Entertainment organizers in Puerto Vallarta know to take advantage of one of the city's best assets: its weather! Facing each other at the very end of the Malecón boardwalk are the Los Arcos Amphitheater and the Plaza Principal, two open-air venues that offer all sorts of free performances, concerts and other entertainment. The area is a hub of activity in the evenings, when everyone heads to the Malecón for a stroll and the spectacular sunset.

The Los Arcos Amphitheater - also known as the Aquiles Serdelegant Theater - gets its name from its four stone arches that overlook the bay. The venue hosts at least two free concerts each week, if not more, and is a stage for major music festivals come May and November. Just show up around sunset and claim a spot on one of the many cantera stone benches or peruse the various street venders that set up shop selling regional food or artisan goods.

Just across the street is the Plaza Principal which, aside from serving as Puerto Vallarta's main square, also hosts a variety of concerts during the week. The headliner is usually the municipal band, which sets up on the bandstand in the middle of the plaza and plays to the delight of visitors and locals alike.