Matamoros Lighthouse Lookout

On Matamoros Street, between Galeana and Mina and one block above Juárez, stands a black-and-white striped tower that many visitors never find. It's an old lighthouse that now works as a public lookout.

It was first lit in 1932 and worked as a pair with the lighthouse on the Malecón at the foot of Galeana Street: lining up the two lights guided ships into Banderas Bay, back when food and medicine arrived by sea and bananas and coconut oil were shipped out. It stopped operating in the 1970s, and the city ordered it preserved as a historic monument.

You reach the top by an outdoor spiral staircase. From up there you see downtown's tile roofs, the church tower and much of the bay: to the north, the coast from Playa Camarones to Marina Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta, and in the other direction, out toward Cabo Corrientes.

For years it sat abandoned and vandalized. In mid-2024 the art collective ROMPE, led by artist Sharo García, restored it with local authorities and painted a mural honoring Elizabeth Taylor next to it.

Getting there: From the Malecón, walk up Galeana Street (it's uphill) to Matamoros; the lighthouse is between Galeana and Mina. Steps lead to the base, and the spiral staircase takes you to the top.

When to go: At sunset, as the sun drops over the bay, or early morning for soft light and less heat.

Cost: Free

Tips: It's in a residential area, so keep the noise down and don't block doorways. The spiral staircase is narrow and open to the weather, and it gets slippery in the rain. The site lost its lighting to vandalism before the restoration, so daytime or sunset visits are the safer bet.

Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible: the street is steep and you need to climb steps and a spiral staircase.