I am currently spending the last of two months in Mazatlan. There is a HUGE difference between the Gold Zone and Old Mazatlan. There are tons of young people in Old Mazatlan, there are two colleges in the area and a music/dance school. Most of the expats are Canadian, they call the Gold Zone "little Canada". The old part of the city is way more tranquilo. There are parks with music at night and lots of local vendors selling just about anything you can imagine.

LOVE me some Mazatlan. You can take a pulmina anywhere for between 50 and 100 pesos. Good times!!