Puerto Vallarta vs. Los Cabos

... and why?

Planning a trip to either location, but having trouble making up my mind. I'm not a fisherman or a diver, so neither of those things would make a difference to me.

Looking for some input if you have it. Thanks

I've been to both and it's Cabo all the way for me. Not even close. Cabo is more beautiful, less of a tourist dump, the weather is better, the food is better. More to do besides diving and fishing.
the only problem with Cabo is depending on the season, you could be up to your eyeballs in frat boys which sucks.

Puerto Vallarta is just a stop for cruise ships filled with old people.

Have you considered Playa del Carmen?
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/yuca ... del-carmen

http://www.moon.com/destinations/cancun ... del-carmen

http://www.moon.com/destinations/cancun ... nd-beach-c

I really enjoyed this destination over Cabo (don't go during student vacation time--it's awful and very crowded) and PV. Playa del Carmen has pretty beaches, and it's also a great base to travel to Tulum (cool ruins), Akumal, Cozumel (gorgeous beaches) and Isla Mujeres (try renting bikes to take you around the island)--also Puerto Morelos is close by. I think Playa del Carmen tends to be warmer than LC and PV as well, and offers more options for interesting nearby locations. You can browse the Lonely Planet online guide:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico

I agree with Kirkland--PV is the least desirable choice

P.S. Here is a regional map so you can see the other locations in relation to Playa del Carmen--you have to ZOOM OUT to see the other locations, as I searched on Cozumel to fit everything in there
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&bav=o ... CAwQ8gEwAA

Playa del Carmen +1!

Puerto Vallarta is just a stop for cruise ships filled with old people.

and from what I've been told you don't wanna leave the tourist areas and even the people in there are kinda shady

I heard 666doll loves hanging out and having deep conversations with frat boys.

I am quitting my job... going off to Puerto Vallarta with a case of Depends and baby wipes to sell at flipper prices.

It just dawned on me. If you make Playa del Carmen your home base for a vacation, you MUST book a bus tour to Chichen Itza. Buses take you directly from the large hotels to the ruins, and there you can wander around for the day, and then the buses take you back--easy peasy. The ruins are not to be missed, and I still remember how impressive they are today!

http://www.moon.com/destinations/cancun ... gical-zone

http://www.moon.com/destinations/maya-2 ... -itza-2012
(this Moon Guide link mentions a resort that you can stay at, that has a private entrance to Chichen Itza
http://www.mayaland.com/
*I've never stayed there, but sounds like a great way to avoid the long entrance lines in the morning)

It is well worth the extra time and expense to go! If Tikal is the number one destination for Mayan ruins, then Chichen Itza would be number two. Pick the earliest departure tour time that you can book--less crowded if you get there at 8am when it opens, plus it's relatively cooler in the morning. It gets crowded, with more and more tour buses rolling in, as the late morning progresses. Hot there (!), but you just can't forget this destination!

if were taking the Yucatan Peninsula, aside from Chichen Itza which I will agree is a must, i had a very memorable experience at this wildlife park called Xcaret. http://www.xcaret.com/

it was these underground caves which had a stream and you kind of floated down the cool stream in an inner tube. not fast, slow and leisurely. it was awesom.

^^^Yes, I've been there too! A nice trip. And while we are talking about the Yucatan, you can see some great examples of Cenotes (some not far from Playa del Carmen)

http://www.yucatanadventure.com.mx/cenote.htm
http://www.travelyucatan.com/div-2.htm
*Note that visiting and diving in a cenote can be pricey (not recommended for kids, as it can get deep). Go early in the morning, and make sure you dive with a wet suit (waters are chilly!). It can get quite crowded as the day wears on.

There are large limestone formations in the Yucatan, the water erodes the limestone over time, and forms impressive underwater sinkholes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenote

Forget beaches, take an all Maya tour. I recomend a trip to Calakmul. It is out of the way and I rented a car so I'm not sure alternatives to get there. Largest site, and little to no tourist. It is so peaceful yet overpowering I'm pretty sure you can see over the Guatemalian borader from there. Also Chitzen Itza(chicken Pizza) is great for amazing the restoration work, but way too many tourists. Tulum is a amazing beach view and small ruins. and there are a few small sites along the way.

Thanks Gang for the input.

Been to Cancun many, many years ago before it became such a tourist spot. Was also at Chichen Itza when in Cancun. At that time they were still allowing people to climb and scale the ruins. My understanding is they don't anymore and frankly, for good reason. When we travel, we tend to take trips that offer a tad more than just beach stay. I am in SoCal afterall and can spend almost all of our 365 days there if I wanted to. We tend to hit up the ruins, museums and any other item of interest rather than the swim up bar, though those are nice at the end of the day. Some times in the morn

The Caribbean side is a little too pricey for me at the moment as I am trying to go on the cheap since we have three other trips planned for the remainder of the year. Was just trying to get in a short trip at the end of summer, August. As of now I have found a couple of all-inclusive resorts that also cater to kids (yep, bringing the kid). The Cabo trip I can get for about $600 a person, all inclusive with airfare from LAX to Cabo. Puert Vallarta is more expensive, but consensus seems to be that I avoid that trip like the plague, which is fine by me.

Has anyone heard of or stayed at the hotel Royal Solaris?

We stayed at Hotel Hacienda for my cousin's wedding in Cabo. It's right by the marina, and had a terrific beach 100' from our room. Apparently Ernest Hemmingway and other notable people had stayed there. They made the best fish tacos I've ever had...we ate them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Unfortunately they tore it down and rebuilt it as a McResort.
Todos Santos is just up the coast on the Pacific side. THE Hotel California is there, if you care about that at all - personally I loathe The Eagles, particularly that song. But other than that it's a nice small town to visit for an afternoon.