A bird's eye view of Puerto Vallarta

The activities are never ending in Puerto Vallarta ranging from family fun in the day to parties in the nightlife. Today, I'm going to share my experience zip-lining through a jungle dubbed “Los Veranos.” In one word, it was breathtaking. Words can't effectively describe flying through a jungle, suspended in mid air, through the tops of lush canopies and finally over the Orquidias river.

It may sound cheesy but I literally felt like a bird. I mean, it felt like I was flying in midair like one and when I looked to my left and right I saw birds. And I am not talking about pigeons or any other average day American bird - colorful, tropical, exotic birds. I literally locked eyes with a Toucan! Not to mention other sightings of wild monkeys and ridiculous looking insects (not my favorite part, not the hugest fan of bugs). But it was an authentic experience! This was the bird’s eye view of paradise.

After your adventure through the jungle tops you fly over the rushing Orquidias River. The refreshing breeze off the river is just what you need after flying through the humid jungle canopies. It was somewhat of an adrenaline rush, to say the least, to look down from 500 feet to find only air between you and a roaring river. A rush I thoroughly enjoyed. The tour in all was 3 hours, 2 miles and 14 zip lines. Once I finished I felt I had visited another world and glimpsed a side of life not everyone gets a chance to see.

I think one of the main reasons I enjoyed this so much, aside from the obvious, is that it was so different from what I usually do on my vacations in Mexico. This was far from the all-inclusive resort with the beach 100 feet away and a daiquiri in your hand. Don’t get me wrong, that style of vacation is amazing as well but it was refreshing to spice it up. This felt more authentic, rural and adventurous. The canopy tour was only 3 hours, probably 5 with transportation and everything involved, which still leaves a good 8-10 hours to hang by the pool with your piña colada. Not to mention the rest of the days you are there. My consensus is - visit Puerto Vallarta , relax by the beach, zip-line and repeat. I plan on doing so myself in the very near future.