Manzanillo to Metepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Manzanillo to Metepec is 432 miles (696 km), about 8 h 10 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colima — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. State of Mexico is the Mexican state that contains Metepec. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo Comunitario de la SalCathedral Basilica of ColimaMuseo Regional de Historia de ColimaVolcán Nevado de Colima National ParkTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoRayón National ParkCathedral of AtlacomulcoCalixtlahuacaParque Estatal Sierra MorelosManzanilloMetepec
Route from Manzanillo to Metepec with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance432 mi (696 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 10 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55
Mexican states on the routeColima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 17.3 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.

What the drive from Manzanillo to Metepec is like

MEX-15D (188 mi) and MEX-110 (107 mi) carry about 68% of the 432 miles. MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-15, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Manzanillo to Metepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–33Colima
MEX-2003–96Colima
MEX-200D9–3526Colima
connecting roads35–383Colima
MEX-11038–6325Colima
MEX-5463–707Colima
MEX-54D70–9424Colima, Jalisco
MEX-5494–10410Jalisco
MEX-110104–16864Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads168–1702Michoacán
MEX-15170–1766Michoacán
MEX-110176–19418Michoacán
connecting roads194–1984Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-15D198–386188Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
connecting roads386–3904State of Mexico
MEX-55D390–42434State of Mexico
MEX-55424–4295State of Mexico
local roads429–4323State of Mexico
  • Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 146 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 195 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 201 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 369 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)

Stops between Manzanillo and Metepec

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 389)
  • Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 83), Rayón National Park (mile 366), Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (mile 425)
  • Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 64), Museo Regional de Historia de Colima (mile 64), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 348), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 389), Calixtlahuaca (mile 424)

Museo Comunitario de la Sal

Mile 26 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

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.

Cathedral Basilica of Colima

Mile 64 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

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

Mile 64 · Museum · 2 mi from the route

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.

Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park

Mile 83 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Teatro Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 348 · Opera house · 1 mi from the route

Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.

Rayón National Park

Mile 366 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 389 · Catholic cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

Calixtlahuaca

Mile 424 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.

Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos

Mile 425 · Park · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

This Toluca park, one of the State of Mexico's protected natural areas, is home to more than 500 species of plants and animals. Families come for the axolotl center, bat house, small farm and jogging track.

When you get to Metepec

Fine Arts Museum of Toluca

Museum · in Metepec

Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.

Toluca Cathedral

Catholic cathedral · in Metepec

Begun in 1867 and finished only in 1978, Toluca's Cathedral of Saint Joseph has a neoclassical facade and a bronze statue of the saint on its dome. It also preserves the 18th-century baroque front of the former San Elzeario church.

Cosmovitral

Museum · in Metepec

Toluca's Cosmovitral wraps a botanical garden of more than 500 plant species in a huge stained-glass work designed by artist Leopoldo Flores. Light filtering through the colored glass sets the mood as you walk the garden paths.

More drives to Metepec

From Manzanillo to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Manzanillo to Metepec?

About 8 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 432 miles.

How far is Metepec from Manzanillo by car?

About 432 miles (696 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 Manzanillo to Metepec?

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 Manzanillo to Metepec?

The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Manzanillo to Metepec use?

In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-55D and MEX-55. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Manzanillo and Metepec?

Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 348, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 389, 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.