Plaza Machado / Centro Historico 

            When they come – and you know they will - what to do with them? You all had lots of answers, including go to Stone Island (see Best Beach), climb El Faro and walk the malecón. Others were more basic: “eat and drink, or more specific “Take the Pacifico Brewery tour.” All good ideas, all fun things to do – but the hands-down winner for the Best Thing To Do With Visitors was walk around Centro Historico and the Plaza Machado, with its tranquil shady streets full of beautiful old buildings (restored and not) and jumble of tiny tiendas, art galleries, cafés and restaurants. There are landmarks to visit, too: the cathedral, the big central market or mercado, art, history and archaeological museums, and the gorgeous Angela Peralta Theater. The First Fridays Artwalk gives you access to the galleries and homes of local artists, guiding you through the quiet streets of Centro. Then, once the sun goes down, the Machado becomes the hub for all sorts of entertainment and nightlife, with live music outdoors, street fairs and festivals, and yet more bars and restaurants that only open in the evenings. New this year on a one-block stretch of Calle Ninos Heroes between Constitucion and Mariano Escobedo (two blocks from the Plaza Machado) are a handful of hip cafés and lounges, where there’s often live music, either inside or in the closed-off street. No matter what part of Mazatlán you call home, when visitors come, this is where we take them – and usually more than once. -JB