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Cowboy Concierge

Your Guide to New Experiences

Author: Don Herman

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Current Rentals / Nuevo Vallarta / Riviera Maya / Travel Planning

The Grand Luxxe – Your Best Family Vacation Destination

Vidanta Grand Luxxe Vidanta Grand Luxxe – Having traveled all over the world, to hotels, on cruises, city condominiums and exotic resorts, Dwaine and I agree that the Grand Luxxe is simply the best family vacation destination. Whether you’re staying in Nuevo Vallarta just outside of Puerto Vallarta on the magnificent Banderas Bay, or in the Riviera Maya, with it’s calm turquoise-blue Caribbean water, the Grand Luxxe provides everything you want in a perfect family vacation. Removing the Hassle of Family Travel: Step One, Find the Right Space Traveling with family, while rewarding, comes with a big bundle of problems. ...

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Nuevo Vallarta / Travel Planning / Travel Tips

Traveling to Mexico in the Age of COVID-19

We often have friends who ask, “Are you still traveling these days?” The answer is “Yes” and “No.” Yes we are still traveling. We just returned from a trip to Palm Springs to visit friends there. I traveled to Georgia to help a friend who’d had surgery. And in November, we will make our annual pilgrimage to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. But No, we aren’t traveling as much, or in exactly the same way. We’re much more careful when moving through crowded areas, such as airports. We think about the type of experience we want to have and match it up...

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Puerto Vallarta

The Artists of Puerto Vallarta – Galeria Serendipity

Shopping for treasures in Puerto Vallarta is always a highlight of our trip each year, and one of our favorite destinations is Galeria Serendipity on Avenue Insurgentes #134. This little shop carries only the best of the best items from Mexican folk artists. The owner, Enrique Ojeda, is very friendly, and extremely knowledgeable about every item in his shop. I spent part of an afternoon there and he graciously shared his expertise on a number of beautiful craft items I found. Enrique is scrupulous about carrying only authentic, Mexican-made crafts in his shop. “The other stuff you can find in...

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Nuevo Vallarta

Golf Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta – A First-Hand Review

There are many, many activities to choose from when you are a guest at Vidanta, Nuevo Vallarta. The huge resort features world-class pools, sandy beaches, and numerous children’s activities. But the resort is ideal for the golf enthusiast.  On the grounds, there are two 18-hole courses and a ten-hole, par three course that is lighted at night!  Here’s what to expect when you golf at Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta. A First-Hand Review If you decide to play, the following suggestions will hopefully help you better enjoy your Vidanta golf experience: On a recent stay at Vidanta, my wife and I played...

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Nuevo Vallarta / Travel Planning

Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta – A Day of (Permissable) Decadence!

A review of Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta from our friend, Alex, a first-time visitor to the Puerto Vallarta -area resort. We invited him and his family to come for a visit while they were in town this past November. Just worked it out with the concierge – they got wrist bands and a charge account, just like any other guest. Here’s his observations: Luxury. Calm. Carefree. Metaphysically decadent. I played that game where I challenged myself to – without thinking – write the first three words that came to my mind as I reflected on spending time at the Grand Luxxe...

Packing List 0

Travel Planning / Travel Tips

What to Pack for that Warm Weather Vacation!

Packing for your vacation is usually one of the last things you work on before your trip, which makes it very easy to forget things.  In that last-minute rush, with all the other considerations on your mind, you can leave your pills on the counter or your must-have pair of shoes under the bed.  This Packing List for Vacation can help you run through everything a few times before that final Zip-Up-the-Bag moment. Different vacations call for different lists.  Dwaine and I have traveled all over the world, on tours, cruises, resort stays and independent trips, so we’ve been able...

Huichol Glass Bead Skull 0

Nuevo Vallarta

Mexican Folk Art – The Artists of Puerto Vallarta

If you’ve traveled near the US/Mexico border, you’ve no doubt seen the beaded artwork in various shops and stalls.  Sometimes you’ll even see someone painstakingly working on an art piece in the shop, tapping tiny, colorful beads into a beeswax-coated wooden carving of an animal, a mask, or perhaps an egg.  We’ve bought our share of those, and have enjoyed giving them as gifts to friends.  But if you think these pieces constitute the entire breadth of Mexican Folk Art, you are sorely mistaken. Several years ago, while shopping in downtown Puerto Vallarta, we stumbled upon a shop called Peyote...

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Nuevo Vallarta / Travel Planning

Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta – A Private Chef Experience

Looking for a truly unique experience that brings your friends together for an unforgettable evening?  Check out the Private Chef Experience at Grand Luxxe Neuvo Vallarta! Recently, Dwaine and I traveled to Nuevo Vallarta with three other couples to stay at The Residence at Vidanta.  This four-bedroom, 6,000 sq. ft. unit is currently the largest unit available at Vidanta (though the Jungle Estates are being constructed as you read this – more on that later). The point of our two-week stay was to reconnect with our friends.  Life gets busy, even being retired.  We travel quite a lot, so making...

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Nuevo Vallarta / Travel Tips

Puerto Vallarta Travel Tips

Planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta?  Here are some Puerto Vallarta travel tips to help you as you make your plans. Time Zone: The entire state of Jalisco is on Central Time, as is the southern part of the State of Nayarit, starting from San Blas in the north. Buses: A system of urban buses with different routes can bring you from one end of the bay to the other and all the spots in between.  if you’re going further than San Pancho, head to the main bus terminal to catch a “Pacifico” bus.  Current fare is $10 pesos. Click...

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Travel Tips

How to Call the US from Mexico

If you travel a lot, you know that making a phone call from another country to the US isn’t as simple as dialing the usual phone number. We travel most often to Mexico, so I’ll deal with that first. Calling Cell Phone to Cell Phone or Land Line Within Mexico. This is the easiest – just dial the 10-digit number like you would anywhere.  In Mexico, the saying is “He who calls, pays” (el que llama paga).  Calls to cell phones cost more than calls to regular land line phone numbers. Calling Land Line to Cell Phone Within Mexico Going...