Downtown Puerto Vallarta offers limited grocery options; you may want to venture out of the central area for a major store.
If we're here for a long time, typically do one major shopping excursion every 7-10 days, but for shorter visits, visitors can rely on a number of local options.
A great alternative for those seeking to do a relatively quick shop for wine, produce, meats and deli items is Mercado Ollin, a local, family-owned specialty market focusing on the best fresh, quality products sourced both locally and internationally. Located across at The Park on Lázaro Cárdenas 205, Mercado Ollin has a terrific variety of Mexican, Asian and Italian ingredients, as well as everyday items.
Don't miss the Los Altos Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings from 9 am - 2 pm in Lázaro Cárdenas Park. Vendors gather in the square offering everything from handmade goods to gourmet ingredients and locally-made meals.
Another easy alternative that’s even closer in proximity is the OXXO convenience store. You’ll find OXXOs on nearly every block, including ours. Again, just go out the front door of Vista del Sol, turn right and you’ll find the OXXO at the end of the block on the right. They offer convenience store type items like eggs, milk, butter, hot dogs, chips, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc. Nothing special, but occasionally useful.
Within the downtown of Puerto Vallarta, Lay Supermarket is a terrific option for those who are open to a more authentic shopping experience. You'll find many of the locals shopping at Lay because their prices tend to be lower, while the quality and range of options is just as good as any other supermarket in the area. Lay located is at 1150 Avenida Mexico, about a 20 minute walk from Vista del Sol. Just head down the Malecon toward downtown, past the McDonalds and Hotel Rosita. We suggest you walk there and take a cab back -- or take a cab both ways -- (about $4-5 US each way) if you're doing a major shop.
We also recommend shopping at the following supermarkets, all of which can be reached by taxi (or bus if you’re feeling adventurous!). These grocery stores are further from town -- about a 15-20 minute drive -- and the fare is about $5-7 US each way.
A note on taking the bus: If you go to the main bus station (the front desk can direct you), the busses actually have the names of the major stores (Walmart, Costco) listed as destinations and you can ask the bus driver to tell you when you arrive. To be safe, we recommend taking a bus one way and a taxi home, since the bus doesn’t always pick up in the same spot that it drops off.