5 Guadalajara Day Trips to See the Best of Western Mexico

Within a two-hour radius of Guadalajara, you’ll find agave-filled valleys around the town of Tequila, European-feeling expat enclaves on the shores of Lake Chapala, pre-Hispanic pyramids above rural Teuchitlán, and small towns where pottery and glass artisans anchor the local economy. As all are daytrippable from Guadalajara, staying in the city is a great way to have multiple experiences in Mexico without repacking your luggage and moving hotels every night.

These are five of the best outings from Guadalajara, plus details on how to visit each one as easily as possible, ideal for travelers planning their first visits to this part of the sprawling Mexican West Coast.

Tequila: Classic agave country and big-name distilleries

• Distance from Guadalajara: 43 miles/about 1 hour (with no traffic)

If you only have time for one day trip from Guadalajara, make it Tequila, the Pueblo Mágico that gave Mexico’s most famous spirit its name. The drive from Guadalajara to Tequila will take you through fields of blue agave (in fact, it’s a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape), and the town itself is compact enough to explore in a single day.

Start in the historic center, and be sure to book at least one distillery tour. The best-known stop is La Rojeña, the flagship distillery of well-known José Cuervo. Standard tours include a production walkthrough plus tastings, priced at MX$330 (about $17) and lasting one hour. However, you can also book more in-depth tours, like a tequila-and-chocolate tour (MX$755, or about $40) or a cocktail-pairing experience (MX$995, or about $54).

If you want a second perspective on tequila-making, Casa Sauza runs a guided “Hornos Tour” that walks you through their agave fields, distillery, and aging rooms, including a tequila cocktail and BBQ lunch. Reservations should be made online in advance if possible at both La Rojeña and Casa Sauza.

Driving to Tequila is fairly easy, though if your group doesn’t have a designated driver handy, you can book a seat on the José Cuervo Express train. It runs most Saturdays from Guadalajara to Tequila and back, with a mariachi band and a return by charter bus later in the day. You can book a basic ticket with a seat and tour of La Rojeña, or packages with inclusions like an open bar on board and behind-the-scenes access to more of the tequila-related agricultural facilities. Tickets start around $170 per person for adults,  though sites like Viator and Airbnb Experiences have plenty of less expensive private tours from Guadalajara, too.

Lake Chapala and Ajijic: Lakeside walks and artsy towns

• Distance from Guadalajara: 32 miles/about 1 hour

Mexico’s largest freshwater lake, Lake Chapala, is a peaceful escape from the city and easy to combine into a day trip with the nearby towns of Chapala and Ajijic. Ajijic is known for its expat community, galleries, and murals, while Chapala has a more traditional Mexican feel with a busy malecón (oceanfront boardwalk).

Chapala is a town best explored on foot, especially on the malecón de Chapala, lined with snack stands, casual restaurants, and buskers (street performers). On the various side streets, you’ll find local markets, small artisan shops, and local restaurants (many of which are family run off the main tourist strip). From the ticket booth on the malecón pier, you can charter a small boat to Isla de los Alacranes (Scorpion Island), where there are a few restaurants and some interesting ceremonial sites.

In Ajijic, another Pueblo Mágico about 20 minutes from Chapala, you’ll find colorful and walkable streets, another peaceful malecón, and a compact historic center with a dense collection of galleries and studios. Don’t miss larger museums like the Centro Cultural de Ajijic or Museo de Arte de Ajijic (AMA), either.

You can visit both as a DIY day trip if you have a car, or book a guided tour from Guadalajara for usually around $100-$150 per vehicle, depending on the company. 

Guachimontones: a unique site for archaeology buffs

• Distance from Guadalajara: 37 miles/about 1 hour, 15 minutes

If you’re interested in Mexico’s fascinating historical cultures — and love big, impressive views — the pre-Hispanic site of Guachimontones near Teuchitlán is one of the most interesting day trips from Guadalajara. Instead of the classic stepped pyramids, Guachimontones has unique circular ceremony structures, plus other spaces like ball courts and agricultural terraces. The site was active from around 300 BCE to 400 CE and was occupied by the Teuchitlán culture, as opposed to the Aztecs, who developed Mexico’s most famous archaeological site: Tenochtitlan.

Most visits start at the small Phil Weigand Interpretive Center, where exhibits and a short film (alternating between Spanish and English) explain the purpose of the site and give some background on the Teuchitlán people. From there, you’ll walk about 15 minutes uphill to reach the main pyramids. It’s an easy walk but doesn’t have much shade, so be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat. The entry fee for Guachimontones is free but there’s sometimes an MX$30 parking fee, payable at the parking lot. A guided tour will cost you MX$200, which you can also pay on arrival.

The best way to visit is by driving or taking a guided tour, as the bus from Guadalajara will drop you in the town of Teuchitlán. From there, you’ll have to walk about two miles to the interpretive center.

Tlaquepaque (and maybe Tonalá): Handicrafts and markets

• Distance from Guadalajara: 8 miles/20 minutes 

Tlaquepaque is one of the most rewarding day trips from Guadalajara, especially if you’re interested in shopping for traditional Mexican crafts, local art, or small-town culture. It’s a polished, elegant town full of galleries, boutiques, and restaurants tucked inside renovated colonial buildings.

The town is centered around El Parián, a 19th-century plaza filled with restaurants, patios, and frequent mariachi performances. Calle Independencia is only open to pedestrians and is lined with high-end galleries and creative studios, including a gallery from sculptor Sergio Bustamante and Arte Huichol beadwork galleries. You’ll also find shops specializing in blown glass, ceramics, wooden items, and leather.

Don’t miss the Museo Regional de la Cerámica (Regional Museum of Ceramics), housed in an 18th-century estate, and check the schedule for the Centro Cultural El Refugio. It’s a mixed-use center that hosts frequent markets, art fairs, and seasonal exhibitions.

Tlaquepaque is also one of the best day trips from Guadalajara for foodies, with plenty of options. Casa Luna and El Patio are long-running standouts. Street food is also big here, from crispy local chickpeas to mole and pozole.

While Tlaquepaque is generally the more tourist-friendly and walkable city, visitors serious about locally made goods may also want to add a detour to the town of Tonalá. It’s not as pretty and doesn’t have as many amenities, but it’s known across the country for producing exceptional pottery, ironwork, furniture, and glasswork. It hosts giant markets on Thursdays and Sundays where you can buy all kinds of handicrafts, home items, and more, usually at prices far lower than you’d find in Tlaquepaque.

Tapalpa: Hiking, forests, and mountain air

• Distance from Guadalajara: 80 miles/2 hours

Tapalpa is the furthest away day trip from Guadalajara, but it’s totally doable for travelers who don’t mind waking up a little early. It’s a Pueblo Mágico surrounded by pine forest, making it very unlike busy Guadalajara.

Adventure seekers will want to check out the hike to Salto del Nogal, the tallest waterfall in Jalisco at about 345 feet tall. It’s in a steep canyon about 11-12 miles south of Tapalpa and well marked with signage. From the parking area, the hike is roughly 1.4 miles downhill to the base of the falls, mostly on a mix of stone steps and dirt. It can be slippery and steep, so bring shoes with good traction. In total, you’ll gain and lose about 650 feet of elevation over the 2.7-mile hike.

Also in Tapalpa is the Eko Park Tapalpa, with a zipline circuit, suspension bridge, hanging obstacles course, climbing walls, and even a paintball field. If you decide to make it into an overnight trip, there are also cute cabins on site available to rent. You can also check out the “Valley of the Enigmas,” also called “Las Piedrotas,” where a series of giant boulders provides a fun photo opportunity. No one really knows why the boulders are there or where they came from, hence the mysterious name.

The quickest way to visit Tapalpa is to have a car. The final section is paved but winding, so nervous drivers may want to make the drive during daylight hours. However, there is a bus that runs from Guadalajara’s Nueva Central Camionera to Tapalpa, and many local companies offer tours that include time in town with a visit to the Eko Park.