
Getting Our Feet Wet in the Waves
Heading to the Beach
View from Our Room

Perhaps because Acapulco is so close to Mexico City or because it is so far south and not as easy to get to from other countries, but there were not nearly as many foreigners as we have seen in other resort cities. It also meant that the crowds were much larger on the weekend than during the week during our stay. Regardless of its popularity among people outside of Mexico, we found the people to be friendly and the beaches to be very beautiful. The temperatures were quite warm, even in February, with daily temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit (about 32 degrees Celsius). Fortunately, the ocean temperature was perfect to get a break from the heat by walking in the gentle waves or going for a quick swim.

Walking Along the Beach
View from Our Cabana by the Pool
Neighboring Resorts
Cabanas, Umbrellas, and Palapas

 

Sunset Cruise in Acapulco, Mexico

We happened to be in Acapulco over Valentines Day, so we decided to do a sunset cruise to make it a romantic evening. The cruise left from the marina, which was about fifteen minutes from our resort. The cruise takes you out through the bay and into the ocean where the views are amazing. We have taken many similar tours over the years and usually people just wander the upper deck to enjoy the scenery, however this tour had chairs lined up on the deck, so the earlier you arrive, the better your seat.

Sun Reflecting off of the Resorts
Seagulls Flying with the Boat
Sun Setting Over the Ocean
Stadium Seating to Watch the Sunsets
Colorful Sunset

The cruise had an open bar with unlimited drinks, so we enjoyed a nice, cold margarita to help offset the heat. Once the boat started moving and heading towards the ocean, there was a nice breeze that also helped to cool us off. As the ship moved its way out of the harbor, you past by the various cliffs along the bay all of which had beautiful homes and resorts perched along the clifftops. Watching the sunsets in Acapulco is extremely popular, whether from a cruise, resort, beach, or home, but there is even an area with stadium seating just for people to gather and watch the sun as it sinks below the horizon.

Seagulls Filing the Sky
Homes and Resorts on Top of the Cliffs
Sitting in the Marina
Start of the Sunset
Views of the Coastline

We were joined on our cruise by not only a variety of tourists, but also a flock of seagulls flew along side of our boat as well. At times, there were so many seagulls that they pretty much blocked our views of the shoreline. The waters were very smooth during our tour  and we were able to see the sun setting over the open ocean as well as behind some of the cliffs that line the bay. It was certainly a perfect way to end our first full day in Acapulco and we would highly recommend taking a sunset tour anytime that you visit the Pacific coast.

Enjoying a Margarita
Peak of the Sunset
Resorts Along the Bay
More Buildings on the Cliffs
Leaving the Bay and Entering the Ocean

 

We’re Back from Acapulco

When we left for Acapulco last week, we drove to the airport in a blinding snow storm only to return yesterday in yet another snow storm. How quickly the warmth of the beach drained away from us, but we had a wonderful time for the most part. The only reason that it was only for the most part is that we both got food poisoning while we were there that lasted about thirty-six hours. It hit us each at slightly different times over the two-day period, but we did our best not to let it dampen our mood or experience, although we spent those two days mostly idle at the resort trying to relax and recuperate as much as possible. Now that we’re done shoveling the snow from our driveway and trying to get back to a normal routine, we’ll share some of our experiences over the next few days. Here are just a few photographs from our trip to give you an idea of what the scenery was like during our stay.

Just One of the Beautiful Sunsets
Boats in the Marina
Margaritas on the Beach
Island Offshore
View from Our Room