5 best day trips from Guadalajara

Day trips compared

The day trips

65 km · About 1–1.5 hours by road

1.Tequila

The town that gave the spirit its name sits among blue-agave fields that form a UNESCO-listed landscape. Distilleries large and small offer tours and tastings, and the town centre has a pretty church and plaza. Tours often include a stop at an agave field to watch jimadores harvest the plants.

Getting there

Bus, tour, tourist train or car via Highway 15

Best for

Food lovers, Couples, First-timers

50 km · About 1 hour by road

2.Lake Chapala and Ajijic

Mexico's largest natural lake lies south of the city. The lakeside town of Chapala has a malecón and boat trips, while neighbouring Ajijic has cobbled streets, murals, galleries and a large community of foreign residents.

Getting there

Bus from the Central Vieja or car

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Families

60 km · About 1–1.5 hours by road

3.Guachimontones

An unusual archaeological site of circular stepped pyramids built by the Teuchitlán culture roughly 2,000 years ago, on a hillside above a lake. A small visitor centre explains the culture, which is quite different from the better-known sites of central Mexico.

Getting there

Car or tour via Tala and Teuchitlán

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

130 km · About 2–2.5 hours by road

4.Tapalpa

A mountain Pueblo Mágico at around 2,000 metres with whitewashed adobe houses, red-tile roofs and pine forests. Nearby, the giant boulders of Las Piedrotas and the El Salto waterfall suit walks, and the town is known for its ponche and lamb dishes.

Getting there

Car or bus via the Colima highway

Best for

Families, Quiet stays, Couples

12 km · About 30 minutes by road

5.Tonalá

Beyond the twice-weekly street market, Tonalá's family workshops make burnished, painted and glazed pottery in long-established styles; the Museo Nacional de la Cerámica has examples from across Mexico. Combine it with Tlaquepaque for a full day of craft shopping.

Getting there

Taxi, ride-hailing or bus

Best for

Shopping, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Buy a rechargeable card at stations to avoid queuing for single tickets.
• The Mi Macro Calzada bus rapid transit runs north along Calzada Independencia to the zoo and Huentitán, and many city buses cover other routes cheaply.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask