The Wayro route from Pénjamo to San Francisco is 280 miles (450 km), about 4 h 52 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 280 mi (450 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 4 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.2 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.
How the Pénjamo to San Francisco drive plays out
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-110 (23 mi) carry about 58% of the 280 miles. It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-90D, MEX-15D and MEX-70D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Pénjamo to San Francisco
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–16 | 16 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 16–29 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 29–52 | 23 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 52–127 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 127–136 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 136–201 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 201–235 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 235–254 | 19 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 254–268 | 14 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 268–278 | 10 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 278–280 | 2 | Nayarit |
- Mile 28 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 57 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 185 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pénjamo and San Francisco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 125), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 194)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 125), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 263)
- Museums and history: Plazuelas (mile 8), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 116), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 119), Guachimontones (mile 150), National Museum of Tequila (mile 156), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 194)
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
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.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Inside Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, the Museum of Paleontology opened in 2000 as one of only a few Mexican museums devoted to fossils, with exhibits developed with Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
Better known as El Perpetuo Socorro, this Guadalajara church is home to a Passionist convent that has housed the order's postulants since 2020.
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
Western Mexico's first large population center, according to INAH, took shape near Teuchitlán around 1000 BC. Guachimontones stands out for its round architecture, with roughly 40 circular structures across the site.
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.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
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
- León to San Francisco
- Aguascalientes to San Francisco
From Pénjamo to other places in Mexico
- Pénjamo to Cotija
- Pénjamo to Amatitán
- Pénjamo to Tequila
- Pénjamo to Pinos
- Pénjamo to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Pénjamo to Pabellón de Hidalgo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pénjamo to San Francisco?
About 4 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 280 miles.
How far is San Francisco from Pénjamo by car?
About 280 miles (450 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 Pénjamo 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 Pénjamo to San Francisco?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not 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 Pénjamo to San Francisco?
In order: MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Pénjamo to San Francisco?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 116, 1 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 125, 0.9 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 194, 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.