With its dual coastline along the Pacific and Caribbean seas, Mexico boasts an abundance of outdoor off-site venues that take advantage of its ocean views and natural riches.
Along the Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos offers a prime location for outdoor receptions, dinners and other events.
“Los Cabos’ unique climate and landscape makes the destination a great place for groups to enjoy outdoor off-site venues,” says Luis Palacios, commercial director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board. “The desert feel paired with the breeze of the nearby sea allows for groups to be comfortable while enjoying outdoor venues.”
According to Palacios, groups can host a cocktail party or gala at outdoor venues such as the Wirkuta Cactus Garden in Puerto Los Cabos, as well as at many of the area’s restaurants. “Groups might also be interested in chartering a private yacht for a sunset sail event, allowing guests to take in the spectacular views of El Arco, the destination’s popular natural rock formation.”
A number of resorts in Los Cabos also offer outdoor venue space for groups. The Hacienda Beach Club & Residences, with its oceanfront location on Medano Beach, the only swimmable beach in Cabo, offers groups use of its Palapa Bar, infinity edge swimming pool, dining options and wine cellar, as well as a multitude of aquatic sports and boat tours.
Casa Dorada Los Cabos Resort & Spa also features outdoor event space for groups in its Private Medano Beach Club, with 660 feet of shoreline, beachfront dining and fire pits. Groups can also host events on the resort’s oceanfront terraces.
Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos offers four outdoor areas for theme parties and other group events, as well as meeting rooms with terraces overlooking the Sea of Cortez.
Sheraton Hacienda Del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos also provides outdoor space for groups. Its Palapa Fiesta gazebo can host up to 150, and the property can set up banquets on the beach. The Delfines Pool area is open for receptions up to 150.
Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa, which is currently under construction with completion scheduled for the fall, will provide a scenic Land’s End terrace, ideal for hosting a VIP cocktail party or sit-down event.
Heading inland, Huerta Los Tamarindos, an organic farm and restaurant located in San Jose Del Cabo, offers a center for outdoor events. Groups can also host cooking classes at the farm, which focuses on environmentally conscious food production.
Puerto Vallarta
Also on the Pacific Coast, Puerto Vallarta brims with a variety of scenic venues for events. Large groups can use the outdoor spaces along the Malecon Boardwalk, the Muertos Pier and the Municipal Sport Unit, among others.
Mantamar Beach Club on Los Muertos Beach in Banderas Bay offers groups outdoor space at its Mantamar Beach Club Bar & Grill, known for its creative cocktails and cuisine designed by renowned chef and owner of Cafe des Artistes Group, Thierry Blouet.
Golf Course Marina Vallarta along the shores of Banderas Bay is surrounded by natural lagoons with wildlife that includes herons, iguanas and alligators. Groups can host events on-site. Another group venue, Hacienda Dona Engracia, near the village of Desembocada, is located 20 minutes from Puerto Vallarta. The location has a tequila distillery with space for meetings and presentations, as well as a large cafeteria for a catered event.
Just north of Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit takes full advantage of its locale, offering a wide variety of outdoor event options.
“Riviera Nayarit provides meeting alternatives ranging from new, robust on-site facilities to engaging off-site options that truly integrate groups into our culture and gorgeous landscape,” says Richard Zarkin, public relations manager of the Riviera Nayarit CVB. “The entire purpose of group travel is to experience somewhere new, which is why off-site locations such as the Marina at La Cruz, La Patrona Polo Club and Terraza Plaza in Nuevo Vallarta are excellent choices to be used in conjunction with our hotel spaces.”
The El Tigre Golf & Country Club features space for groups to dine alfresco and can host up to 600 in a banquet setting.
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Terraza Plaza Nuevo Vallarta offers a terrace overlooking the canals and mangroves of Nuevo Vallarta, including restaurants Porto Bello and Prime 159. Capacity is for up to 450 people, banquet style. Another group option, Marina Riviera Nayarit at La Cruz is an amphitheater presenting shows, concerts and other theater performances. The venue offers space for 450 people seated theater style and 450 people banquet style. Cocktail receptions can accommodate up to 1,000 people.
At La Patrona Polo Field in San Pancho, the field’s main terrace can host banquets for up to 300, while groups can simultaneously watch a game of polo. Another terrace, at Don Pedros’s Restaurant & Bar Sayulita, faces the sea and can host up to 400 people banquet style.
Acapulco
Acapulco’s myriad beaches range from the busy Playa Condesa, replete with restaurants and beach clubs, to the secluded Playa Caleta, known for its glass-bottom boat tours and visits to underwater haven Roqueta Island. In addition, the San Diego Fort, home to Acapulco’s Historical Museum, can host events of up to 3,500 people.
Groups can charter yachts with the local DMCs or the company Fish-R-Us for rides around Acapulco Bay and to see the La Quebrada cliff divers, who jump 130 feet into a narrow cove. Group options include lunch cruises or sunset cruises, or a ride on the company’s Sun & Run Elite Cruise for up to 20, which features a lunch buffet, visit to La Quebrada, as well as snorkeling and kayaking. Acapulco Yachts also offers private party boats and yacht cruises.
In the northwest part of the state of Guerrero sit two scenic bays, one holding the boutique fishing village of Zihuatanejo, the other the resort city of Ixtapa. Among the numerous outdoor options, Azul Ixtapa Convention Center offers terraces and gardens for events. The Escondite Restaurant and Beach Club in Zihuatanejo offers beachside space for group events. Another option, Bistro del Mar overlooking the bay features function space for groups. Pacifica Resort Ixtapa also offers outdoor function space at its Moon Bar and its El Faro Restaurant.
Small groups in Mazatlan can charter private boats with companies like Mazatlan Tours to host lunch cruises and visits to popular Goat Island, known for its pristine snorkeling, as well as see a sea lion colony and old pirates caves.
Cancun
Along the Caribbean, Cancun offers 14 miles of beaches, as well as access to Mayan cultural icons such Chichen Itza.
“As one of the top international groups, meetings and incentives destinations in Mexico, Cancun is proud to showcase its natural beauty as a backdrop and venue to many types of group events,” says Jesus Almaguer, CEO of the Cancun CVB. “Cancun welcomes hundreds of groups and conventions every year and encourages them to take advantage of the destination’s large meeting spaces, group activities, sustainable practices and renowned Mexican hospitality that bring to life a successful event.”
Mandala Beach Club has a capacity for more than 500 on its outside palapa area. For events on the water, the Lobster Dinner Cruise offers group rides during sunset or nighttime on its Spanish Galleon ship. Theme parties are also available, including circus and casino options. Aquaworld, which specializes in fishing charters, as well as diving excursions to the Cancun Underwater Museum showcasing more than 400 permanent, life-size sculptures, also offers private yacht charters for groups and boat rides on the Cancun Queen.
Exotic Rides offers car rides for groups, as well as venue space at its Autodromo Cancun location. The indoor and outdoor exhibition facilities can hold up to 3,000. Exotic Rides can also cater to incentive groups with private VIP cocktails and themed events.
On nearby Isla Mujeres, the Zama Beach Club can host waterfront events for groups, as well as offer group activities such as paddle boarding and kayaking.
Riviera Maya
South of Cancun along the Riviera Maya, groups can host events at a number of adventure, ecological and cultural theme parks.
Xcaret Park presents reenactments of Mexican and Mayan traditions and also offers entertainment, local foods and natural attractions. On-site, the Henequen Hacienda, a replica of an old hacienda of the Yucatan, can host events on its patio for up to 550 people and Pozas has capacity for 1,500 for cocktails. Xel-Ha Park features snorkeling and other marine activities, while the adventure-filled Xplor offers everything from ziplining to swimming in an underground river along stalactites and stalagmites. Both parks offer restaurants for group events.
