Our seven weeks of living, working, and adventuring in Guadalajara, Mexico, are some of our favorites to recall. We were able to visit such a wide variety of new and interesting places! If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, we highly recommend checking out these unique activities and destinations.
Take a Walking Tour
One of the first things we did in Guadalajara was take a walking tour of the city, which allowed us to fully immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the area. We highly recommend this activity! Our tour guide was excellent and grew up in Guadalajara, so we were able to get lots of insider tips. This is a great way to ground yourself in any new city, but we found this tour especially valuable because there are so many different neighborhoods to explore in Guadalajara, and the history is super important to Mexican culture.
Take a Walk in Bosque Los Colomos
Bosque Los Colomos is a park in the northern section of the city, and it is absolutely beautiful. It has a Japanese garden, where we spent an afternoon, and there are plenty of restaurants and cafés nearby, so it’s the perfect location to grab a treat and take a nice, relaxing walk. There are also a lot of squirrels, which you can feed with popcorn (available at the Japanese garden).
Visit Tlaquepaque Historic Center
You have to visit Tlaquepaque. It is adorable, quintessential Mexico with its cobblestone streets and small, colorful buildings. They have a beautiful city sign and a street with umbrellas hanging overhead for a perfect Instagram moment. There are tons of places to eat and drink, and everywhere you go, there’s mariachi music playing and people dancing. It’s all very traditional and fun.
Hike Barranca de Huentitan
Barranca de Huentitan is a canyon and a crazy experience. It’s only a 25-minute drive outside the city of Guadalajara, but it appears as though you’ve entered a whole new world of lush greenery and mountainous terrain. It’s a beautiful hike into the canyon, free from city sounds and even airplanes flying overhead. It’s like being dropped in the middle of Jurassic Park! The hike is challenging but rewarding, and we definitely recommend checking it out. The view is totally worth it.
Tequila Train with Herradura Express
This was one of our favorite experiences in Mexico. Herradura is one of the major tequila producers in the town of Tequila, and their Tequila Train is a must-see. We bought tickets for a VIP train, which we rode for about an hour to reach Tequila. During the ride, we were served several different kinds of tequila, which was super fun. When we arrived in town, we were given a tour of the factory and learned a lot about the production of tequila. We were treated to lunch and a mariachi show (plus more tequila), and about two hours later, on the train back to Guadalajara, we were served even more tequila and snacks. The whole experience was a little expensive, but we loved and totally recommend it.
Visit Ajijic
Ajijic is just outside of Guadalajara, on Lago Chapala, and it’s an amazing place for a weekend trip. The food is great, and the scenery is very picturesque (rolling hills and mountains included). The air, especially close to Lago Chapala, is fresh and clean, so it’s wonderful to spend time outside in nature. Lago Chapala is actually surrounded by small lakeside towns like Ajijic, so this is a great location to drive around and explore. There are also several thermal baths that you can visit for a reasonable price.
Bar Hop on Chapultepec
Chapultepec is a great place to bar hop. Two of our favorites were Bar Mezcal Agüita, which has a great atmosphere, and Cervecería Chapultepec, where everything on the menu is only 19 pesos (about $1 USD). For more on eating in Guadalajara, check out this blog post.
Mercado Libertad San Juan de Dios
Mercado Libertad San Juan de Dios is the largest indoor market in Latin America and one of our top favorite destinations in Guadalajara! There’s a huge variety of products offered—everything from fruits and veggies to clothing and jewelry—and it’s a great place to practice your haggling tactics. It’s super convenient and fun, too!
We hope you enjoy and make lasting memories in Guadalajara! Before you go, don’t forget to check out Where to Eat in Guadalajara and Working and Traveling in Guadalajara, Jalisco as Digital Nomads!
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