Celaya to Sayulita is about 354 road miles (570 km): roughly 6 h 27 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 354 mi (570 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 insurance | Required 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.
How the Celaya to Sayulita drive plays out
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-90 (46 mi) carry about 53% of the 354 miles. It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Celaya to Sayulita
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 2–37 | 35 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 37–42 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 42–88 | 46 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 88–101 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 101–123 | 22 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 123–198 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 198–208 | 10 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 208–273 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 273–307 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 307–325 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 325–341 | 16 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 341–353 | 12 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 353–354 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 99 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 256 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Places worth a stop between Celaya and Sayulita
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 237), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 336)
- Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 40), Plazuelas (mile 80), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 191), Teatro Degollado (mile 191), Guachimontones (mile 221), National Museum of Tequila (mile 227), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 237), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267)
Irapuato Cathedral
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.
Plazuelas
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.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Fossils are the focus at Guadalajara's Museum of Paleontology, which opened in 2000 inside Parque Agua Azul with exhibits developed alongside INAH, Mexico's national anthropology and history institute.
Teatro Degollado
On Guadalajara's central plaza, along Belén Street between Hidalgo and Morelos avenues, the neoclassical Teatro Degollado is known for its varied performances and artistic design.
Guachimontones
Near the town of Teuchitlán, Guachimontones is known for its circular structures. INAH describes it as the first large population center in western Mexico, emerging around 1000 BC, with two ball courts and about 40 circular buildings across 20 hectares.
National Museum of Tequila
The National Museum of Tequila (MUNAT) in the town of Tequila tells the story of the spirit that put this corner of Jalisco on the map. The state government took it back in 2026 and announced a reopening with refreshed exhibits.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
The Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum of agave landscape and mining, is located in the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
More drives to Sayulita
- Tepatitlán to Sayulita
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sayulita
- Jalpa to Sayulita
- León to Sayulita
- Aguascalientes to Sayulita
- Paracho to Sayulita
From Celaya to other places in Mexico
- Celaya to Real de Asientos
- Celaya to Amatitán
- Celaya to Zacatecas
- Celaya to Tequila
- Celaya to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Celaya to Sombrerete
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Celaya to Sayulita?
About 6 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 354 miles.
What is the driving distance from Celaya to Sayulita?
About 354 miles (570 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 Sayulita?
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 Sayulita?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Celaya to Sayulita use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Celaya to Sayulita?
Closest to the road: Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (museum, mile 191, 1 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 237, 0.6 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 267, 0.6 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.