Here are some of the tours that can be organized for you by our reception staff. You can use you own vehicle, hire a private guide with his vehicle or he can even drive your vehicle if you wish. Local bilingual taxi cab drivers are also readily available for tours. We have a number of local car rental companies offering comparable prices to the airport. Many guests have even used the local public bus system to sightsee.
1. Tequila Express – This is a unique train trip (weekends only) (10 hr.) (back and forth). Passengers leave Guadalajara and travel through many Maguey plantations and depart at Tequila, Jalisco. Where you will visit the only area where tequila is manufactured. You will visit a 300 year old actual working Tequila distillery. A live Mariachi shall accompany the tour while they are traveling on the train.
2. Tequila & Magdalena – This is a good day trip (approx 10hrs.) visiting the city of Tequila, Jalisco (visiting the Jose Cuervo factory and plantation). Then afterwards check out the town of Magdalena (home of Mexico’s largest fire opal mines).
3. Historic tour of downtown Guadalajara – (6 hrs.) Guadalajara is Mexico’s second largest city. Visiting the Cathedral, State Palace, Degollado Theatre, The Metropolitan Museum of History and the Mercado Libertad handcraft market. The world famous Orphanage with many of Clemente Orozcos historic murals is a must see. You may see many colonial buildings located in the downtown area.
4. Ballet Folclorico – (5 hrs.) On Sundays Guadalajara offers one of Mexico’s most colorful dancing displays presenting regional typical dances from all over Mexico. The Ballet is presented in the Degollado theatre which is a architectural jewel.
5. Shopping tour – Guadalajara has become a shopping Mecca. The city has a number of modern malls offering everything you can imagine under the sun. Guadalajara is famous for manufacturing ladies shoes. There are two malls side by side with more than 200 shoe shops.
6. Golf – We have 8 golf courses within a distance of 1 hour. There are two that are 15 minutes away from Ajijic. Green fees are very reasonable.
7. Tlaquepaque and Tonala – (8 hrs.) Visit two of Mexico’s most important handcraft centers. Where you will find Paper Mache, clay figurines, ceramic ware, hand blown glass, wood carvings, leather goods, cut crystal, colonial art reproductions, wrought iron plus many other products. On Mondays and Sundays Tonala has Mexico’s largest open market where the local artisans offer their wares directly to the public.
8. Tapalpa – (6 hrs.) Beautiful trip into the Sierra Madre mountains where you will be able to observe the twin peaks of Colimas active volcanoes. After you will visit the beautiful colonial city of Tapalpa. After seeing the city and it surroundings you can visit some of Mexico’s most unique natural rock formations.
9. Tuxcueca and Mazamitla – (6 hrs.) Tuxcueca is located on the south shore of Lake Chapala. It is a small colonial village where many Cristero battles were fought at the turn of the century. Afterwards you will travel into the hills and visit the colonial city of Mazamitla where you are surrounded by beautiful pine forests.
10. Ajijic, Chapala, San Juan Cosala and Jocotepec – Ajijic is a quaint fishing village that has become world renowned due to our beautiful climate, breath taking views, and lush vegetation and friendly local people. Ajijic in the winter months draws approx 15,000 expatriate visitors from the U.S. and Canadian’s who spend their winters here. Our local villages are best visited by walking tours. San Juan Cosala is another small north shore village that is famous for its natural hot spring mineral baths.