Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

February is about as dependable as the port gets, a prime-season month that asks very little of your planning. Highs sit near 81°F, lows settle around 63°F, and the sea stays close to 77°F, warm enough for an easy swim. Rain is almost an afterthought at roughly 16mm across the month, so the day is yours to shape without a backup plan, and clear skies are the rule rather than the exception. The mild nights make the evenings as pleasant as the afternoons, and the dry air keeps walking comfortable even in the sun.

Watch for Día de la Constitución, a public holiday that can trim opening hours at shops and offices around the date. It rarely touches the outdoors, so a beach morning or a slow walk along the water carries the day even when businesses run short schedules. If you need anything ticketed or store-bought, handle it early and keep the rest of the day loose.

By March the port is dry and bright, deep in its prime stretch. Highs run about 83°F, nights hold near 63°F, and the water sits around 77°F, while rainfall is negligible at roughly 7mm for the month. It is a comfortable window for time outdoors, with little chance the weather rewrites your plan, and warm days that stop short of the heavier heat still to come. The dry air makes for easy walking, and the reliably clear skies mean you can commit to an outing without a rain contingency.

The month carries Natalicio de Benito Juárez, a public holiday that may shorten hours at shops and offices near the date. Time any paid attraction or errand around it. The beaches and waterfront stay open regardless, and with warm water and steady sun, the coast is the natural default for a day ashore even when the town runs a lighter schedule.

April is the warm, dry peak of the prime season, and the heat is the day's main character. Afternoons reach about 86°F, nights stay mild near 65°F, and the sea is around 76°F, with rainfall down to a trace at roughly 1mm across the month. Shade and water breaks matter more than an umbrella here, and the midday sun is the thing to manage rather than any chance of rain. Mornings and late afternoons are the most comfortable hours to be out and moving.

Two public holidays land in the Easter period, Jueves Santo and Viernes Santo. Both can close or shorten businesses and draw local crowds to the coast, so start early, keep the day flexible, and expect the beaches to be lively rather than quiet. It is a festive, busy stretch, and planning around the holidays, rather than against them, makes for the smoothest day ashore.

May runs hot and dry, closing out the prime run before the rains arrive. Highs push to about 88°F, nights sit near 68°F, and the water warms to around 81°F, the most inviting swim of the dry season. Rain stays minimal at roughly 3mm, so heat, not weather, is the thing to manage. Hydrate, seek shade through the middle of the day, and let the warm sea do the cooling, which it does well at this temperature. The early hours are the most comfortable for anything active.

Día del Trabajo is the public holiday to note, and it can shutter shops and offices for the day around the date. The coast stays open throughout, and the warm water makes beach time the natural move on a slower day in town. Handle any errands or paid sites ahead of the holiday, and treat the water as the reliable centerpiece of the day.

June marks the turn toward the wet season, a shoulder month that bridges the dry stretch and the summer rains. Days still reach about 88°F, but nights hold warmer near 75°F, the sea climbs to around 84°F, and rainfall picks up to roughly 105mm. Showers tend to build later in the day, so plan anything outdoors for the morning and keep the afternoon loose enough to wait out a passing storm. The humidity is noticeably higher than in spring, and the landscape begins greening in response. No public holidays fall this month, so the calendar is clear. The trade-off is the weather itself. It is warmer, wetter, and quieter than the dry season, with a bathwater sea for anyone who does not mind a shower. Time an outing for the morning, treat the afternoon as flexible, and June rewards you with warm water and thinner crowds.

July sits deep in the rainy season, and the pattern is consistent enough to plan around. Highs settle around 84°F while nights stay muggy near 77°F, and the sea is warm at about 86°F. Rain is the headline at roughly 324mm for the month, typically arriving as heavy, later-day downpours rather than all-day gray. Mornings are usually the clear window, so aim outdoor time early and treat an afternoon shower as part of the rhythm rather than a disruption. The humidity is high throughout, so pace yourself in the heat.

There are no public holidays to plan around this month, which keeps the calendar simple. The upside of the wet months is a soft, green landscape and a warm ocean, with fewer visitors than the busy dry season brings. A well-timed morning ashore, with rain cover in the bag, still makes for a full and comfortable day.

August is the wettest stretch of the year, the peak of the summer rains. Afternoons hold near 85°F, nights stay warm around 76°F, and the sea is at its warmest, about 88°F. Rainfall runs heavy at roughly 367mm, usually arriving as strong evening storms rather than steady daytime rain. The air is humid from morning on, so the earlier hours are the most comfortable for anything active, and the warm water is a genuine draw for anyone who plans around the showers.

No public holidays land this month, so the calendar stays open. The practical play is the same as high summer. Use the clearer mornings for anything outdoors, carry rain cover, and lean into the warm water when the heat builds. It is humid and lush, and a passing storm rarely lasts the whole day, so a morning ashore followed by a flexible afternoon works well.

September stays firmly in the rainy season, with the warmest water of the year to show for it. Highs sit near 86°F, nights stay warm around 75°F, and the sea reaches roughly 89°F. Rain remains substantial at about 281mm, mostly in later-day bursts, so the morning is again the safe window for anything outdoors. The humidity is high and the landscape is at its greenest, a reward of sorts for planning around the afternoon showers.

The month carries Día de la Independencia, a public holiday marked widely across the country. Expect shortened business hours and a festive, busier feel around the date. Plan errands and paid sites around it, keep the day flexible for showers, and let the warm ocean and green surroundings carry the rest. It is a lively time to be in port, and working with the holiday rather than against it makes for the easiest day.

October is the shoulder month on the way out of the rains, and conditions trend in your favor as the month goes on. Days run about 86°F, nights ease to near 73°F, the sea holds around 87°F, and rainfall eases to roughly 92mm, noticeably drier than the peak of summer. The landscape is still green from the wet season, but the odds of a clear afternoon improve as the storms thin out, which makes for a more forgiving day ashore than July or August offered.

No public holidays fall this month, so the calendar is uncomplicated. Mornings remain the safest bet for outdoor plans, with the warm water an easy default for the rest of the day. It is a transitional month, warm and lush but drying out, and a little flexibility with timing goes a long way toward a full day in port.

November swings back into the prime season, and it is one of the more balanced months to be in port. Highs settle near 83°F, nights cool pleasantly to about 69°F, and the sea stays warm around 83°F, while rainfall drops to roughly 27mm as the dry stretch returns. The air is comfortable rather than heavy, the nights are genuinely mild, and the reliable sun makes it easy to commit to a full day ashore without a rain plan.

Día de la Revolución is the public holiday to note, and it can trim hours at shops and offices around the date. Otherwise little stands between you and a full day out, with warm days, mild nights, and a sea still warm enough for an easy swim. Handle anything ticketed or store-bought ahead of the holiday, and the balance of the day is yours to spend as you like.

December closes the year in the prime season, with dependable, comfortable weather for a day ashore. Afternoons sit near 81°F, nights ease to about 66°F, and the water holds around 80°F, with rain light at roughly 24mm. These are steady conditions, warm without the heavier heat of late spring, and the low rainfall means the forecast is rarely the reason to change plans. The mild nights keep the evenings as easy as the afternoons.

Navidad is the public holiday to plan around. Many shops and offices close or keep short hours near the date, and the coast tends to fill with local visitors in a festive stretch. Start early, keep plans flexible, and expect a warm, busy waterfront rather than a quiet one. If you handle errands and paid sites ahead of the holiday, the beaches and the water carry the day.