Guadalajara and Jalisco State
Jalisco is one of the most important states for the Mexican Culture. It is home to Tequila, Mariachi, famous Mexican musicians, many different types of Mexican food and so much more. The state is home to beautiful beaches and resorts in Puerto Vallarta and to mountains and forest in Guadalajara. Jalisco is located on the Southern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Jalisco like other areas in Mexico and elsewhere in the world, does have crime but that shouldn’t stop you from visiting this amazing location. In November of 2024 we had the chance to take a very unique trip where we stayed with a great friend of mine who is a middle-class Mexican Citizen who lives in Guadalajara. Emilio welcomed us into his home and gave us amazing insight into the lives of people in Jalisco and Mexico in general. We were able to dive into Mexican culture in a way we have never done before by eating at local restaurants, visiting unique sites and most of all talking to different people to get insight into what it is like there. We also were in Mexico during Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and had the chance to participate in a festival while there. It was an amazing experience, and we would like to go back!
Getting to Jalisco/Guadalajara and Transportation
Jalisco has two major cities that you can fly into on most major US and Mexican Airlines. The resort and beach destination of Puerto Vallarta has an airport that is serviced by most US Airlines including Southwest. We flew into Guadalajara International Airport, which has flights as well to the US from airlines such as United, Delta, American and many Mexican and other nations airlines. We flew direct from Houston on United. The airport is a beautiful and modern airport that is much nicer than many airports in the US. It gives me the feel of a European style airport. As for transportation in Guadalajara I really recommend booking guided tours as renting a car or public transportation is not something I recommend for travelers. Guadalajara does have bus service around the city, but I saw that busses are filled to the point of people hanging out the door. Around renting a car, the parking and traffic can be pretty difficult so you can rent a car but I do not recommend it. I would recommend booking guided tours so you can rely on people to handle the driving, and you can get information from locals as you tour.
Country Information
Most US Citizens won’t need a visa or need to fill out any paperwork to enter Mexico. You just need a valid passport. I always recommend checking the US State Department website to check entry information for a country before you go just in case things change. We had no problem getting through after we were asked basic questions. We went through passport control on arrival in Guadalajara. Spanish is the official language and in Jalisco English was not spoken in many tourist areas. It will help greatly if you know some basic Spanish when out and about because you cannot guarantee they will know English. Our Spanish was good enough to get us through most conversations. I was told that guided tours from Guadalajara to places like Tequila speak English and are the best option as local tours speak Spanish only. At the time of the writing the Mexican Peso is worth about $.05 dollars so a dollar can go pretty far. Some people will take US Dollars but the Peso is preferred. As with any country situations can change so pay attention to US State Department warnings in a location. We felt safe during our entire time in Jalisco.
Safety
Safety is always on the mind when people think of Mexico and Central America. Its good to be safety conscious and careful not only when traveling but anywhere you are. I did research and talked to my good friend Emilio in Guadalajara and determined that Guadalajara and Jalisco is safe to visit. The US State Department at the moment of this writing gives the Jalisco state a level 3 rating indicating crime issues but when looking at the state information there are no restrictions for US Government employees in the tourist areas of the state such as Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Tequila, and Ajijic. Guadalajara has the same crime rate as most major US cities, so like in the US as long as you keep out of the dangerous areas of the city you will most likely be fine. I found the area very safe when visiting and a very peaceful city and state. I will for sure go back again.
Ajijic, Mexico
After we got to the airport we headed straight to a unique Jalisco style Mexican food before heading to the small city of Ajijic. The cuisine called Birria is from Jalisco and is starting to come to the US. One of my favorite restaurants in Downtown Houston is Space City Birria that sells a Texas version of the food. Birria is a type of stew in a rich and tasty broth that is usually made from goat but can be made from things like beef, chicken and more. The meat is very tender and its very flavorful. You can add onions and salsa into the stew as you like. The restaurant we went too like many was outdoors under a roof. The weather is amazing in Jalisco. It doesn’t get overly hot during the day and is cool overnight. We also had a unique style of beans and local cheese. It was delicious.
After we got done eating we went out to the largest freshwater lake in Mexico called Lake Chapala that is over 50 miles long! There are small cities along the lakeshore and we went to Ajijic. We arrived during a festive time in the city with decorated doors with orange flowers dedicated to Dia De Los Muertos and a plaza was busy with people watching a procession/parade that was going on. We got out of the car and enjoyed the bands, people performing indigenous dances dressed in traditional clothing. There were trucks with people dressed as Mary and other Saints in the bed being very still. The end of the bands and parade was people carrying a sculpture/icon of what looked to be Mary that was heading to a nearby church that was ringing its bells loudly. After the parade we headed to an art shop with a type of indigenous art called Wixarika. Its intricate beads crafted into Animals, bracelets and other forms of art. They are very colorful with amazing designs. We bought a couple cats and some bookmarks in this unique art form I’ve only really seen in Mexico. We ended the night strolling along the boardwalk they have for the lake and enjoying a beautiful sunset. We got an ice cream they call “Nieve” (means snow in Spanish), that is an icy ice cream that is kind of like a snow cone but a different at the same time. After a very relaxing visit to the lake we headed back to Emilio’s House to get ready for our next adventure.
Tequila, Mexico
On Friday we got a breakfast a type of breakfast taco that was really good and filling and then we left for Tequila. Once outside of the city we saw mountains and large fields of agave everywhere. As we passed by small towns we could see the Cemetaries beginning to have visitors for Dia De Los Muertos. The police and shops selling things like flowers were there for the crowds that would come. Emilio said towards night many people would be there. We got to Tequila, and we parked in a small garage that was once a warehouse that Emilio expertly parked in (small spaces). There we got a guided tour of the city in a vehicle shaped like a barrel of Tequila. There were no English-speaking guides and it was explained that most English-speaking visitors take guided tours with an English-speaking guide from Guadalajara. Luckily we know a little Spanish and Emilio was there to translate. The guide somewhat spoke too quickly for me to get all the words in Spanish. Tequila has been around since the 1500s and is the place where Tequila was first made from the Blue Agave plant. Tequila is one of Mexico’s “Pueblo Magicos” (Magic Towns) that are important to Mexican culture. Today the city is full of Tequila factories including many well-known brands like Jose Cuervo. We drove around the city and passed by a large estate with acres of Agave around the large home. Tequila is big business today that is for sure. We learned about agave and how it grows in a field. In general, the leaves are not used in the process, but it is the pineapple like root used to make Tequila. We continued to a smaller Tequila factory and toured it seeing the multiple steps in the process to make Tequila and purify it. We had a tasting where we learned the proper way to taste it by putting salt on your hand, licking it, drinking the shot and then sucking a lime. They were very generous with their tasting. We tried another type of mixed drink and after a short ride our tour was done. We then walked to the main plaza that was busy with people. There is a beautiful pedestrian only street where the first Jose Cuevo factory was built in the 1700s. It still was working as we could smell the Tequila looking through a window. We visited a historic factory as well with the old machinery still there (no longer operating). There we saw VERY expensive bottles of Tequila with some being as high as $5,000. After our last tour and a bit of shopping in the many shops there we headed to the garage. We came back to a garage full of cars and Emilio’s car blocked in. The workers expertly moved the cars around for us to get out and then we headed to our evening dinner and our Dia De Los Muertos festivities.
Tlaquepaque
After our great visit to Tequila, we headed back to the Guadalajara metro area to the city of Tlaquepaque. When we arrived, it was early in the evening and the city was alive with beautiful flowers and decorations. We immediately headed to eat dinner at a great restaurant where a live band was playing and it was decorated for Dia De Los Muertos. There we got for an appetizer of very good and seasoned dried shredded meat we could put in tortillas and for dinner we got a great steak. I’ve found steak in Latin America is wonderful and full of flavor. From there we headed out to participate in the Dio De Los Muertos festival. One of the main things we passed by were many decorative oferendas to family members and pets who had passed away. They are decorated with orange flowers, pictures of loved ones and the well-known skeleton art or “Catrinas”. At the beginning, there were few people walking around the many blocks of exhibitions but as the night went on it became more crowded with people. Many had their face painted in the traditional Catrina and were wearing costumes. There were so many great varieties of oferendas. Some included elaborate and colorful sand art that must have taken a very long time to make. Emilio and Romina showed us around the event that is very unique to Mexico and in recent times has become more commercialized. Free dances and music were being played on a stage near a beautifully decorated gazebo in a large square. As we walked by the smells of food, sweets and incense was in the air. At one place people dressed as indigenous shamans were purifying people with incense in a ritual. At one point a small procession of dancing people passed by. Many vendors were also selling so many different items and foods. By nightfall the once fairly open streets were packed with people. We headed to try another unique Mexican beverage in the Ultima Lucha Bar. There they serve a ancient drink called Pulque that is fermented from Agave but is much different than Tequila. It’s more of a milk consistency, and can be flavored like many different sweet fruits and candies. We tried the caramel like soft candies (like a praline) and a sweet fruit not common in the US. It was great to once again try a beverage that has been around for thousands of years and is still popular. The bar itself was unique being decorated with the famous Lucha Libre Wrestlers of Mexico. There was an entire wall dedicated to a Luchador named Santo. Emilio explained to me he was the most famous wrestler in Mexican history and played in many movies long ago. There were posters on the wall for movies such as Santo Versus the Nazis, Santo Versus Frankenstein and quite a few others. Lucha Libre is another unique part of Mexican culture, and I was told it’s an exciting party where you can meet many different people. After our Pulque drink we all decided to head over to the car to head out as it was then wall to wall with people enjoying the evening. After getting back, we headed to bed after a great day with more unique experiences the next day.
Guadalajara and a Fiesta!
On our next day we headed out to another beautiful neighborhood in Guadalajara full of historic buildings and restaurants. We were heading to get a traditional breakfast in Jalisco. At the restaurant we got huevos rancheros and Chilaquiles. Chilaquiles are tostada chips covered in different salsas and cheese. We got it as a side, but you can get it as a full meal. We finished the meal off with a special cinnamon bread with the local very tasty bread that is unique to Jalisco. After our great breakfast, Emilio and Romina drove us around Guadalajara where we got to see the many parks, sculptures, churches and many other things. The city has a lot to see and do as does Jalisco in general. We got the chance to visit a local very nice grocery store where we bought some Tequila at a good price and Emilio bought many different things for our party later in the day. For the party Emilio fixed his traditional Sinaloa Style Ceviche that contained fresh shrimp, scallops and octopus. As friends arrived the home smelled of lime and spices. We had appetizers of very fresh watermelon and cucumber that we put a crushed pepper spice called Tajin that gave the fruit a unique flavor and to me tasted great. It was kind of a sweet and sour/lightly spicy taste. We also had a type of Mexican potatoes that were very flavorful. Emilio has an amazing rooftop garden where we enjoyed great views and the ceviche. The way we had it was on a tostada with mayonnaise and then the ceviche on top. It was amazing! It was so fresh and delicious. Romina cooked a special dish from her region of Mexico (Zacatecas) that was made with swordfish, a sauce, onions and peppers that was also amazing. Everything we had was bursting with different flavors. Here in Texas, we live on Tex-Mex food, but Mexican food and culture is so diverse it’s really worth exploring true Mexican food. Throughout the night we had the chance to talk about the difference in American and Mexican culture and so many other topics. We listened to many different styles of Mexican music. One topic we discussed is the difference in work culture between Latin America and the United States. In Latin America they work very hard but their co-workers are considered friends in general so they have tight nit teams where they take time see how each person is doing and take time to joke around and have a bit of fun. They noticed in US business culture we do take a bit of time sometimes to see how others are doing or have a bit of fun but are much more stoic when it comes to meetings. I have seen that as well when working with people from different areas of Latin America. I tell people often, “Be serious about your job and getting your work done but try to have fun doing it and take care of your teammates”. I would really like to see more of the light-hearted work environment in the US as it would cut down on stress and help create better teams. All the people who came to the party were IT professionals, Architects, sales professions or college educators. One of the friends brought us an amazing homemade salsa called Salsa Macha that we loved at breakfast. It reminds me of hot oil you have at a Chinese restaurant in the US but with a Latin twist. It is very good, and we use it on rice and other dishes here at home. After the party we relaxed after a great day and got ready for our final day in Guadalajara.
Neighborhood Tours
While in Guadalajara, Emilo drove us through different neighborhoods to show the differences that can be found in Guadalajara. It felt like driving through the different areas of Houston in some ways. We drove through some very wealthy areas where people had mansions and large gated communities. On the hillside overlooking the middle-class community we stayed in we could see very large and luxurious homes. In the area we stayed in it was a tranquil solution with multi story homes with a couple bedrooms, a ground floor with a kitchen and outdoor patio and a outdoor garden on the roof. We also drove through areas where you could see where the less fortunate live and it was similar conditions that I have seen throughout Latin America and in some areas of the United States. Gentrification is also occurring in Guadalajara as it is going on in the US where formerly poorer neighborhoods are becoming more wealthy areas. The cost of living is much less in Mexico, but the pay can also be much less. For an example a maid for a home could cost around $20-$30 a cleaning where in the US the cost can be MUCH more. I saw the maid at the home we stayed in spend a lot of time cleaning every aspect of the home. She was a friendly lady doing a great job. In Guadalajara and in Latin America as a whole you can see the great contrasts in living conditions. A good thing for Mexico is there is a stronger Middle Class than some Latin American Countries.
Forrest Tour and Departure
On our last day in Guadalajara, we headed to try another traditional Mexican food for breakfast. We went to a very local Barbacoa restaurant that was very nice in a small building that had opened garage style doors that had been opened up. Many restaurants in the area are open like that or completely outside due to the wonderful weather that Guadalajara has. It is usually cool in the mornings and not overly hot in the afternoons with low humidity. Air conditioning is not really needed in many cases. Barbacoa is a traditional type of cooking where meet is slow cooked in a pit and can include many different types of meat such as goat, beef, sheep and at some times the entire body of the animal including the head. It’s a very tender meat. We had never tried it and especially not for breakfast. We are willing to try anything for the most part as we really want to immerse ourselves in the cultures of different countries. At the restaurant you order the meat by the kilo and share around the table. We ordered a couple large bowls of meat for the table and we decided to order Consome that is a type of soup broth that you can put the meat along with salsa, cilantro and onions in. The meat and soup combination was very flavorful and was delicious. It’s a good meal you can customize it any way you like. We also had plenty of tortillas where we were able to make tacos as well. From my travels its always amazing to me how many different ways coffee is made around the world. In countries like Mexico they add spices like cinnamon to the coffee that makes it taste different. We got some of that great coffee at that restaurant.
After the breakfast we said goodbye to some new friends and then headed on a tour of a local forest called the “Bosque De La Primavera” (The Spring Forest). It is a beautiful and very popular protected natural area for locals to hike, bike and just enjoy the outdoors. It is in the mountains/hills on the outer part of Guadalajara. Guadalajara like many cities has what we call in Houston a “Beltway” loop road around the city. This forest is outside of the “periferico” in Guadalajara. It becomes a dirt road as you get into the park and due to a lack of rain like you see in Texas dirt roads in the same conditions it was a bit dusty but the forest is a beautiful place to get into the wild. There are parking areas that have shops and small food trucks that cater to biking and other outdoor activities. It’s a lively place especially on the weekend and we enjoyed the quick tour of the forest.
After a quick rest we headed to the Guadalajara International Airport. The airport is a very modern airport that reminds me of airports in Europe and is better than many airports in the US. The check in area is spacious and modern. Security was pretty easy to go through, but the security team was thorough as you would hope with security. After security there are plenty of restaurants and great shops to visit. After a short wait we headed out of Guadalajara feeling accomplished with learning so much about Jalisco and Mexico, and fulfilled having spent time with great people.
Conclusion
Places like Guadalajara and Mexico in general get an unfair reputation due to what people see in the US. While it is true there are crime and violence issues in Mexico but those issues exist in the US as well. I am not encouraging people to throw caution into the wind but I do encourage you to travel smart to Mexico and you will be rewarded with a vibrant and diverse culture and country with many friendly and caring people. For “foodies” it is a culinary adventure with so many amazing different dishes and regions to try them in. Travel with a guide as we have done in many areas of Mexico that gave us more insight into Mexico and kept us safer as they know the areas to avoid. Most Americans who visit Mexico just go to Cancun and many do not leave the resorts. Cancun is a wonderful place to visit but there is so much more in Mexico and well worth exploring.
We just scratched the surface of Guadalajara and Jalisco. There are many museums we did not have time to visit and other cities like Puerto Vallarta we have not been to. Neighboring states like Nayarit have other great places to visit and calm and small beach towns. There are many other “Magical Towns” other than Tequila in Jalisco and the region to visit. We look forward to heading back to Jalisco in the future to continue our Mexican journeys!
If you are Interested in this trip:
Contact Donna or Jason Miller and we can help you book your dream trip today including customized trips, guided tours, cruises and much more. Our travel planning services are completely free if you book with us. Contact her at donnamiller.etfamilytravel@gmail.com or jasonmiller.etfamilytravel@gmail.com to book today!
Guadalajara and Jalisco Tour Options:
Here are some great tour options vetted by us through Viator: