Ciudad Tula to San Blas Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 12 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Ciudad Tula to San Blas is 480 miles (773 km), about 8 h 33 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Tamaulipas — Level 4, Do Not Travel; San Luis Potosí — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Nayarit — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Nayarit is the Mexican state that contains San Blas. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Centro de las Artes de San Luis PotosíMuseo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las ArtesMuseo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín RiveraTeatro José Rosas MorenoTeocaltitan Archaeological SiteParque Walt DisneyBasílica de San Felipe NeriIxtlán del RioMuseo Regional de NayaritCiudad TulaSan Blas
Route from Ciudad Tula to San Blas with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Total distance480 mi (773 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 33 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-101 → SLP 80D → SLP 75D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-70 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → NAY 12
Mexican states on the routeTamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit
Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap)MEX-57D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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.

On the road from Ciudad Tula to San Blas

MEX-15D (147 mi) and MEX-80D (128 mi) carry about 57% of the 480 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-80D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

Roads you'll take from Ciudad Tula to San Blas

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Tamaulipas
MEX-1012–2523Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí
SLP 80D25–5732San Luis Potosí
SLP 75D57–7720San Luis Potosí
connecting roads77–792San Luis Potosí
MEX-57D79–10021San Luis Potosí
MEX-57100–11616San Luis Potosí
local roads116–12610San Luis Potosí
MEX-57D126–1359San Luis Potosí
MEX-70135–15217San Luis Potosí
MEX-80152–1553San Luis Potosí
MEX-80D155–19742San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-80197–23033Jalisco
MEX-80D230–31686Jalisco
MEX-15D316–32711Jalisco
MEX-15327–33710Jalisco
MEX-15D337–473136Jalisco, Nayarit
NAY 12473–4785Nayarit
local roads478–4802Nayarit
  • Mile 23 of this route: Tamaulipas → San Luis Potosí (state line)
  • Mile 162 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 173 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 385 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)

Breaking up the drive: stops between Ciudad Tula and San Blas

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 206), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 207), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 396)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 319)
  • Museums and history: Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí (mile 118), Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes (mile 120), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 206), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 207), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 242), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 321), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 396), Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 447)

Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí

Mile 118 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

San Luis Potosí's Centro de las Artes Centenario occupies the state's former penitentiary on Calzada de Guadalupe, an eclectic-style building listed as a historic monument by INAH.

Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes

Mile 120 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built in Parque Tangamanga I and opened on September 4, 2008, the Museo Laberinto de las Ciencias y las Artes is an interactive museum in San Luis Potosí.

Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera

Mile 206 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum you'll find in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the state of Jalisco.

Teatro José Rosas Moreno

Mile 207 · Opera house · 0.3 mi from the route

Named after Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno, this theater in Lagos de Moreno took decades to finish: work started in 1867, and it opened on May 5, 1907.

Teocaltitan Archaeological Site

Mile 242 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

A people who dominated much of Los Altos between AD 400 and 900 built Teocaltitán, near Jalostotitlán. The site's pyramids, sunken patios and ball court cover about nine hectares.

Parque Walt Disney

Mile 319 · Park · 1 mi from the route

Despite sharing a name with Walt Disney, this recreational space in Guadalajara's Colonia Olímpica has no direct theme tied to Disney's amusement parks.

Basílica de San Felipe Neri

Mile 321 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Guadalajara's Basilica of San Felipe Neri is a Catholic church built in baroque style between 1752 and 1802 by master builder Pedro José Ciprés.

Ixtlán del Rio

Mile 396 · Archaeological site · 0.5 mi from the route

Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.

Museo Regional de Nayarit

Mile 447 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.

More drives to San Blas

From Ciudad Tula to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Ciudad Tula to San Blas?

About 8 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 480 miles.

What is the driving distance from Ciudad Tula to San Blas?

About 480 miles (773 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 Ciudad Tula to San Blas?

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 Ciudad Tula to San Blas?

The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider 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 Ciudad Tula to San Blas use?

In order: MEX-101, SLP 80D, SLP 75D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-70, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15 and NAY 12. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Ciudad Tula and San Blas?

Closest to the road: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 206, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 207, 0.3 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 396, 0.5 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.