Travel Writer Calls Puerto Vallarta Home Despite Recent Violence

Meagan Drillinger has made the Mexican city her base for the past 5 years and plans to return soon.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Travel writer Meagan Drillinger has made Puerto Vallarta, Mexico her home base for the last five years. Despite recent cartel-related violence in the state of Jalisco, Drillinger says she has no hesitation about returning to the city, which she sees as much more than its worst moments. Drillinger argues that while violence in Mexico is real, it is limited to specific regions and does not define daily life in most destinations visited by Americans.

Why it matters

The recent violence in Jalisco highlights the perception gap that often shapes how Americans view risk abroad versus at home. Drillinger's perspective as a long-term resident of Puerto Vallarta provides insight into how personal experience can shape one's relationship to a place, even in the face of high-profile incidents.

The details

Drillinger first visited Puerto Vallarta over a decade ago and it became a place she would return to for breaks from her travels. Over time, it transitioned from a vacation spot to her full-time home base, where she built routines, relationships, and a sense of community. When the recent violence erupted, Drillinger watched the events unfold from Seattle, receiving panicked messages from friends in Puerto Vallarta. However, this has not shaken her desire to return, as she sees the city as much more than its worst moments.

  • Drillinger first visited Puerto Vallarta in 2013.
  • Drillinger spent much of 2024 and 2025 living in Puerto Vallarta full-time.
  • Drillinger plans to return to Mexico in early March, this time to Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.

The players

Meagan Drillinger

A travel writer who has made Puerto Vallarta, Mexico her home base for the last five years.

Puerto Vallarta

A city on Mexico's Pacific coast that Drillinger has visited regularly over the past decade and made her full-time home for several years.

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What they’re saying

“Watching the videos didn't make me want to run further from Vallarta. If anything, it made me wish I were there with the community I love.”

— Meagan Drillinger, Travel Writer (Business Insider)

The takeaway

Drillinger's perspective highlights how personal experience and relationships can shape one's view of a place, even in the face of high-profile incidents. Her desire to return to Puerto Vallarta despite the recent violence demonstrates how Mexico is much more than its worst moments for those who have built a deeper connection to the country.