 | Flytrippers cofounder |
I was absolutely amazed by everything Guadalajara, Mexico’s 3rd-largest city, has to offer. I loved it so much that I’ve now been 3 times since September 2024. The city is sadly not on many Canadians’ radar, but it really should be. Some of the most iconic Mexican traditions actually originated specifically from Guadalajara (or its state, Jalisco): mariachis, tequila, birria, etc.!
It’s such a shame to go to an amazing country like Mexico… and only see an artificial resort. If you do want to vacation in addition to traveling, that’s quite fine. Just try to include at least something actually authentically Mexican in your vacation.
For example, Guadalajara can be combined with a popular resort town like Puerto Vallarta, which is very close. Flytrippers aims to help you travel for less through our 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here are the 12 reasons I loved Guadalajara, Mexico.
My 3 trips to Guadalajara
I can’t recommend this city enough. It’s rare to get real culture shock without going so far. And it’s so much more affordable as a destination than a resort on the coasts!
Plus, Guadalajara is now very accessible. There are direct flights from Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, and Vancouver. Flair Airlines, the only ultra low-cost airline (ULCC) in Canada, was the first to serve the city, and eventually Air Canada, WestJet, and Air Transat followed.
Before sharing my 12 reasons to love this city, here’s a bit of context on my 3 trips to Guadalajara.
In September 2024, I was so happy that Flair invited me aboard its inaugural flight from Toronto to Guadalajara. I got to spend 4 days on a rare “organized” trip, in the sense that the tourism office took us to a bunch of places, and then I stayed 7 more days to explore on my own (as I always prefer to do).
In October 2024, I already went back for 6 days for Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead). It mostly worked out well; 1 of the 15 airlines I had to take for a unique flight challenge that got me 1 million points was AeroMéxico. I was in Chicago to speak at a travel rewards event, and there was a cheap direct flight.
In November 2025, I went back for 4 days, after my 1st visit to Mexico’s Pacific coast to test 2 Marriott Bonvoy hotels (the superb W Punta de Mita and the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa). This time, I got to redeem a Marriott free night certificate for the magnificent Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels.
By the way, I tested 4 different Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Guadalajara. It’s a decent place to maximize the program, like many places in Mexico.
You can read my Guadalajara trip report for more details on the context, logistics, and more! It’s only for the 1st trip, but it still gives you a lot of info. Here, I focus more on my impressions than actual tips.
Guadalajara (Mexico) trip report: Great authentic Mexican experience in this cultural hub
Let’s look at why you should visit Guadalajara too.
1. Authentic Mexico
The authentic, real, and better Mexico is not experienced by staying in an all-inclusive resort and not even leaving it (or leaving it only for overpriced touristy excursions booked with the resort).
That is the case with all countries, obviously. But it’s worth reminding you now, given how the U.S. is very unpopular currently… and how Mexico can be a great nearby alternative for actual travel experiences.
And a significantly cheaper alternative, of course.
Personally, I usually prefer less touristy destinations. After visiting 76 countries, I know very well that the touristy countries are far from the best. I actually hadn’t been to Mexico before this trip (apart from a full day in Mexico City on my way to Peru).
Frankly, I hate going where everyone goes. It’s true that everyone goes to Mexico, but few go to Guadalajara. And that’s such a shame. That first (extended) taste of the country was amazing. From that moment on, I knew without a doubt that Mexico can really be a great place for seasoned travelers too!
I loved Guadalajara. A lot more than I expected, to be honest.
It’s a massive city with a population of 5.3 million people in the metropolitan area, which is more than Montreal. So it’s a great place to see how Mexicans really live, and it felt very authentic.
Guadalajara is known as a cultural hub of Mexico. For much of the country’s history, it was its 2nd-largest city after the capital, Mexico City. Monterrey is now #2 due to its crazy growth.
And if you like beaches more than I do (which you almost certainly do), it’s a great idea to go visit Guadalajara if you’re on a trip to Puerto Vallarta on the coast.
It’s a 1-hour flight for as low as 40 CAD (that’s what I did on my 3rd visit) or a 4.5-hour bus ride for as low as 52 CAD. That way, you can still vacation… but you can still be a traveler a bit too!
2. Relatively affordable cost
Mexico is not among the world’s cheapest countries… but it’s undoubtedly much cheaper than Canada, the U.S., and almost all of the Caribbean.
All the costs once you’re at the destination are pretty low.
And most importantly, when taking into account the cost of flights to get there, the overall cost of traveling to Mexico is squarely among the cheapest in North America for sure. Especially if you’re good at finding cheap flights.
In terms of travel budget at the destination, for example, I managed to get by on just 20 CAD per day for food and transportation (excluding the days that the Guadalajara tourism office sponsored for the inaugural flight).
For hotels, I redeemed Marriott Bonvoy points and a certificate to get free stays (see #12 below for hotel details). For activities, I was able to do all the non-free ones as part of the sponsored trip, and I mostly stuck to free ones for the rest of the trip.
You can read the logistics section of my Guadalajara trip report for tips on finding cheap flights to Guadalajara and so many more details to lower the cost of your trip.
3. Safe
I normally prefer not even mentioning the safety topic at all, because I absolutely don’t want to validate the idea that so many travelers are scared of everything and everywhere when they shouldn’t be.
However, it’s true that some regions in Mexico are actually indeed considered “less safe” according to the standard definition.
However, Guadalajara is definitely not part of them. You’re good.
I felt completely safe all along, day or night. Much more than in many urban areas in the US or Western Europe.
4. Historic center
I love architecture, so I definitely enjoyed strolling through the city’s historic center.
The Guadalajara Cathedral is the highlight that you’ll see in most pictures of the city.
It is indeed very beautiful.
It sits next to a large public square, Plaza de la Liberación.
It’s not the only nice church.
The neo-Gothic Templo Expiatorio del Santísimo Sacramento is also a stunning structure.
As is the case in many cities, a significant number of the most beautiful buildings are churches.
But there are many other nice buildings all around the central (and oldest) part of the city.
The Teatro Degollado is a great example, but truly, that whole area is full of sights like this.
That theater is on the main street that leads to the city’s most famous monument, which I’ll talk about in the next section.
There are street markets as well.
There are also many fountains, for some reason.
You’ll also see statues and monuments.
Finally, the Mercado San Juan de Dios is the largest indoor market in Latin America.
It’s worth a stop if you want to see Tapatíos (Guadalajarans) in their daily routine.
5. Museums and attractions
The city is home to a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site: Hospicio Cabañas.
It was one of the largest hospital and orphanage complexes in the entire Americas.
It is now a museum featuring beautiful and large frescoes by José Clemente Orozco, a renowned Mexican muralist.
It’s a very pretty attraction. Every part of the site is elegant.
In terms of art, I explored the Museo de las Artes (MUSA). It’s free, so it’s certainly worth at least a quick visit.
I visited the MANIFESTO Art Gallery as well, and it actually has a cool private bar on the upper floor.
Cemeteries are rarely an attraction (apart from in New Orleans).
However, one in particular in Guadalajara is well-known, and since there was a special nighttime tour on October 31 for Día de Muertos, I decided to visit.
That’s a great time to visit the Panteón de Belén cemetery for sure.
There are also numerous art installations throughout the city, such as this massive yellow structure.
Finally, ceramics are a key part of Jalisco’s history.
I visited the Pantaléon Panduro Museum of the National Ceramics Contest to see some nice works.
6. Culture
Mariachis hail from Guadalajara, and you should make sure to catch a show. A good (and free) place to do that is at the aptly-named Plaza de los Mariachis, right next to the market.
In several places during my visit, I came across impromptu concerts.
It made the city seem very lively.
My first visit happened to be during Mexican Independence Day.
There was a huge neighborhood party with fireworks, fair-like attractions, many booths… and a ton of people.
And as mentioned, if you do like all things related to Día de Muertos, it’s a great time to visit, as it’s a big deal there.
In terms of nightlife, that’s really not my specialty, but I visited Anestesia, to experience the city’s alternative scene. It was cool.
Across Guadalajara, you’ll often see very colorful murals.
On one of the weekend days, parks filled up with people playing sports and games, or just hanging out.
The main avenue was even exceptionally reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
I’ll throw in sports as a cultural element. After my crazy experience with an epic Argentina-Brazil fútbol (soccer) riot at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro a year before, I decided to attend the 2nd soccer game of my life.
C.D. Guadalajara (Chivas) is among the most iconic teams in the top league in Mexico (Liga MX). It was a fun experience, but nowhere near as intense as in Brazil.
I was actually staying at the same hotel as the team that day, so I got to see them off when returning to my room to get ready to go to the stadium.
7. Food
I know so many people are big fans of Mexican food.
I’m not even that passionate about it myself, but I love many of the staples: tacos, quesadillas, carnitas, birria… to name just a few. I say this because even if you’re not the biggest fan, you’ll still love the food in Guadalajara.
Birria is actually from Guadalajara, specifically. The tasty variation of barbacoa has gained popularity outside of Mexico and is very trendy. I found it delicious in its hometown, with my favorite being at Casa Luna restaurant in the Tlaquepaque neighborhood.
I’m truly a simple man when it comes to food; I’d honestly be fine eating tasty quesadillas every single day.
And I certainly ate my share there. The best ones were at Las Originales Carnes, which has several locations around the city. It was 35 MXN each.
But often it was cheaper at tiny little restaurants, for as little as 30 MXN each. Always look for restaurants where there’s a line of locals (like everywhere in the world; it’s really that simple).
Yes, as a non-foodie, I’m going to have to learn to take better food photos.
If you prefer tacos al pastor, you can get 5 for 50 MXN in many places.
Since the first 4 days of my trip were with the tourism office, I got to do something I normally don’t do at all as a cheapskate who prefers to have more money for travel and loves cheap food anyway: eat at fancy restaurants.
(Okay, I do it once a year with the Amex Platinum 200 CAD dining credit benefit!)
And I also got to do another thing I don’t do that often as an ADHDer with food texture issues: eat more adventurous things. In this case, it was ant larvae (Mexican caviar) and octopus.
That was because of peer pressure from the other content creators and Flair marketers with me on the trip.
The larvae were at Allium restaurant, a fancy spot where I also ate very good pork belly. The larvae weren’t really my thing.
But the best restaurant was Hueso (“bone” in Spanish), with a stunning all-white decor made up of, you guessed it, bones.
There were mariachis during the evening, and all the food was great, including that octopus (to my surprise). It was one of my most unique restaurant experiences in the world.
Tacos at De La Õ cantina were good as well. It’s another highly-rated spot.
Finally, in terms of breakfast, we had a great one at palReal restaurant.
I also had free breakfast at 3 of the 4 Marriott Bonvoy hotels I tried in the city, and the best by far was the elaborate buffet at The Westin Guadalajara. That’s another reason why having hotel elite status is amazing.
Groceries are pretty cheap as well.
I tried the famous Pan de muerto (bread of the dead), given the time of year, and it was very good.
8. Tequila (the drink… and the city)
Many people are unaware that tequila (the drink) is named after Tequila (the city).
Yes, real tequila can only be called that name if it’s made in this region (like Champagne in France). Mezcal is a similar spirit that can be made elsewhere, in case you’re wondering.
The city of Tequila and its surrounding agave landscapes are another UNESCO World Heritage site.
The day trip to Tequila to see how tequila is made from A to Z (and taste some tequila) is definitely a must-do. I enjoyed it even if I’m not a huge drinker, so don’t skip it. That said, I’ve always loved seeing how things are manufactured.
Even without that aspect, the city itself is pretty lively and a fun place to spend a day, even if it’s very touristy.
Depending on the tequila maker you decide to visit, you might get to ride in a cool barrel-shaped bus.
I visited the Casa Sauza tequila factory. They produce the Sauza and Hornitos brands.
It was a fun time.
We first visited the actual fields where the tequila-making process begins, and got to see every step.
Then we saw the manufacturing process, and got to experience a tasting (a few in fact).
Tasting tequila in Tequila is truly a must-do if you’re in Guadalajara.
The small town is situated in the state of Jalisco, about 1 hour away from Guadalajara. It’s a 130 MXN bus ride or an apparently very fun train ride onboard the José Cuervo tequila train for 3115 MXN (which includes the price of visiting that distillery).
9. Other cool neighborhoods
Apart from the city center, the nearby neighborhood with the most to offer is certainly Colonia Americana.
It’s the trendy and hip spot, and it’s not far at all from the city center.
It was even named the best neighborhood in the world by Time Out Magazine.
The restaurants and bar scenes in this upscale area are great. Many of those I named are here: De La Õ cantina, palReal, Las Originales Carnes, Hueso, and Anestesia. As are many attractions.
Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels, the hotel where I redeemed a Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate, has an ideal location in this neighborhood.
But my other favorite neighborhood was a bit farther away.
Tlaquepaque is located approximately a 15-minute drive from the city center.
It was a very lively pedestrian street with cool boutiques.
Everything is so pretty and colorful there.
I definitely think it’s worth visiting.
Tlaquepaque is actually a separate city that has become part of the Guadalajara urban area as the city has grown.
Finally, I also spent some time in the Country Club neighborhood, which is much more local.
It’s aptly named after a large country club located in the heart of the city.
It’s a more modern area with skyscrapers and nice tree-lined streets.
10. Nature
I stayed in the city itself (apart from the Tequila day trip), but for a taste of nature, I at least took the time to visit the Parque Mirador Independencia viewpoint at the edge of the city. And I really mean edge.
It’s pretty crazy.
You’re in an entirely urban setting, and then the city literally just stops at the edge of this massive canyon.
I highly recommend it.
The views were worth it, and it’s accessible from the city center by bus rapid transit (BRT; with a dedicated right-of-way, similar to a tram but with buses).
There are also a few lovely parks in the city itself, but there are honestly not that many of them.
The city center thankfully has a few green spaces, like Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres Park.
I recommend Revolución Park in Colonia Americana. It’s the lively one I mentioned in the culture section earlier.
11. Easy to get around
The central area and many neighborhoods are quite compact and walkable. It’s true that it’s a huge city, so necessarily some neighborhoods and attractions are farther away. But it’s pretty walkable overall.
Obviously, a city that is walkable is so much more enjoyable to visit.
You can also use buses and the subway, but even Uber is very affordable.
And transportation between the airport and the city is very affordable too, at only 9.5 MXN.
You can read the logistics section of my Guadalajara trip report for more details about getting around.
12. Nice hotels
Guadalajara is a large city, so there is obviously a wide range of lodging options to suit all tastes.
But if you’re like me and you enjoy getting free hotel nights with the best hotel rewards program for Canadians, Marriott Bonvoy, Guadalajara is a great destination (like many parts of Mexico).
I stayed at 4 different Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Guadalajara.
My favorite was Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels. It can be a really good redemption of a Marriott Bonvoy free night certificate; that’s what I did since the price was exactly 35,000 points or 345 USD.
You can read my detailed review of Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels.
At the other end of the price range, the AC Hotel Guadalajara Expo, Mexico cost me only 8,500 points per night. In between those, I loved the upscale Westin Guadalajara and the Hotel Guadalajara Country Club by HNF (an Aloft in transition).
I also tested 1 independent boutique hotel and 1 very cheap hostel (both just for 1 night each).
You can read my post about my accommodations in Guadalajara for more info on each.
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Summary
These are the 12 reasons why I loved visiting Guadalajara, Mexico. It’s pretty close, and there are really a lot of cultural attractions. If you want an authentic Mexican experience, it’s a great choice that’s a little less intimidating than humongous Mexico City.
What would you like to know about visiting Guadalajara, Mexico? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Guadalajara, Mexico (photo credit: Andrew D’Amours/Flytrippers)
Original publication date: November 24, 2024
