24 Attractions in Mazatlán
Here are 24 Attractions in Mazatlán that you should check out when you are visiting!
Here is a mix of some of the most popular, unique, and interesting attractions in Mazatlán.
Here is the list of existing attractions:
- Malecon
- Beaches
- 1873 Observatory
- Sea of Cortez Aquarium
- Central Park
- El Faro(Lighthouse)
- Seashell City Museum
- Cliff Divers
- Cathedral
- Pirate Mansion (temporarily closed)
- Devil's Cave
- Pedro Infante Museum
- Sunsets
- Mazagua Water Park
- Archaelogical Museum
- De Cima Tunnel
- Plaza Machado
- Alfiland Water Park
- Angela Peralta Theatre
Here is the list of proposed attractions:
Mazatlán Malecon
The Mazatlán Malecon is a 7 kilometer oceanside seawall promenade in Mazatlán.
The Malecon runs along a large portion of Mazatlán's waterfront. It runs from the newer part of Mazatlán to the old historic part of town. Along the way, there are many Beaches, monuments, Restaurants, and Hotels. There are also attractions such as Cliff Divers.
Many people walk, run, and bicycle along the Malecon. It is also a popular place to hang out in the evening and watch the sun setting!
Many of Mazatlán's big events such as the Carnival and Day of the Dead parades go along it!
Although it is continuous, it has 3 distinct parts: Avenida del Mar, Paseo Claussen, and Olas Altas which have their own characteristics.
Mazatlán Beaches
One of the main reason people come to Mazatlán is for it's fabulous Beaches ('playas' in spanish). Mazatlán has about 20 miles of beaches!
It is safe to swim at most of the beaches as many stay shallow for a long way out.
Many people love that you walk for miles on the relatively flat beaches.
Mazatlán 1873 Observatory New
The Mazatlán 1873 Observatory is a new attraction in Mazatlán which opened in 2021.
Take a funicular train to the old observatory building that is filled with period antiques. Enjoy the aviary with lots of tropical birds such as parrots, tucans, and flamingos. Take a mescal tour to learn about the alcoholic beverage.
At the top is a bar with fantastic views of El Faro Lighthouse and the ocean!
Sea of Cortez Aquarium New
The Great Mazatlán Sea of Cortez Aquarium is a brand new (as of May 2023) aquarium that is the largest in Central America.
This new aquarium is located in Central Park next to the old Aquarium.
This attraction is family-friendly. We recommend that you allocate at least half a day to see the aquarium fully.
Central Park New
New, as of late 2021, is Mazatlán's Central Park (Parque Central).
Located near the Malecon, Central Park is a large treed park with a large lagoon.
Entry to Central Park is free, but there is a fee for some of the attractions.
There are paths to walk and cycle on. There is a miniature train ride and boat/kayak rentals for a fee.
New for 2022 are the Animal Kingdom which exhibits reptiles and birds. Also new, are the Dancing Fountains which are computer syncronized lighted fountains that shoot water 10 meters in the air!
Additionally, there are some restaurants and food trucks that are starting to open up at the park.
El Faro (Lighthouse)
The El Faro Lighthouse is the 2nd highest lighthouse in the world.
You can hike to the top of this attraction for free and get the best view in all of Mazatlán.
At the top there is also a glass-bottom lookout that hangs out over the edge! There is a small fee to go on the lookout.
This attraction is only for hea lthy active visitors now. There are future plans to add a gondola so you don't have to hike up, and a zip line so you can ride down!
Seashell City Museum
The Seashell City Museum has many shells and bones on display.
Located in the heart of the Golden Zone, it is a business that sells seashells and souvenirs, but also has a large free museum upstairs!
This is a good place to spend an hour on a cloudy day or when shopping in the area. Children especially like this museum.
Mazatlán Cliff Divers
Mazatlán has divers that dive off of a platform into the ocean.
Everyday, starting in the early afternoon until sunset, divers will dive off of the platform into the ocean for donations by spectators.
The place where the cliff divers dive from is call 'El Clavadista' which is on the Paseo Claussen portion of the Malecon.
Mazatlán Cathedral
The main Cathedral in Mazatlán is beautiful baroque style catholic church right in the center of downtown Mazatlán.
The church is a real working church so you can attend services if you wish. It is well worth a visit even if you are not religious.
Pirate Mansion (temporarily closed)New
The Pirate Mansion is a new attraction in 2021 in downtown Mazatlán.
It is an old house in which they give tours that explain about pirates and their connection to Mazatlán.
This attraction is primarily for children and the young at heart! There is a fee to take the tour.
Devil's Cave
The Devil's Cave (La Cueva Del Diablo) is a cave where the Devil may reside!
The cave is gated so the Devil cannot get out, but you can look in to see if you can see the Devil!
The Devil's Cave is located on Paseo Claussen across from where the Cliff Divers dive.
This attraction just takes minutes to see, but is kind of fun to see if you are nearby.
2023-08-14 Update: Due to falling rocks a fence has been put up so you can't go up to the Cave at this time. There was supposed to be some reconstruction work done on the area, but has stopped because someone has produced documents saying that they own the land. The city is investigating this claim.
Pedro Infante Museum
Pedro Infante Museum (Museo El Rincon de Pedro Infante) is a museum to the famous Mexican movie star and singer that was born in Mazatlán.
This museum has memorabilia of Pedro Infante. We are not sure if there is any english translations or not at this museum.
This museum is located at Constitución 1106 in Centro, Mazatlán in the house that he was born in. It is open daily. There is a small fee to enter.
Mazatlán Sunsets
Sunsets in Mazatlán are just amazing!
You can view the sunset from most any beach in Mazatlán. Also the bars at the top of the Hotel Posada Freeman-Olas Altas and Holiday Inn Resort Hotel and Observatory 1873 are great places to catch the sunset.
If you are lucky you may even be able to see the "Green Ray"!
Mazagua Aquatic Water Park
Mazagua Aquatic Park is a large water park in the northern part of Mazatlán.
It has many tall slides, swimming pools and a food zone.
The water park is located in the Cerritos area of town.
This attraction is really good if you have children. It is reasonably priced and good for a half to a full day activity!
Mazatlán Archaelogical Museum
The Mazatlán Archaelogical Museum (Museo Arqueologico Mazatlán) is a small museum that showcases pre-Hispanic culture of the region.
It is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 9am to 6pm. There is a small fee (approx. MX$65) to enter the museum.
The museum is located at Calle Sixto Osuma 76 which is 1 block from Avenida Olas Altas.
This is an inexpensive attraction for those who like to learn about history and culture.
De Cima Tunnel
A little known free attraction that is unique to Mazatlán is the De Cima Tunnel.
This is a tunnel that goes under the Malecon that goes between the Hotel De Cima and it's beach restaurant El Corriente.
It has fabulous tile mosaics of sea life.
To visit this attraction doesn't take a lot of time and is for those looking for something unique to Mazatlán that you won't see on any tour!
Plaza Machado
The Plaza Machado is a beautiful old square in the Historic Old Town of Mazatlán that is lined with outdoor and indoor Restaurants.
There is mellow music at some of the restaurants on the weekend nights. Additionally, there are a few roving Mariachi bands that you can hire if you want to hear Mariachi songs!
The Plaza Machado is a popular spot for strolling and dining in the evening!
Alfiland Water Park
Alfiland Park is a water park that opened in March 2018.
The water park has lots of water slides, a wave pool, and lots of swimming pools.
They have recently opened Alfi Ventura which is an adventure playground area that has go karts, obstacle courses, and a zip line.
Additionally, they sell food and have a barbeque area.
It is a little ways out of town just off of the highway closer to the Mazatlán airport so you would need to arrange transport to and from it.
This is an attraction that is more for children.
Angela Peralta Theatre
The Angela Peralta Theatre is a fabulous old theatre in the old part of mazatlan that hosts many concerts and dances. If you are looking for some Mexican culture be sure to take in a show.
Plaza De La Bandas Coming Soon
There are plans to create a Plaza de la Bandas which will be similar to Guadalajara's famous Plaza de las Mariachis except that it will feature the local Banda music.
The current plan is to build the plaza at the bottom of the El Faro Lighthouse where the wastewater treatment plant currently resides. The plant is currently being demolished and the city is working on plans for the plaza.
Casa De Marino and Fuerte 31 de Marzo Coming Soon
A future attraction is the Casa Del Marino and Fuerte 31 de Marzo which is an old builing and fort which has an old cannon used to protect the main bay in Mazatlán.
The Casa Del Marino (House of sailors) building was inaugurated in 1946 as a place for mariners to stay when their ships were in town. The building is of California neocolonial style. It has been abandoned for many years now. The site is currently closed to the public, but you can take photos of the outside of it.
The state of Sinaloa is in the process of gaining ownership of it and there are plans to turn it into a tourist attraction highlighting regional culture. The various levels of government are planning on meetings to try to make this happen.
As of August 2023, the city will soon award $50 million pesos to a bidder to do the restoration work.
This potential new attraction is located on Paseo Claussen in the Los Pinos area of town.
Mazatlán MuseumComing Soon
The Mazatlán Museum is planned to be built next to Central Park.
The building will be shaped like a giant pearl because Mazatlán is the 'pearl of the pacific! The pearl will be a geodesic dome with a cantilevered roof.
It is intended that this will be one of the best museums in Latin America. It will include an IMAX theatre that can seat 350 people, restaurant, classrooms for workshops,
Mazatlán Wax MuseumComing Soon
There will be a Mazatlán Wax Museum built where the existing Mazatlan Aquarium currently resides once the new Sea of Cortez Aquarium opens.