Matehuala to Tequila Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Matehuala to Tequila is about 362 road miles (583 km): roughly 6 h 49 min at the wheel if you don't stop.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: San Luis Potosí — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Tequila. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Teatro de la PazCentro de las Artes de San Luis PotosíMuseo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín RiveraTeatro José Rosas MorenoCathedral Basilica of San Juan de los LagosTeocaltitan Archaeological SiteMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueTeatro DegolladoMuseo Regional de GuadalajaraMatehualaTequila
Route from Matehuala to Tequila with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance362 mi (583 km)
Drive time without stops6 h 49 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-70 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15
Mexican states on the routeSan Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco
Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap)MEX-57D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 14.5 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.

Driving Matehuala to Tequila: the shape of the trip

MEX-80D (127 mi) and MEX-57 (94 mi) carry about 61% of the 362 miles. It runs through 3 states: San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-80D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Matehuala to Tequila, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22San Luis Potosí
MEX-572–8078San Luis Potosí
MEX-57D80–10121San Luis Potosí
MEX-57101–11716San Luis Potosí
local roads117–12710San Luis Potosí
MEX-57D127–1369San Luis Potosí
MEX-70136–15317San Luis Potosí
MEX-80153–1574San Luis Potosí
MEX-80D157–19841San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-80198–23133Jalisco
MEX-80D231–31786Jalisco
MEX-15D317–32912Jalisco
MEX-15329–3389Jalisco
MEX-15D338–36022Jalisco
local roads360–3622Jalisco
  • Mile 163 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 174 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)

What to see on the way from Matehuala to Tequila

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 208), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 208)
  • Museums and history: Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí (mile 119), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 208), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 208), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 237), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 244), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 318), Teatro Degollado (mile 322), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 322)

Teatro de la Paz

Mile 119 · Theater · 1 mi from the route

Built between 1889 and 1894 and opened on December 4, 1894, San Luis Potosí's Teatro de la Paz is a historic monument listed by INAH.

Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí

Mile 119 · 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 de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera

Mile 208 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

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

Teatro José Rosas Moreno

Mile 208 · Opera house · 0.3 mi from the route

Lagos de Moreno's Teatro José Rosas Moreno opened its doors on May 5, 1907, some forty years after construction began in 1867. It honors a writer from Jalisco.

Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos

Mile 237 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.

Teocaltitan Archaeological Site

Mile 244 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread over roughly nine hectares at Teocaltitán, close to Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region.

Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque

Mile 318 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.

Teatro Degollado

Mile 322 · Opera house · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo Regional de Guadalajara

Mile 322 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.

In Tequila itself

National Museum of Tequila

Museum · in 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.

More drives to Tequila

From Matehuala to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from Matehuala to Tequila?

About 6 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.

How far is Tequila from Matehuala by car?

About 362 miles (583 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 Matehuala to Tequila?

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 Matehuala to Tequila?

The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Matehuala to Tequila use?

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

What are good stops between Matehuala and Tequila?

Closest to the road: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 208, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 208, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 318, 1 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.