Introducing Acapulco
Before Cancún and Ixtapa, Acapulco was Mexico’s original party town. With stunning yellow beaches and a 24-hour nightlife, it was dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Pacific.’ During its heyday, Acapulco was the playground for the rich and famous including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland; John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline honeymooned here. It was immortalized in films like Elvis’s Fun in Acapulco and TV’s The Love Boat.
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Acapulco’s gorgeous arc of beaches that sweep around Bahía de Acapulco can be a relaxing place to soak up the sun – if you can ignore the pesky beach vendors. But step off the sands and you’ll soon be hit by a harsh reality: terrible traffic, crowded sidewalks, smoggy fumes, aggressive touts, poverty, homelessness and a significant crime wave.
Bustling Acapulco does offer pockets of calm: romantic cliffside restaurants, the impressive 17th-century fort, a world-class botanical garden and the old town’s charming shady zócalo. And when you tire of the crowds, secluded beaches and seaside villages like Pie de la Cuesta and Barra Vieja are just a short drive away.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
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RE: A Guide to the Mexican Bus System
by Queretaro 23 May 2012
It is a useful article but I don't like the bit that says: "I read on the news about a bus of US tourists that got held up and mugged…
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RE: If I wanted to spend a very relaxing month in Mexico...best place to do it?
by northword 21 May 2012
I once did this in Old Acapulco by staying in a cheap but decent hotel on the lower part of the Quebrada. While it didn't have wifi, there…
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RE: Playa del Carmen to Mexico City and inbetween
by sevres_babylone 13 May 2012
These are always tough questions, because the unknown factor is whether it is probable you will be returning to Mexico. If you don't…
