Guadalajara Travel Information
Getting There
By Plane -- Guadalajara's international airport located in the SE, is about a 20 minute ride to the Guest House. Taxi tickets to Guadalajara, priced by zone, are for sale in kiosks directly at the end of your walk out of the sliding doors from customs.The current cost to the Guest house is (260 pesos- zone 5, which is the same zone for the downtown district, just a nicer neighborhood. Taxis are the only transport, unless you are to be picked up. There is a map on the wall at the taxi kiosks to show prices. If they don't like your response to Zone 5.....tell them Hotel Posada Guadalajara. You can tell that to the taxi driver and then show him the map that you should already have printed out and tucked away in your passport.
Major Airlines -- Numbers in Guadalajara are: AeroMar (tel. 33/3615-8509), Aeromexico (tel. 01-800/021-4010), American (tel. 01-800/904-6000), Continental (tel. 01-800/900-5000), Delta (tel. 33/3630-3530), United (tel. 33/3616-9489). Volaris and Alaska also have flights to Guadalajara from selected airports. See official websites for exact cities, times and the ever changing schedules!
Of the smaller airlines, Aviacsa (tel. 33/3123-1751) connects to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston, and Chicago. Aero California (tel. 33/3616-2525) connects to Tijuana, Mexico City, Los Mochis, La Paz, and Puebla. Azteca (tel. 33/3630-4615) offers service to and from Mexico City, and from there to several cities in Mexico. Allegro (tel. 33/3647-7799) operates flights to and from Oakland and Las Vegas via Tijuana. Alaska Airlines (tel. 01-800/426-0333) flies to Los Angeles and Reno. Volaris is great from people traveling from Los Angeles and the Bay Area to the north.
By Car -- Guadalajara is at the hub of several four-lane toll roads (called cuotas or autopistas), which cut travel time considerably but are expensive. From Nogales on the U.S. border, follow Highway 15 south (21 hr.). From Tepic, a quicker route is toll road 15D (5 hr., $37). From Puerto Vallarta, go north on Highway 200 to Compostela; toll road 68D heads east to join the Tepic toll road. Total time is 5 1/2 hours, and the tolls add up to $28. From Barra de Navidad, on the coast southeast of Puerto Vallarta, take Highway 80 northeast (4 1/2 hr.). From Manzanillo, you might also take this road, but toll road 54D through Colima to Guadalajara (3 1/2 hr., $25) is faster. From Mexico City, take toll road 15D (7 hr., $48). Rates change without notice, but not by much. These are correct as of November, 2010.
By Bus -- Two bus stations serve Guadalajara. The old one, south of downtown, is for buses to Lake Chapala and other nearby areas; the new one, 10km (6 miles) southeast of downtown, is for longer trips.
The Old Bus Station -- For destinations within 100km (60 miles) of town, including the Lake Chapala area, go to the old bus terminal, on Niños Héroes off Calzada Independencia Sur. For Lake Chapala, take Transportes Guadalajara-Chapala, which runs frequent buses and combis (minivans).
The New Bus Station -- (In Zapopan) is about 12-15 minutes from the Guest House. The price is between 80 and 120 Mexican pesos and can be reached by skipping all the traffic of downtown, by way of the convenient Lazaro Cardenas. The station is smaller and much more convenient if going or coming from Puerto Vallarta. There is no need to go to the old bus station. If you purchase tickets online, just remember that the bus will leave for Vallarta one hour later than what your ticket says, as it will take that long to slink through downtown! It shorten your trip by an hour, so it is good to keep in mind! Each terminal contains different bus lines, offering first- and second-class service for different destinations. You can buy bus tickets from several travel agents in Guadalajara,or just a block away from the house. There are several major bus lines. The best service (big seats and lots of room) is provided by ETN.,which you now can book online with a credit card, choose your seats and print out your ticket.If you have a laptop with you, you can lay in bed,buy and print out your ticket at your leasure from "home".Can't get much easier than that!
Visitor Information
The State of Jalisco Tourist Information Office is at Calle Morelos 102 (tel. 33/3668-1600 or 33/3668-1601; http://visita.jalisco.gob.mx) in the Plaza Tapatía, at Paseo Degollado and Paraje del Rincón del Diablo. It's open Monday through Friday 9am to 8pm; Saturday, Sunday, and festival days 10am to 2pm. You can get maps, a monthly calendar of cultural events, and good information, that just might not already be at the Guest House. But it is fun just to stop in and look around. It is staffed by English students that like to practice their English with you. They are very helpful. And remember, you are helping them learn a new language too, so don't be shy practicing your Spanish if you want.
City Layout
The Centro Histórico (city center), with all its plazas, churches, and museums, will obviously be of interest to most visitors. The west side is Guadalajara's modern, cosmopolitan district, just minutes from the guest house. It borders the very beautiful Zapopan, home of Guadalajara's patron saint. On the opposite side of the city from Zapopan, in the southeast corner, are the craft centers of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, which make excellent day trips. They are easily gotten to by taking Lazaro Cardenas, bypassing downtown for a quick ride.
The main artery for traffic from downtown to the west side is Avenida Vallarta. It starts downtown as Juárez. The main arteries for returning to downtown are Mexico and Hidalgo, both north of Vallarta. Vallarta heads due west, where it intersects another major artery, Avenida Adolfo López Mateos, at Fuente Minerva (or simply La Minerva, or Minerva Circle). Minerva Circle, a 15-minute drive from downtown, would be an important point of reference for the Dickinson Guest House if coming from the downtown district. You would just stay on Lopez Mateos Sur by car, taxi or air conditioned bus.
The Neighborhoods in Brief
Centro Histórico, the heart of the beginning city contains many plazas, the cathedral, and several historic buildings and museums. Here, too, are the striking murals of José Clemente Orozco, one of the great Mexican muralists.
Theaters, restaurants, shops, and clubs dot the area, and an enormous market rounds out the attractions. All of this is in a space roughly 12 blocks by 12 blocks, an easy area for a good walker to explore and enjoy the several plazas and pedestrian-only areas.
West Side This is the more upscale part ofthis metropolis, with the fine restaurants, luxury hotels, boutiques, and galleries, as well as the American, British, and Canadian consulates. It's a large area best navigated by taxi.
Zapopan Founded in 1542, is considered a suburb of Guadalajara, although in fact is much larger in size and the area of larger event venues like the Telmex center, Expo Center and many fine old hotels. In its center is the 18th-century basilica, the home of Guadalajara's patron saint, the Virgin of Zapopan. The most interesting part of Zapopan is clustered around the temple and can be explored by foot. It has a growing arts and nightlife scene.
Tlaquepaque: This was a village of artisans (especially potters) that grew into a market center. In the last 30 years, it has attracted designers from all over Mexico. Every major form of art and craft is for sale here: furniture, pottery, glass, jewelry, woodcarvings, leather goods, sculptures, and paintings. The shops are sophisticated, yet Tlaquepaque's center retains a small-town feel that makes door-to-door browsing enjoyable and relaxing.The main shopping area is all within a 4 block by 3 block area that is very fun to walk from shop to shop.
Tonalá: This has remained a town of artisans. Plenty of stores sell mostly local products from the town's more than 400 workshops. You'll see wrought iron, ceramics, blown glass, and papier-mâché. A busy street market operates each Thursday and Sunday, which makes a perfect day trip, close to the Dickinson Guest House. If in fact you are in Tlaquepaque and see something that you wish to purchase, it might be in your best interest to wait. You may easily find the same object d'art in Tonala for half the price, where it was originally made in the first place! It is just a short ride away from Tlaquepaque. Both villages make wonderful day trips.
Getting Around
By Taxi -- Taxis are the easiest way to get around town. Almost all have meters, and, though some drivers are reluctant to use them, you can insist that they do. There are three rates: for day,evening, andlate night! .Typical fares are the following: downtown to the west side (Dickinson Guest House), $5 to $7 U.S; downtown or west side to Tlaquepaque, $60 to $90 pesos /to new bus station, $90 pesos; to airport, 190.00 pesos from the Guest House. ( I have some taxis that if called in advance will give a better discount from this property, as I use there services often.)
By Car -- Keep in mind the several main arteries. Several important freeway-style thoroughfares crisscross the city. González Gallo leads south from the town center and connects with the road to Lake Chapala. Avenida Vallarta continues past La Minerva and eventually feeds onto Highway 15, bound for Tequila and Puerto Vallarta.
By Bus -- There are various city bus lines that offer different grades of service. The best buses are the Turquesa buses, which can be identified by the large capital letters TUR. They are air-conditioned and comfortable and carry only as many passengers as there are seats; they are worth the price (about 90¢ for most destinations).To head downtown from the Guest house, the handiest route is the 706-707 TUR, which runs about every 15 minutes to downtown. It is caught on Lopez Mateos, 3 blocks away. The 702 will take you to Tonala. If unsure, always ask the driver.
The electric bus is handy for travel between downtown and the Minerva area. It bears the sign PAR VIAL and runs east along Hidalgo and west along the next street to the north, Calle Independencia (not Calzada Independencia). Hidalgo passes along the north side of the cathedral. The Par Vial goes as far east as Mercado Libertad and ends on the west at Minerva Circle. The city also has a light rail system, Tren Ligero, that runs North and South- East and West to outlying comunities, and some fun nightclubs.