By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Casa Kimberly, the villa on Calle Zaragoza in Puerto Vallarta that Richard Burton purchased for Elizabeth Taylor in the 1960s. It’s probably not far from your Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rental, and it’s well worth a visit, just to see how the rich and famous lived back in the day.
You may not know, however, that Casa Kimberly is part of a neighborhood called Gringo Gulch (polite folks may refer to it as the Zaragoza neighborhood). In this part of town, overlooking the Rio Cuale, other members of the leisured classes from the United States chose to build villas of their own so they could enjoy the many special treats that the city had to offer.
A Neighborhood with Real Roosters
Many of the homes in the neighborhood were designed by Guillermo Wulff, the guy who designed the sets for Night of the Iguana (another Hollywood connection). They are largely built in the Mexican fashion, constructed of adobe blocks and covered with stucco, and cool breezes bring residents out on their patios and porches in the evening. Gringo Gulch is not so much an exclusive landing place for wealthy Americans these days; instead, it is a real residential neighborhood, with everything that entails – laughing children, barking dogs, loud celebrations and roosters announcing the new day.
The neighborhood continues to attract visitors who have a bit of a curious bone. The quaint cobblestone streets may be a menace for bicyclists, but if you take it cautiously, they shouldn’t be too much of a deterrent to a nice little walking tour of the area. There is a payoff for taking on the challenge of the steep streets: Gringo Gulch is pretty close to downtown and to the Zona Romantica, so you can finish your tour at one of the popular spots.
Café Roma at Encino 287 gets rave reviews from everyone who stops in for a pizza or a cold beverage. The staff is very nice, the prices are reasonable, and food is reportedly great. Club Roxy in the Zona Romantica at Ignacio L. Vallarta 217 is a popular nightclub that makes music for fans of all ages. There is no cover charge and devoted fans report that the house band is great.
Your Puerto Vallarta Vacation Rental, with its patio and hot tub, may seem light years away from the lively street life of Gringo Gulch. It’s all Mexico, though, and it’s all good.
