One Week in Jalisco State, Mexico

With big cities, great beaches and traditional cowboy culture, Jalisco has a bit of everything to offer visitors. Here’s how to see the best of the state in one week.

The largest city in Jalisco is Guadalajara, also the second-biggest in the whole of Mexico. Spend a couple days exploring the picturesque neighborhood of Tlaquepaque and wandering around the sites in the center of town, and then take a daytrip to the ruins at Guachimontones. These unique pyramids are made from concentric circles, a style not seen anywhere else in the country.

Another good daytrip from Guadalajara is a visit to Lake Chapala and the expat town of Ajijic. You can take a bus in two hours from Guadalajara and visit both towns in one day. Walk along the lake and look at the famous mosaics in Chapala before heading off to Ajijic, where colorful street art is found all over town.

A trip to Jalisco wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the town of Tequila, birthplace of Mexico’s most famous alcoholic export. Take a tasting trip to one of the many distilleries, marvel at the rolling fields of agave and buy a few bottles for souvenirs.

If you want some beach time, take a trip to Puerto Vallarta. This Pacific coast resort town sits on the amazing Bahia de Banderas, and you can go whale watching December–March.