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    Puerto Vallarta and the bay from the Cerro de la Cruz lookout, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    The cross on top of the Cerro de la Cruz, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Lookout tower at the Mirador La Cruz, Jalisco

    Photo by Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Viewpoint Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco Municipality of Puerto Vallarta Banderas Bay

    Lookout around the cross on the hill above downtown, reached by steep lanes and stairs from the Malecón, with a 360° view from Los Arcos to Punta Mita.

    From Puerto Vallarta: 5 min by car (4 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

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    Plan your visit to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Where to stay near Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Mirador Cerro de la Cruz.

    Hotels in Mirador Cerro de la Cruz Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Mirador Cerro de la Cruz; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Puerto Vallarta Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) · From US$59
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    • From Puerto Vallarta: about 5 min by road (~4 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puerto Vallarta (PVR), 41 min by car to Sayulita
    Rent a car at PVR Flights to PVR

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Puerto Vallarta, near Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Winner 2026 Downtown Vallarta Food Tour with Vallarta Food Tours ★ 5.0 (3,971) 3 h 30 min From US$59
    Puerto Vallarta Extreme Adventure: Wildest Bridge, ATV & Ziplines ★ 4.9 (3,357) 6 h From US$69
    Puerto Vallarta Zipline, Rappel, Water Slide & Speedboat tour ★ 4.9 (2,144) 6 h 30 min From US$69
    Food & Mixology Tour:Tequila,Tacos, Mezcal and Agave Cocktails ★ 5.0 (1,949) 4 h From US$98
    Puerto Vallarta Rhythms of the Night, Dinner Cruise and Alma Show ★ 4.5 (2,093) 5 h From US$119

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    The Mirador de la Cruz is the lookout at the top of the Cerro de la Cruz, the hill that rises right behind downtown Puerto Vallarta, named for the old stone-based cross on its summit. From the top you get a full panorama: the rooftops and church tower of the old town below, the Malecón and the hotel zone curving north, and the whole of Banderas Bay, from Los Arcos in the south to Punta Mita on clear days.

    Getting there is part of the outing. The distance from the Malecón is only about 500 metres, but it is all uphill. The most popular route climbs Abasolo street from the seafront, then rustic stairs from the corner of Miramar, then a footpath between houses and gardens to the final long flight of concrete steps; the other follows Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, a straight street that gets steeper towards the top. Depending on fitness the climb takes 15 to 40 minutes. A small funicular can carry you up the last staircase, but it has only run in the high season and not reliably.

    In the past there was little more than a path and the base of the cross. The present lookout has concrete stairs, railings, benches, terraces and a white observation tower, next to the television masts that share the summit. In August 2025 the city announced a makeover of more than 18 million pesos, funded by the Puerto Vallarta tourism trust and the state of Jalisco, to repair years of neglect and vandalism and fix the funicular; a cable car to the Malecón was under study. It is especially popular at sunset, but it is not suitable for wheelchairs or people with limited mobility.

    How to get to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Drive from Puerto Vallarta: 5 min, 4 km

    On foot from the Malecón, about 500 m uphill. Route 1: walk inland up Abasolo street, cross Guadalupe Sánchez, take the rustic stairs at the corner of Miramar up to Emilio Carranza, then follow the footpath to the last staircase (or the funicular, when it runs). Route 2: walk straight up Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. There is no car access to the lookout itself.

    Directions to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Mirador Cerro de la Cruz Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Mirador Cerro de la Cruz. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz: hours, prices and tips

    Time needed
    The climb from the Malecón (about 500 m) takes 15 to 40 minutes depending on your pace. PuertoVallarta.net · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    For sunset, start up about 40 minutes beforehand so you can rest on the way. PuertoVallarta.net · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    The funicular up the last staircase has run only in the high season (6 am to 10 pm), and not reliably; a renovation announced in August 2025 includes repairing it. PuertoVallarta.net · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Water and sunscreen on sunny days; it is a steep climb with stairs, not suitable for wheelchairs. PuertoVallarta.net · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Mirador Cerro de la Cruz: what to see and do

    Take in the 360° view over downtown, the Malecón and Banderas Bay from Los Arcos to Punta Mita.
    Climb the observation tower for an unobstructed panorama.
    Watch the sunset over the bay, arriving about 40 minutes early.
    Walk up Abasolo street and its stairs, past houses and gardens on the hillside.
    See the old cross that gives the hill its name.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Mirador Cerro de la Cruz.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Sayulita often include Mirador Cerro de la Cruz; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at PVR (Puerto Vallarta): about 41 min by road to Sayulita, then 36 km more to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puerto Vallarta (PVR), about 41 min by road from Sayulita, the base for Mirador Cerro de la Cruz.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Sayulita: download a map of the way to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    Photos

    When to go to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz warm

    Mirador Cerro de la Cruz shares the climate of Sayulita, 36 km away. The best months to visit are March, April, May, and November.

    For the clearest views from Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, go in the driest months (March, April, May, and November); in the rains, clouds tend to build up by midday.

    See the month-by-month climate of Sayulita

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Sayulita

    Palm-shaded street of shops and stalls in the center of Sayulita, Nayarit warm
    Nayarit Sayulita

    Sayulita is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Closest to Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Near Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Mirador Cerro de la Cruz

    Viewpoints in Jalisco · 4

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.