Terraces are the most underrated wedding venues on this coast, and the ones our couples end up booking most often. They sit right in the middle of everything a destination wedding needs: open air and ocean views like a beach, firm, level ground and defined edges like an indoor room, and enough shelter that the wind coming off Banderas Bay stops being a factor.
They’re also the most numerous. Nearly every wedding resort between the city and Punta de Mita has at least one terrace venue, and several have three or four, which means you can put the ceremony on one, cocktails on another, and dinner on a third without anyone leaving the building.
Terrace capacities across resorts in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit run from 50 to 250. Below are the resorts with the strongest terrace collections, and our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists can help you match one to your guest count.
Top Terrace Destination Wedding Venues at Top Puerto Vallarta Resorts
These include pool terraces, ocean view decks, sand terraces, and presidential suite terraces. Ordered by the size of the largest terrace at each property.
1. Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta
Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta has the largest terrace venue in the region. The Sierra Luna Terrace holds 250 for a ceremony or reception, and it works equally well for an intimate gathering or a full-scale evening, which is a rare thing in a single space.
The Tierra Luna Forum here is another outdoor terrace, this one for 200, perched above Banderas Bay. Adults-only, five-star, on the hillside south of the city.
Learn more about Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta and get a free quote today >>
2. Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa
Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa gives you a genuine three-terrace day. The Terraza La Vista takes 100 across the ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour, the Dreams Pool Terrace holds 200 for the reception, and the Pool Deck adds a 70-guest option.
That kind of range on one property makes the timeline easy to build. Family-friendly and Diamond-level, right in the hotel zone.
Learn more about Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
3. Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta
Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta mirrors that setup on the adults-only side of the same complex: Terraza la Vista for 100 across all three parts of the day, the Secrets Pool Terrace for a 200-guest reception, and the Pool Deck for 50.
Same location, same bay views, quieter atmosphere. The pick if your guest list is adults only and you’d rather the resort matched.
Learn more about Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta and get a free quote today >>
4. Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta runs three terraces. The Splash Terrace takes 160 for a reception with the beach and ocean right there, the Frida Terrace handles 120 across ceremony, reception, and cocktails, and the Swimming Pool Terrace another 100.
The Splash Terrace is the standout, with waves audible through the reception and an ocean breeze that makes an evening event genuinely comfortable. Family-friendly and Diamond-level in Nuevo Vallarta.
Learn more about Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta and get a free quote today >>
5. Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa
Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa has the Ocean View Deck for 150 across ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour, plus the Bougainvillea Terrace for an 80-guest ceremony framed by the flowers it’s named after.
The PTC Sundeck adds a 60-guest cocktail hour space. A large family-friendly property in Riviera Nayarit, and the only one in the region with a Catholic chapel on site if you want to pair a religious ceremony with a terrace reception.
Learn more about Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
6. Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa
Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa offers the Mezzanine Terrace for 150 across all three parts of the day, raised above the resort with tropical trees around it and the horizon in the distance.
The Solarium next door takes 250 open-air, so between them you have a terrace option at almost any guest count. Family-friendly and Diamond-level, and the best value on this list.
Learn more about Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa and get a free quote today >>
7. Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort
Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort has more terraces than any other property in the region. The Dreams Presidential Terrace takes 120, the Sand Terrace 80, and the Beach Terrace 50, all cleared for ceremony, reception, and cocktail hour.
Add the 200-guest Moon Deck, and you have four raised outdoor options across a range of guest counts. Family-friendly and Diamond-level at the northern end of the bay near Sayulita.
Learn more about Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort and get a free quote today >>
8. Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort
Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort carries the same terrace collection on the adults-only side, with the Secrets Presidential Terrace at 90, the Sand Terrace at 80, and the Moon Deck at 200.
If you want a terrace wedding venue somewhere genuinely secluded, with no children on the property and no crowds on the beach, this is the strongest option in the region.
Learn more about Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort and get a free quote today >>
A few more worth knowing about: the Sunset Terrace and Poolside Terrace at Iberostar Selection Playa Mita, the Palmas Terrace at Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, the Val Terrace Solarium at Riu Vallarta, and the terrace at Marival Distinct All-Suites & World Spa.
More Information for Planning Your Terrace Destination Wedding in Puerto Vallarta
Terraces are straightforward, but a few details are worth confirming. Here’s what our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists check with couples.
Terrace Destination Wedding Venues Appeal
A terrace gives you the best destination wedding trade-off available. You keep the open sky, the ocean view, and the sunset, but you gain a level floor, defined boundaries, and enough structure around you that the breeze doesn’t take the tablecloths with it.
Service runs better on a terrace than on sand. Staff can move quickly, tables sit flat, a dance floor doesn’t need building, and glassware doesn’t tip over. That sounds small until you’ve watched waiters wading through sand with trays at a 100-guest reception.
Terraces are also the most guest-friendly outdoor venue. Heels work, wheelchairs and walkers work, and older relatives aren’t negotiating a beach at dusk. If your guest list spans a few generations, this is usually the setting that suits everyone.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Cost
The average cost of a destination wedding in Puerto Vallarta is $10,215 all-in for the couple, covering the wedding package, accommodations, airfare, and add-ons. Hotel costs average about $299 per person per night over a typical five-night stay, and airfare runs $200 to $800 per couple. Our Puerto Vallarta couples average 23 guests.
These averages reflect real spend data from couples who booked their destination wedding with our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists.
Terrace wedding venues are typically included in the base package on the same terms as the beach. Where they can save you money is on rentals, since a terrace usually comes with existing lighting and a hard surface, so no dance floor build and no generator.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Packages
Complimentary and deposit-only wedding packages are widely available with a qualifying room block, running roughly $1,350 to $5,000 at entry tier, $5,500 to $7,000 mid-tier, and $7,500 to $14,000 and beyond for full productions.
Because so many resorts here have several terraces, ask how many venue changes your package covers. Moving guests from a ceremony terrace to a cocktail terrace to a reception terrace is one of the nicest things you can do with a resort wedding, but it can carry a setup fee per space.
Puerto Vallarta Destination Wedding Travel Information
Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport takes direct flights from most major US and Canadian cities. Transfers run 10 to 15 minutes to the hotel zone and Marina Vallarta, 25 to 40 minutes to Nuevo Vallarta, and around an hour to Punta de Mita and the Bahia de Banderas resorts.
A covered or partly covered terrace is the most weather-resilient outdoor venue on this coast, which widens your options beyond the November to April dry season. If you’re considering a shoulder or rainy-season date for the rates, ask which of the resort’s terraces have permanent cover.
Puerto Vallarta Terrace Destination Wedding Venue FAQs
Which Puerto Vallarta resorts have terrace wedding venues?
Most of them. The largest terrace collections are at Hotel Mousai Puerto Vallarta, Dreams Vallarta Bay, Secrets Vallarta Bay, Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta, Grand Palladium Vallarta, Sunscape Puerto Vallarta, Dreams Bahia Mita, and Secrets Bahia Mita. Iberostar Selection Playa Mita, Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta, Riu Vallarta, and Marival Distinct also have terrace venues.
How many guests fit on a terrace?
Between 50 and 250, depending on the resort. The largest is the Sierra Luna Terrace at Hotel Mousai at 250, and the pool terraces at Dreams Vallarta Bay and Secrets Vallarta Bay each take 200. Most terrace venues sit in the 80 to 150 range.
Is a terrace better than a beach for the reception?
For the reception specifically, usually yes. Tables sit level, service moves faster, no dance floor needs building, and guests in heels can actually dance. A lot of couples hold the ceremony on the beach for the photos and move the reception to a terrace for the practicality.
Get Ready to Plan the Terrace Destination Wedding of Your Dreams in Puerto Vallarta
Open sky, ocean in view, level ground underfoot, and a setting that works as well for your grandmother as it does for the dance floor. Terraces give you nearly everything a beach gives you and solve the problems a beach creates, which is why so many couples end up choosing one.
Fill out our online wedding planning form, and one of our Certified Destination Wedding Specialists will help you compare terrace venues, capacities, and package pricing across the region.
About the Author
Maggie Sabin
Maggie started as the SEO Manager at DestinationWeddings.com in 2024, where she works to drive organic traffic and conversions while creating meaningful, SEO-optimized content for the website. Previously, Maggie's career spanned from Human Resources & Recruitment to teaching at international schools for almost 10 years. Maggie spends her free time traveling, learning new languages, reading non-fiction books, working out, going to the beach and spending time cuddling her dog, Lola!
