Writer Teresa Bergen makes it easy for us to plan a trip to Mazatlán, expanding our horizons to activities we might not have thought about. She offers us 5 things to do to get us started.

Horseback riding on Stone Island.

Where I live in Portland, Oregon, during wintertime weather reporters often speak of “sun breaks.” This means that the sun may suddenly shine through our persistent clouds for a matter of minutes. Everybody runs outside, starved for Vitamin D.
But I think it takes a little longer to get a true sun break. Three days in Mexico’s Pacific coast resort town of Mazatlán did it for me. Here are five things you can do in and around Mazatlán during a long weekend.
Stroll or Bike the Malecon
Mazatlán is understandably proud of its boardwalk, or Malecon. I heard conflicting information about its exact length, but will go with Mazatlan Today’s assertion of 13 miles, making it one of the world’s longer seafront walkways. This is the place for exercise, people-watching, buying food from street vendors and admiring monuments and public art. Consider renting a bike if you want to cover more ground.

Go on a bike tour in Malecon while in Mazatlan. Photo by Rodrigo Osuna.

Visit Stone Island
Islas de las Piedras, aka Stone Island, is a short ride by water taxi and offers one of the best swimming beaches in the area. This was one of my favorite parts of my Mazatlán trip. Eating guacamole on the beach then playing in warm ocean waves—well, that’s why foreigners visit Mexico’s coast. If you’re feeling daring, you can also ride a banana boat. Motorboats tug these huge yellow inflatables while riders attempt to hold on.

A fresh and delicious lunch on Stone Island.

Tour Colonial Towns
Visitors can book a day trip with Pronatours to see nearby colonial towns with buildings dating to the 1500s. I loved the opportunity to see old churches, town squares that serve as social centers, and artisans making their crafts. In Malpica, 38 kilometers east of Mazatlán, I watched Jorge Ortega mold tiles using a 100-year-old press. In Concordia I met ceramic artist Felipe Piña and watched him shaping bowls made from local clay. My favorite stop was Copala, a hilly colonial town founded in the 1500s because of nearby silver mines.

Stairs in Copala.

Ride in a Pulmonia
Truly embracing the tourist lifestyle requires riding in a pulmonia. These open-air taxis look pretty much like golf carts because they were invented by a golf cart repairman. As my guide, Hector Aguirre, told the story, the first pulmonia arrived on the scene in December of 1965. Taxi drivers, feeling threatened, warned passengers that they’d get pneumonia –pulmonia in Spanish—if they took this new form of transportation. Aguirre admitted we might hear other explanations for the name, but assured us, “Any other version, that’s a lie.” Drinking alcohol is allowed in pulmonias but not on buses or in taxis, he said.

Pulmonia statue on Malecon.

Relax at a Resort
Many visitors return again and again to embrace the time-honored laziness of resort living. I always feel like I should be out learning about the culture and doing something more productive than lounging by a pool. But while in Mazatlán I indulged in lazing around El Cid Marina, and I have to admit it was fun. My favorite parts were feeding snacks to the resident iguanas (I know, it’s bad to feed wildlife but these are resort iguanas), swimming through the faux cave that joined two of the pools, and hanging out in my spacious white-tiled room and balcony. I also had a memorable breakfast by the beach with the most beautiful table setting I’ve ever seen.

Feasting at the breakfast table at El Cid Marina.

No matter what I was doing during my three days in the Mazatlán area, I constantly met the nicest people: polite, hospitable and friendly. The people I encountered had extremely good manners, were willing to join in any sort of fun, hugged me and kissed my cheek after meeting a couple of times, and made great efforts to understand my occasional perfunctory attempts at Spanish. Courtly men offered me a hand whenever I walked down the slightest step from a bus or a boat. The warmth of the people enhanced the many fun things to do in this sunny vacation area.
Learn more about Mazatlán here.     — Story and photos (except where noted) by Teresa Bergen.

Hungry for more? Read some of Teresa Bergen’s other articles on RealFoodTraveler.com and let them be your guide.

San Sebastian Church in Concordia, in Mazatlan.

Felipe Pina making a bowl in Concordia.