Plan on about 5 h 34 min of driving for the 328-mile (528 km) trip from Guanajuato to San Francisco, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 328 mi (528 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-110D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-110D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.1 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.
The Guanajuato–San Francisco drive in a few lines
MEX-80D (85 mi) and MEX-15D (78 mi) carry about 50% of the 328 miles. It runs through 3 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-110D, MEX-45D and MEX-80D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Guanajuato and San Francisco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110D | 4–12 | 8 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 12–25 | 13 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 25–26 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 26–63 | 37 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 63–78 | 15 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 78–163 | 85 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 163–176 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 176–185 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 185–250 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 250–284 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 284–303 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 303–318 | 15 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 318–327 | 9 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 327–328 | 1 | Nayarit |
- Mile 46 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 233 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
What to see on the way from Guanajuato to San Francisco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 174), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 214)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 174), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 313)
- Museums and history: Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 90), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 165), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 168), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 169), Guachimontones (mile 198), National Museum of Tequila (mile 204), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 214)
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
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.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque has two main ceramics museums, and this is one of them: the Museo Regional de la Cerámica, on Independencia Street in the center of town. The other is the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
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.
Basílica de San Felipe Neri
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.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Concerts, outdoor movie nights and food festivals are among the many events held at Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara, a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco.
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
In the town of Tequila, MUNAT, the National Museum of Tequila, covers the history of the drink behind the region's fame. Jalisco's state government reclaimed the museum in 2026 and announced it will reopen with updated 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.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to San Francisco
- La Manzanilla to San Francisco
- Barra de Navidad to San Francisco
- Tecomán to San Francisco
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Francisco
- Pénjamo to San Francisco
- León to San Francisco
From Guanajuato to other places in Mexico
- Guanajuato to Amatitán
- Guanajuato to Tequila
- Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Guanajuato to Sombrerete
- Guanajuato to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Guanajuato to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guanajuato to San Francisco?
About 5 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 328 miles.
What is the driving distance from Guanajuato to San Francisco?
About 328 miles (528 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 Guanajuato to San Francisco?
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 Guanajuato to San Francisco?
The U.S. State Department rates 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.
Which highways go from Guanajuato to San Francisco?
In order: MEX-110D, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Guanajuato and San Francisco?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 165, 1 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 174, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 214, 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.