Observatory

[Hobbes67]

Has anyone gone to the observatory in Mazatlan?  We are thinking about doing this our next cruise in Dec.  If you have gone there what was your experience.  Is it easy to get transportation back to the ship?

[Mike45LC]

The Observatory is about 2.5 miles from the Cruise Ship Terminal.  My first time walking there, I was not going to the observatory, I was just walking for exercise/fun.  Uphill both ways, and hot (and this was in a blizzard in the snow wearing flip flops).  I think it is too far to walk if  you are going to visit the Observatory.  Take a pulmania instead of walking.  

 

There are plenty of pulmanias at the Observatory, so you won't get stranded.  

 

It was a little bit expensive just for the views and the funicular.  I think it was $25 pp, or maybe $30.  [I used to ride the Angles' Flight funicular in downtown L.A. back when that was operating, so the funicular was not a unique experience for me.]   If I enjoyed birds, that might have been better, but I don't like birds, so that part of the experience was not for me.  But the views are magnificent.  

 

I spent less than an hour at the Observatory, but I know people who spent hours there and greatly enjoyed the entire visit.  For me, meh.  But that is because I am an old curmudgeon.  

 

 

[canadjineh]

Hi @Hobbes67

Here's another thread with more discussion on the Observatory & we posted a few photos too.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3015762-mazalton-observatory-and-bird-sanctuary/#comment-67577200

They spelt Mazatlan incorrectly which is why you may not have found it with a search.  Good info tho.  It isn't as long a walk as you might think...Google maps and other travel sites show it as 1.6 km so just over a mile.  We didn't find it a problem at all, in fact we did it after walking along the Malecon all the way from the south end of the Golden Zone (by the photo op Mazatlan letters.)

[Hobbes67]

Thank you for the information.  My husband has some mobility issues so I would prefer to pay for transportation to be on the safe side.  We always have walked the blue line up to the cliff divers, but I think that is just too much for him now.