Day of the Dead Festivities in Nuevo Vallarta Mexico

The Mexican holiday Day of the Dead has become iconic around the world, and while you may easily recognize pictures of the catrinas and altars, there’s nothing like experiencing a real Day of the Dead celebration on your Mexican vacation. Nuevo Vallarta has become a popular destination in Mexico for romantic getaways, family vacations, and cultural adventures. If you’re lucky enough to spend Halloween or Day of the Dead in Nuevo Vallarta, you’ll get to experience festive and vibrant Mexican holidays and traditions.

How to Celebrate Halloween in Nuevo Vallarta

Mexican Halloween has adopted many of the traditions from the US, including haunted houses and trick-or-treating, which is most families’ choice for how to celebrate Halloween in Nuevo Vallarta. In the local neighborhoods, families and friends go door to door all dressed up, and in downtown Puerto Vallarta, the Malecon boardwalk is filled with trick-or-treaters. Many tourists enjoy picking up a bag of candy and sitting outside at a restaurant to pass out sweets for Mexican Halloween. Many of the all-inclusive resorts also throw their own parties for visitors, so if you’re planning out how to celebrate Halloween in Nuevo Vallarta, be sure to pack a festive costume to wear.

How is Day of the Dead Celebrated

While some might mistakenly refer to the Day of the Dead celebration as the Mexican Halloween, they’re two completely different celebrations. To understand how is Day of the Dead celebrated, it’s important to look back to the ancient Aztecs who preserved memories of those who had passed away with altars and festivals. Today, altars are one of the main ways families celebrate Day of the Dead in Nuevo Vallarta. With candles to guide the spirits and treats for them to enjoy, these altars commemorate their lives. The cleaning of cemeteries is another part of how is Day of the Dead celebrated. Leaves are swept away and flowers are laid as families gather to share stories about their loved ones.

How to Celebrate the Day of the Dead in Nuevo Vallarta

While the Day of the Dead celebration is one of the Mexican traditions that is very personal to families, it’s also a communal celebration of life with colorful flowers and sweet treats, like pan de muerto and sugar skulls, and as it’s a community event, visitors are invited to discover how to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Nuevo Vallarta.

To join in the celebration, head to downtown Puerto Vallarta, where larger-than-life catrinas line the boardwalk and altars are set up along the streets. You can also watch the Day of the Dead parade as it makes its way from the local cemetery to the boardwalk. For how to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Nuevo Vallarta, you can also check out the decorations, activities, and shows at your resort that bring the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead to life.

Being a part of Mexican holidays and traditions gives you a taste of the local culture on your Nuevo Vallarta vacation, and while some might think that the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead is just another version of Halloween, you’ll see that it has its own traditions and culture. During this celebration of life and memorial for those who have passed away, you’ll experience the holiday for yourself and fall in love with the festive atmosphere.