Mirador de La Cruz: A Guide to the Puerto Vallarta Lookout

Thinking about venturing to Mirador de La Cruz in Puerto Vallarta?

Mirador de La Cruz is a beautiful hilltop viewpoint in Puerto Vallarta, with 360-degree views of the city, Banderas Bay, and the Sierra Madre mountains. Conveniently located in El Centro, climbing the (many) steps to this viewpoint makes for a great free daytime activity in Puerto Vallarta.

While a trip to Mirador de La Cruz doesn’t take too much planning, our guide below should set you up for the most enjoyable visit.

Short on time? Know that this viewpoint requires climbing a steep hill and more than 300 steps. It’s all worth it when you reach the top to enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding area. Wear secure shoes, try to beat the sun, pack water and sunscreen (and maybe a snack, if you plan to stay awhile!).

Where is Mirador de La Cruz?

Mirador de La Cruz is located atop a steep hill in El Centro, Puerto Vallarta. Unfortunately, it is only reachable on foot.

To start the climb, make your way to Abasolo Street. Turn toward the hills (away from the ocean) and start trekking straight up Abasolo to reach the hilltop viewpoint.

Warning: there are a lot of stairs.

What can you see from Mirador de La Cruz?

The greatest thing about Mirador de La Cruz is its 360-degree views. You can view all of Banderas Bay to the west, the Sierra Madre mountains to the east, and Puerto Vallarta and its surrounding towns all around you.

Bonus: In the winter, you can see whale spouts!

Best time of day to visit

The nice thing about Mirador de La Cruz is that the views are beautiful no matter the time of day. That said, we a few pieces of advice:

• Walk during daylight: There’s no need to climb this steep hill and stairs in the dark.
• Start early: The weather in Puerto Vallarta is often hot and humid. If you can do this walk in the morning, you’ll avoid some of the high sun and heat of the afternoon.
• Adjust for weather: Especially in the rainy season, wet conditions could make the climb up and down a bit slippery (and just un-fun). Keep an eye on the radar, and adjust accordingly if rain is in the forecast.

If you go early, you can watch the sun rising up over the Sierra Madre mountains. And if you go late in the day, you can watch the sunset over Banderas Bay. Both equally beautiful!

Cost

It’s free to visit Mirador de La Cruz!

Depending on where you’re staying, you may want to take the bus (or a taxi or Uber) to the starting point. This will allow you to go into the climb with fresh legs. Other than the cost of transportation to the starting point, this climb won’t cost you anything.

Facilities

Unfortunately, there are no toilets at the top. Make sure to go before you start the trek up the hill!

Distance to Mirador de La Cruz

According to AllTrails, it’s a total 0.5 miles out-and-back to climb to the hilltop viewpoint. This amount may vary depending on where you start your walk from. But, plan for about a half mile of steep incline and decline.

While it won’t take you too long to reach the top, it’s intense while it lasts. A quick cardio burn!

What to Bring

You don’t need to worry about packing too much for this excursion, since it’s centrally located in Puerto Vallarta and, overall, a fairly short hike.

We recommend good walking shoes/sandals, sunscreen, and water. The rest is up to you. We had just eaten breakfast after we did this hike, but it’d be a great idea to pack some snacks and relax for a bit atop the hill.

Getting there

As mentioned above, the climb to Mirador de La Cruz begins at Abasolo Street. Make your way to the intersection of Abasolo and Guadalupe Sánchez. From here, head straight up Abasolo.

You’ll pass through a quiet residential area as you climb a steep hill. Take your time! We enjoyed seeing the neighborhood cats along our trek uphill.

Soon, the road runs out, and the steps begin. You may see locals running the stairs like pros. That’s great for them, isn’t it? The good news is, there’s no prize here for speediness. Keep your climbing steady, go at your own pace, and take breaks as you need to. We all get the same view at the top!

A funicular track! Unfortunately, it’s not operational.

While this walk gets your heart rate going, it isn’t far. We ascended at a casual pace, and it only took us about 15 minutes to reach the viewpoint.

Enjoying the Panoramic Views of Mirador de La Cruz

Once at the top, there are two different areas from which you can enjoy views. The first is a plaza featuring the cross (cruz) for which this viewpoint is named.

The second viewing area is a multi-level tower, which you can see to the left in the picture below.

We took our time to enjoy both viewpoints, as well as the beautiful artwork.

From the viewing tower, we were able to see all the neighborhoods of Puerto Vallarta (including our home base of Versalles).

The undisrupted views of Banderas Bay were beautiful. While the Malecon and other areas of Puerto Vallarta can be crowded, there was something calming about seeing it all from high above.

After taking some photos, we spotted some whale spouts out on the water. If you’re here between December and March, you’ll likely be able to do the same.

We spent several minutes observing the whales and the boats that had surrounded them. Because the viewing tower has multiple levels, there was plenty of space for all visitors to take their time and enjoy the views.

Before heading back down, we took in the views to the east, toward the Sierra Madre mountains. While Puerto Vallarta is known for its beautiful bay, we think its lush mountains and valleys are equally gorgeous. Mirador de La Cruz is a great place to take in this scenery!

Once we’d had enough, we headed back to town. This is a simple out-and-back (or, up-and-down) trek, so you’ll make your way back the same way you came.

Again, take your time. Sometimes descending is just as tough on the body as ascending!

Wrapping Up: Mirador de La Cruz in Puerto Vallarta

Mirador de La Cruz is a special place that offers both a challenge and a breathtaking reward. Whether you’re an early riser catching the sunrise over the Sierra Madre, winding down your day with a sunset over Banderas Bay, or just looking for something to do mid-day, the panoramic views from the top make every step worth it. This quick yet invigorating climb is a perfect way to appreciate the natural beauty of Puerto Vallarta from above.

So, lace up your shoes, take your time, and soak in the views. Sometimes, the best way to see a place is from a little higher up.