The Best Weekend Trips From Guadalajara

Known as the birthplace of the mariachi and famed for its impressive colonial architecture, the Mexican city of Guadalajara should be on every tourist’s bucket list. But visitors to the so-called “Pearl of the West,” should also make space for the numerous nearby attractions. Here’s a guide to the very best weekend trips from Mexico’s second-largest city.

Tequila

A small town an hour from Guadalajara, Tequila is best known as the birthplace of the drink that shares its name. The surrounding hills are carpeted with row after row of iris blue agave plants, and the town has a rustic, laid-back charm. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town boasts numerous historic distilleries, most of which offer tours with tequila tastings.

Mazamitla

Tapalpa

A little over two hour’s drive from Guadalajara, the town of Tapalpa is famed for its picturesque charm and elegant historic buildings. Like the towns already mentioned on this list, Tequila and Mazamitla, Tapalpa has been officially designated a pueblo mágico, or magic town, one of 111 destinations across Mexico that the country’s tourist board is enthusiastically promoting. An excellent destination for a quiet weekend for groups of friends or couples.

Puerto Vallarta

Once a sleepy fishing village, Puerto Vallarta became a top vacation spot in the mid-1960s, when Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton visited the area and put the town on the international tourist map. Since then, tourists have flooded in for the white sandy beaches, pretty colonial center and forest-clad mountains.

Sayulita

The secret is not yet out internationally on Sayulita, a cool, bohemian town to the west of Guadalajara. Long known to Mexican surfers as a great place for waves, the town is also defined by its friendly vibe, trendy bars and coffee shops. The area surrounding Sayulita still boasts gorgeous, secluded bays that rarely see tourists.

Ajijic

With year-round great weather, the town of Ajijic has become a favorite destination for expat retirees. The excellent climate is the result of the town’s geographical placement. On the same latitude as Mumbai, Ajijic is protected from its extremes because of its elevation at 5,000 feet (1,525 meters) above sea level. Nestling the shores of the country’s largest lake, Lake Chapala, the area is also defined by its great restaurants and first-rate hotels.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.