The diverse west coast of the American continent

Valparaíso is a port city on Chile’s coast. It’s known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes. La Sebastiana, the quirky former residence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, is now a museum with far-reaching Pacific views. During the 19th century, an influx of European immigrants left their mark on the city’s architecture and cultural institutions, many of which congregate around downtown’s Plaza Sotomayor.

Paracas is a town on Peru’s west coast. It’s known for beaches, like El Chaco, set on sheltered Paracas Bay. The town is a launch point for the uninhabited Ballestas Islands, home to sea lions, pelicans and Humboldt penguins. Rugged, wildlife-rich Paracas National Reserve spans desert, ocean, islands and the Paracas Peninsula. The peninsula’s Paracas Candelabra is a huge prehistoric geoglyph, etched into a hillside.

Callao is a seaside city on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru’s chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists of the whole Callao Region, which is also coterminous with the Province of Callao.

Callao is a seaside city on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru’s chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists of the whole Callao Region, which is also coterminous with the Province of Callao.

Salaverry is a port town located 14 kilometres southeast of Trujillo city in the La Libertad Region, Peru. It is the capital of Salaverry District and it is located at around 8°13′16″S 78°58′34″W. The port, rebuilt in the 1960s by an English company, is able to accommodate large cruise ships.

Manta

Panama City, the capital of Panama, is a modern city framed by the Pacific Ocean and man-made Panama Canal. Casco Viejo, its cobblestoned historic center, is famed for colonial-era landmarks like the neoclassical Palacio Presidencial and bougainvillea-filled plazas lined with cafes and bars. The Miraflores Locks offers views of ships traversing the canal, an essential shipping route linking the Atlantic and Pacific.

Quepos is a town on Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast. It’s known as a gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. The park’s mangroves, lagoons and beach-lined rainforests shelter howler, white-faced and squirrel monkeys. Nearby sandy stretches include Playa Espadilla and Playa Biesanz. Northwest of town, the Damas Island mangrove estuary is home to wildlife including caimans, snakes and iguanas.

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala’s largest Pacific Ocean port. It is important for both cargo traffic and as a stop-off point for cruise liners.

Santa María Huatulco is a town in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. It’s known for sprawling pre-Hispanic ruins in nearby Parque Eco-Arqueológico Copalita, including a ceremonial center with a large stone temple and a ball court. The Bocano del Río Copalita Museum has ceramic and jade artifacts from the site. Nearby on the Pacific coast is Huatulco National Park, with beaches, coral reefs and diverse wildlife.

Puerto Vallarta is a resort town on Mexico’s Pacific coast, in Jalisco state. It is known for its beaches, water sports and nightlife scene. Its cobblestone center is home to the ornate Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe church, boutique shops and a range of restaurants and bars. El Malecón is a beachside promenade with contemporary sculptures, as well as bars, lounges and nightclubs.

Cabo San Lucas, a resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, is known for its beaches, water-based activities and nightlife. Playa El Médano is Cabo’s main beach, with outdoor restaurants and numerous bars. Past the marina is Land’s End promontory, site of Playa del Amor (Lover’s Beach) and El Arco, a natural archway in the seacliffs.

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of California known for its beaches, parks and warm climate. Immense Balboa Park is the site of the renowned San Diego Zoo, as well as numerous art galleries, artist studios, museums and gardens. A deep harbor is home to a large active naval fleet, with the USS Midway, an aircraft-carrier-turned-museum, open to the public.

Santa Barbara is a city on the central California coast, with the Santa Ynez Mountains as dramatic backdrop. Downtown, Mediterranean-style white stucco buildings with red-tile roofs reflect the city’s Spanish colonial heritage. Upscale boutiques and restaurants offering local wines and seasonal fare line State Street. On a nearby hill, Mission Santa Barbara, founded in 1786, houses Franciscan friars and a museum.

San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. San Francisco is the 16th most populous city in the United States, and the fourth most populous in California, with 881,549 residents as of 2019.

San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. San Francisco is the 16th most populous city in the United States, and the fourth most populous in California, with 881,549 residents as of 2019.