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 front of the airport ( 240 pesos to the Guest House) Taxis are the only transport. You are coming to Zone 5. There is a map on the wall at the taxi kiosks where you purchase your ticket to give to the driver.
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), Mexicana (tel. 01-800/502-2000), and United (tel. 33/3616-9489).
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.
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).
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 -- The Central Camionera is about 12-15 minutes from the Guest House. The price is between80 and 120 Mexican pesos and can be reached by skipping all the traffic of downtown. The station has seven terminals connected by a covered walkway. 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. Ask James for the closest to you. 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. 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.
City Layout
The Centro Histórico (city center), with all its plazas, churches, and museums, will obviously be of interest to the visitor. The west side is Guadalajara's modern, cosmopolitan district, just minutes from the guest house. In the northwest corner is 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, is the central point of reference for the Dickinson Guest House. To go to Zapopan from downtown, take Avenida Avila Camacho, which you can pick up on Alcalde; it takes 25 minutes by car, or 35 minutes by air conditioned bus.
The Neighborhoods in Brief
Centro Histórico The heart of the 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. To the south is a large green space called Parque Agua Azul.
West Side This is the swanky part of town, 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, Zapopan is a suburb of Guadalajara. 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.
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.
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, night, and suburbia.Typical fares are the following: downtown to the west side, $5 to $7U.S; downtown or west side to Tlaquepaque, $60 to $90 pesos /to new bus station, $90 pesos; to airport, exactly 190.00 Mexican pesos from the Guest House.
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, two 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 as far west as Minerva Circle. The city also has a light rail system, Tren Ligero, that runs North and South- East and West to outlying comunities.