Celaya to Amatitán Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Celaya to Amatitán is 222 miles (357 km), about 4 h 20 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Amatitán. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Irapuato CathedralTequila CorralejoPlazuelasMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueMuseo Regional de GuadalajaraUniversidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las ArtesParque Metropolitano de GuadalajaraCelayaAmatitán
Route from Celaya to Amatitán with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance222 mi (357 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 20 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates

Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP)Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora)
Mexican auto insuranceRequired for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive

Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.

What the drive from Celaya to Amatitán is like

MEX-15D (75 mi) and MEX-90 (46 mi) carry about 55% of the 222 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-90, MEX-110, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Celaya to Amatitán, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Guanajuato
MEX-452–3735Guanajuato
MEX-45D37–425Guanajuato
MEX-9042–8846Guanajuato
MEX-90D88–10113Guanajuato, Michoacán
MEX-110101–12322Michoacán
MEX-15D123–19875Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-15198–22224Jalisco
  • Mile 99 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 129 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Celaya and Amatitán

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 197)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 197)
  • Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 40), Plazuelas (mile 80), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 188), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 191), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 192)

Irapuato Cathedral

Mile 40 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.

Tequila Corralejo

Mile 65 · Distillery · 1 mi from the route

Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.

Plazuelas

Mile 80 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.

Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque

Mile 188 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara

Mile 191 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.

Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes

Mile 192 · Museum · 2 mi from the route

The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara

Mile 197 · Park · 0.9 mi from the route

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.

More drives to Amatitán

From Celaya to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Celaya to Amatitán?

About 4 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 222 miles.

How far is Amatitán from Celaya by car?

About 222 miles (357 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Celaya to Amatitán?

Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.

Is it safe to drive from Celaya to Amatitán?

The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Celaya to Amatitán use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Celaya and Amatitán?

Closest to the road: Tequila Corralejo (distillery, mile 65, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 188, 1 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 197, 0.9 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.