Plan on about 6 h 2 min of driving for the 352-mile (566 km) trip from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 352 mi (566 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 20 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 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 Puerto Vallarta–Pabellón de Hidalgo drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (86 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 45% of the 352 miles. It runs through 3 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 1–6 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200D | 6–59 | 53 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 59–111 | 52 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 111–177 | 66 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 177–189 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 189–209 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 209–211 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 211–284 | 73 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 284–285 | 1 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 285–297 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 297–310 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 310–340 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 340–343 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 343–348 | 5 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 20 | 348–351 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 351–352 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118), Teatro Morelos (mile 329), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 329)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49), Agua Azul (mile 193)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118), Guachimontones (mile 163), Museo de las Artes Populares de Jalisco (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 278), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 329)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
Ixtlán del Rio
A temple built on a completely round floor plan, unusual anywhere in Mesoamerica, is the highlight at the Ixtlán del Río archaeological site, which locals call Los Toriles. An introductory gallery explains the finds.
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.
Museo de las Artes Populares de Jalisco
Opened on May 31, 2000, in Guadalajara's historic center, this museum researches, safeguards and promotes the crafts and folk art of Jalisco.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
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.
Teatro Morelos
In downtown Aguascalientes, Teatro Morelos is a neoclassical theater designed and built by engineer José Noriega and opened in 1885. In October and November 1914 it hosted the Sovereign Revolutionary Convention.
Museo Regional de Aguascalientes
An early 20th-century building by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes holds this INAH museum of Aguascalientes history, with fossils, archaeological finds, colonial paintings by Juan Correa and more than 300 devotional ex-voto paintings.
Arriving in Pabellón de Hidalgo
Museo de la Insurgencia
Mexico's independence movement is the subject of the Museo de la Insurgencia, opened in 1964 inside a 17th-century estate. Exhibits include farm, mining and textile tools once used in hacienda work.
More drives to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Nombre de Dios to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Salto, Durango to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
From Puerto Vallarta to other places in Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta to Tecomán
- Puerto Vallarta to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Tepatitlán
- Puerto Vallarta to Nochistlán
- Puerto Vallarta to San Ignacio, Sinaloa, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Arteaga
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 6 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 352 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 352 miles (566 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 Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Hidalgo?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Hidalgo?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 118, 0.5 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theater, mile 329, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (history museum, mile 329, 0.2 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.