The dates for Vallarta Bear Week 2027 are out: the week runs January 22 to 31, with BeefDip from January 24 to 31. If you're going, now is the time to book, and a good time to decide whether to add a quiet night or two in Yelapa, a car-free beach village about an hour by boat from the Romantic Zone. Here's what's confirmed as of November 13, 2026, and how to plan it.
Bear Week 2027 dates
- Citywide: Friday, January 22 to Sunday, January 31, 2027, per the combined Bear Week 2027 schedule.
- BeefDip Bear Week: January 24 to 31, 2027, on the official BeefDip site.
- Bearadise (IBFF): January 22 to 31, 2027.
- Mantamar Bear Week: January 25 to 31, 2027, per the tourism board's events calendar.
Daily lineups are still coming for some events. Our Yelapa during Vallarta Bear Week guide has the full overview, and we'll post schedule highlights closer to the week.
Book before it sells out
January is high season in Puerto Vallarta, and Bear Week adds thousands of visitors. BeefDip says its passes sell out every year, and the Romantic Zone's hotels fill early. A few tips:
- Book town nights first. Stay in or near the Romantic Zone on the nights you're going out, since most events are there.
- Then add Yelapa. Pick one or two quiet nights and book them at the same time, before the week fills.
- Check flights now. Puerto Vallarta's airport has many seasonal nonstops in January; see flights to Yelapa.
Three easy ways to add Yelapa nights
- Start in Yelapa. Fly in, spend January 22 and 23 in Yelapa, the lightest days on the schedule, then move to town for BeefDip.
- Finish in Yelapa. Stay in town through January 31, then take a boat to Yelapa for a night or two to recover before flying home.
- Take a night off midweek. Skip one pool party, take a late morning boat, and sleep in the village.
Getting there and water taxi basics
- Airport to the pier. The ride from the airport to the Los Muertos Pier takes about 30 minutes.
- The boat. Water taxis to Yelapa leave from the Los Muertos Pier, about 55 minutes each way, and from Boca de Tomatlán, south of town, with more departures and about 30 minutes on the water.
- Daylight only. Boats run during the day, and the last boat back to Los Muertos leaves Yelapa in the afternoon, so plan an overnight rather than a late return.
Times change with the season, so check the go2yelapa water taxi schedule before you go. For every option, read how to get to Yelapa from Puerto Vallarta by boat.
What to pack for Yelapa
- Cash pesos. Most places in Yelapa take cash only and there's no ATM, so get pesos in town before the boat.
- A soft bag that's easy to carry off a boat, sandals that can get wet, and a flashlight for the lanes after dark.
- Layers. January days are warm and evenings can be cool.
Checked November 13, 2026. Dates come from each organizer's site; confirm with them before you go.
Sources
- BeefDip Bear Week, official site
- Bearadise, Bear Week 2027 schedule
- Visit Puerto Vallarta, Mantamar Bear Week 2027
- go2yelapa, water taxi schedule and ride times (linked above)
Plan your stay
Casa Gratitud is an ocean-view villa above Yelapa bay with a local host family, and everyone is welcome here. Check dates for a night or two around Bear Week and book direct at yelapacasagratitud.com.