We traveled to Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, Mexico in March for a beautiful Spring wedding. It was supposed to be a 5-day trip but we stayed an extra 2 days since we were having such a good time. If you’re looking for what to do in Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, Mexico, the following blog post will help you plan your trip!
I loved it all from the local culture, wonderful accommodations and delicious food. This blog post contains our 7-day itinerary to help you plan your next vacation in Ixtapa.
WHAT TO DO IN IXTAPA MEXICO
I had never been to Mexico before this trip. I was excited to explore a new area with my boyfriend and his family. Of course I worried a bit about the safety level in this lesser known area. However, I went in with an unbiased opinion and to see what this place had to offer.
Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are two different cities about 15 minutes apart. You can take a taxi for less than $15 per direction. We spent time in each city including hotel stays in both.
WHERE WE STAYED
Our trip started in Ixtapa at a Las Brisas Hotel. There are a lot of great places to stay in Ixtapa but this hotel was really impressive.
The property was spacious enough to allow all the wedding guests enough privacy while still occasionally seeing one another. We spent our days relaxing by the pool, boogie-boarding in the ocean and filling up on the guacamole & margarita’s.
The hotel has its own private beach so it was the perfect to relax without large crowds. The opening ceremony was Monday night and was directly on the beach. It was stunning setup so perfect for a tropical destination.
On Tuesday we moved to Zihuatanejo to our second hotel La Casa Que Canta. This hotel is considered luxury and was a bit more expensive than Las Brisas.
La Casa Que Canta only has 24 rooms so it had a quieter, adult-friendly vibe. Although it didn’t have it’s own private beach like Las Brisas, it did have two pools on site. There is a lower level saltwater pool and and an upper level infinity pool. Both pools faced the ocean which was all I needed.
WHERE WE ATE
We enjoyed breakfast in downtown Ixtapa multiple days at a cute café called Debra’s. You can expect fresh breakfast burritos and XL smoothies here. I highly recommend.
We ordered pool-side lunch every day which always came with guac and pico. We enjoyed dinner at several restaurants in downtown Zihuatanejo including Bandido’s (highly recommend the molcajete bowl), El Faro (our server was named Andre, he was great), and Coconut’s (beautiful outdoor seating in the back.)
WHAT WE DID
The ceremony and reception were both held at Tentaciones Hotel in Zihuatanejo. I could not picture a more beautiful wedding venue. I didn’t see any of the rooms but if they are anything like the exterior, they must be great.
The ceremony started as the sun was starting to set which made for some great photos. The night sky lit up with all the buildings and homes in the bay. We enjoyed a 5 course dinner and danced the night away.
Outside of the organized wedding activities, the rest of the week was free time. On our first night in Ixtapa, the group went out to dinner and then dancing at Senor Frogs. This place is totally touristy but we had a blast with our large group.
If you’re looking for an activity off the beaten bath, check out Playa Las Gatas. This was one of our more memorable days. You can take a water taxi from the public beach in Zihuatanejo for a few dollars. It’s so worth it!
Downtown Zihuatanejo also has a lot to do. There are several bars that play live music and serve late night bites. We stopped in a few gift shops and did the usual touristy things here.
As you can see the week was full of non-stop eating, drinking and enjoying time with family. I can’t wait to return to this lovely area of Mexico in the future. I hope this post provided you with enough things to do in Ixtapa Mexico!
If you loved this beachy itinerary, check out my blog post from Manuel Antonio National Beach in Costa Rica HERE! You’ll love this one just as much!
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This an amazing guide to the area! I hope that if I ever get the chance then I can visit some of these beautiful places<3 also love your direction and your writing style, will be frquenting your blog for sure!
tiffany_tocco
Well done Jen. This is great. It’s exactly the kind of blog I like and is finally very similar to the type of thing I imagine posting if I had a blog, separating out where to stay and where to eat etc. Very informative and great photos. Kait @haspassportmusttravel
Your photos are INCREDIBLE! I loved your post, you made me want to go to Mexico and lay by the beach. Keep it up Jen! 🙂
Super cute patootie 😘
Awesome post!
Hey!! So glad you are blogging again! We have the same theme company, pipdig—I love it! The pictures here are gorgeous. Round 2 is going to be a winner! Yay! Love, Christine | The Uncorked Librarian
Hey, Jen! This is a detailed and informative post on your trip there! I’ll deff use it as a guide if I were to ever go to this part of Mexico! Keep it up on the blog! I’ll be an avid reader for sure! 😊 @ermaems
Jen, these photos are beautiful! It looks like a great place and you’ve given so much detail. Definitely adding it to my list and looking forward to more posts. @hays4days
Thanks, it is very informative
Author
Thank you, Paulina, for the feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed it and hope to have more travel content shared here soon!
I enjoy the report
Author
Thank you so much, Claudia!
It works really well for me
Author
I’m so glad to hear that!
Thanks for the wonderful manual
Author
Hi Brandi! Of course, I’m so happy to hear that you liked it!
I like the article
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Thank you so much Isabell! I’m glad you liked it!