Zihuatanejo Historic Center

Zihuatanejo's historic center sits about 6-7 km southeast of the Ixtapa hotel zone, a 15 to 20 minute drive, taxi, or local bus ride, making it one of the easiest and most frequent day trips for visitors staying along the Ixtapa strip. The compact downtown centers on the Paseo del Pescador, a waterfront walkway curving around a small, sheltered bay lined with fishing boats, seafood restaurants, and market stalls selling handicrafts and beachwear. A typical visit starts in the late morning with a walk along the Paseo del Pescador and a stop at the small Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande, which covers the region's pre-Hispanic and colonial history in a few compact rooms, followed by browsing the market streets just inland from the waterfront. Lunch is easily taken at one of the seafood restaurants facing the bay, many serving the morning's catch alongside classic Guerrero dishes, before an afternoon spent either continuing to explore downtown or moving on to nearby Playa La Ropa or Playa Las Gatas for a swim. Evenings along the malecon are especially popular, with the waterfront restaurants and bars filling up as the fishing boats return and the bay's calm water reflects the sunset, making a late-afternoon or early-evening visit a good way to end the day trip. Because the drive from Ixtapa is short, the historic center works equally well as a half-day morning outing paired with an afternoon beach stop, or as an evening trip timed around dinner along the waterfront.