The Wayro route from León to Manzanillo is 317 miles (510 km), about 5 h 31 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 317 mi (510 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | GTO 37 → MEX-45D → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 → MEX-110 → MEX-200D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 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.
What the drive from León to Manzanillo is like
MEX-54D (89 mi) and MEX-80D (87 mi) carry about 56% of the 317 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-80, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-110 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from León to Manzanillo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| GTO 37 | 2–6 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 6–31 | 25 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 31–45 | 14 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 45–132 | 87 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 132–137 | 5 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 137–141 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 141–158 | 17 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 158–247 | 89 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 247–255 | 8 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 255–279 | 24 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 279–281 | 2 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 281–314 | 33 | Colima |
| local roads | 314–317 | 3 | Colima |
- Mile 14 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 238 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
Stops between León and Manzanillo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 291)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 135), Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 234)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 51), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 137), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 213), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 213), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 253), Museo Regional de Historia de Colima (mile 253), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 291)
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Parque Walt Disney
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
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.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
Museo Regional de Historia de Colima
An early 19th-century mansion on Colima's Portal Morelos holds this regional history museum, run jointly by INAH, the University of Colima and the state. Exhibits range from Capacha and Comala pottery and shaft tombs to Philippine trade and the Revolution.
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
More drives to Manzanillo
- Guadalajara to Manzanillo
- Zamora to Manzanillo
- Uruapan to Manzanillo
- Irapuato to Manzanillo
- Salamanca to Manzanillo
- Aguascalientes to Manzanillo
From León to other places in Mexico
- León to Pabellón de Arteaga
- León to Real de Asientos
- León to Zacatecas
- León to Amatitán
- León to Tequila
- León to Jerez, Zacatecas
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from León to Manzanillo?
About 5 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 317 miles.
How far is Manzanillo from León by car?
About 317 miles (510 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 León to Manzanillo?
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 León to Manzanillo?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from León to Manzanillo use?
In order: GTO 37, MEX-45D, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D, MEX-54, MEX-110 and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between León and Manzanillo?
Closest to the road: Parque Walt Disney (park, mile 135, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Colima (cathedral, mile 253, 2 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 291, 0.4 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.