Guadalajara attractions

Home to the Virgin of Zapopan, the 17th-century baroque Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Zapopan) is one of Guadalajara’s most important churches. Take your cue from pilgrims across the country and come to admire the much-revered 16th-century wooden statue of the Virgin of Zapopan—when she’s in situ—or visit the on-site Huichol Art Museum.

Escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Guadalajara for the peace and quiet of colorful Tlaquepaque. An arts and crafts town, known in Mexico for being one of the country’s foremost ceramics regions, Tlaquepaque has a timeless appeal, plenty of shopping options for all budgets, and several important ceramics museums. Charming and laidback by day, it comes alive with mariachi music and lively bars by night.

Behind the white facade of an imposing neoclassical building in downtown Guadalajara, the University of Guadalajara Art Museum (MUSA) houses an impressive collection of artworks and murals by notable Mexican artists, as well as regularly rotating international exhibits. Highlights include two José Clemente Orozco murals—Man, Creator and Rebel and The People and Their False Leaders.

Established in 1870, the family-run Casa Herradura hacienda sits on the outskirts of Amatitán, a village near Guadalajara in the heart of Mexico’s tequila country. Explore the vast Casa Herradura Distillery, a major player in the Mexican tequila scene; sample its wares; and take in the area’s natural beauty.

Take in the Mexican countryside in style with a ride on the elegant Jose Cuervo Express, which carries visitors through the agave fields of Jalisco. Old-school wood paneling and comfortable seats provide the perfect atmosphere for a guided tequila tasting tour, while the town of Tequila itself is full of the charm of a classic Mexican Magic Town (an official government designation).

With almost 400 species across eight permanent exhibits—including Latin America’s largest reptile house—Guadalajara Zoo (Zoológico Guadalajara) is one of Mexico’s most diverse zoos. Highlights are white Bengal tigers, rare Mexican wolves, and endangered crocodiles, as well as sweeping views over the Barranca de Huentitán (Huentitán Canyon).

Conveniently located in the Guadalajara historic center, Guadalajara Wax Museum is one of only three wax museums in Mexico. Opened in 1994, Guadalajara Wax Museum currently houses more than 160 wax replicas of fictional, political, and historic figures, as well as Mexican and international celebrities.

With sweeping vistas over the Oblatos-Huentitán Canyon and Santiago River, the Mirador Independencia Park (Parque Mirador Independencia) is one of Guadalajara’s most picturesque lookouts. Soak up the view from the checkered amphitheater or use the park as a starting point for hikes into the forested surrounds.