Day Trips from Guadalajara for World Cup 2026

Guadalajara’s position in west-central Mexico makes it an excellent base for day trips — the town of Tequila is 60 km away, Lake Chapala is 45 km, and the state of Jalisco has enough geographic variety (mountains, lake, and coast) to fill a week.

Tequila, Jalisco

The town that gave its name to Mexico’s most famous spirit is 60 km northwest of Guadalajara — 45–60 minutes by car or the Expreso Tequila tourist train.

Expreso Tequila (1,500–2,500 MXN): The tourist train runs on weekends from Guadalajara’s Central train station. The price includes round-trip transport, live mariachis on the train, a distillery visit, and tequila tastings. The tequila train is the most popular and organized option for visitors without a car.

Independent distillery visits: The main distilleries have public tours without prior reservation in high season:

José Cuervo (La Rojeña, Jalisco 73): The world’s largest and oldest continuously operating distillery — tours 250–450 MXN, includes tasting.
Herradura (Hacienda San José del Refugio): 10 km from the town of Tequila — historic hacienda tour, 350–550 MXN.
Fortaleza (La Cofradía): Artisanal distillery with copper stills, for understanding the traditional process.

The town of Tequila: The town’s central streets have spirit shops, local restaurants, and the Parroquia de Santiago Apóstol. The atmosphere is more authentic on weekdays than on tourist train Saturdays.

Logistics: By private car or tour from Guadalajara. Local bus from Guadalajara’s Central de Autobuses (80–120 MXN). Driving back after drinking is not recommended — the Expreso Tequila solves this problem.

Lake Chapala

Mexico’s largest lake is 45 km south of Guadalajara — the town of Chapala and Ajijic are the best-infrastructure day trip destinations.

Ajijic: A colonial-house town with a North American expat community that has turned the village into a surprisingly good food destination. The cobblestone streets of Hidalgo and Morelos have galleries, quality cafés, and restaurants with lake terrace views.

Chapala’s Malecón: The town’s lakeside promenade — carnitas stalls, birria, and white lake fish (caldo michi — fish soup — is the specific regional dish). Boats to Islote Los Alacranes depart from the central pier (100–150 MXN per person).

Logistics: Frequent buses from Guadalajara’s Central de Autobuses to Chapala (45–60 MXN, 50–60 min). For Ajijic, the bus continues 10 km further from Chapala.

Mazamitla

A “Pueblo Mágico” in the Jalisco Sierra, 135 km southeast of Guadalajara — 2 hours by car. The altitude (2,050 meters) and pine forest contrast with the heat of the city.

The atmosphere: Mazamitla is the Jaliscan version of a mountain town — cobblestone streets, wood houses with flowered balconies, and the Municipal Market with regional sweets (cajeta, guava atole, rompope).

Activities: Horseback riding through the forest, craft market, and the Pueblo Mágico architecture are the main draws. No museums or archaeological sites — the destination is the town itself and the temperature contrast (18–22°C vs. 30°C in Guadalajara).

Logistics: Bus from Guadalajara’s Central de Autobuses (150–200 MXN, 2h). Your own car allows stopping at viewpoints. During the World Cup, best for match-free days.

Guanajuato City

The UNESCO World Heritage city is 280 km east of Guadalajara — 3 hours by car or 2.5 hours by direct bus. Due to the distance, it requires an overnight stay or a very long day.

Why go: Guanajuato is considered one of Mexico’s most beautiful cities — the alleyways, the colors of houses on the hillsides, Jardín de la Unión, Teatro Juárez, and Callejón del Beso form one of the most photogenic urban ensembles in Latin America.

Logistics: ETN and Primera Plus buses depart frequently from Guadalajara’s Central de Autobuses (400–600 MXN, 2.5–3h). The city is entirely walkable — a hotel in the Center is more useful than a car. Given the journey, best treated as a 2-day escape rather than a day trip.

Puerto Vallarta (beach)

The Pacific coast is 320 km west of Guadalajara — 3.5–4 hours by car or 5 hours by bus. Due to the distance, this is a 2–3 day escape, not a day trip.

For the World Cup: If the match schedule allows 2–3 consecutive match-free days in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta is the logical Mexico trip extension — Pacific coast, colonial historic center, and the Malecón zone with seafood restaurants.

Logistics: ETN and other first-class buses from the Central de Autobuses (500–700 MXN, 5h). Direct flight GDL–PVR: 45 minutes (600–900 MXN on Volaris or Aeromexico).

Day Trip Summary

Destination	Distance	Travel time	Transport cost
Tequila	60 km	45–60 min	80–120 MXN bus / 1,500–2,500 tourist train
Lake Chapala	45 km	40–50 min	45–60 MXN bus
Mazamitla	135 km	2h	150–200 MXN bus
Guanajuato	280 km	3h	400–600 MXN bus
Puerto Vallarta	320 km	3.5–4h	500–700 MXN bus