San Blas to Angangueo Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 12 October, 2026

By road, San Blas and Angangueo are about 401 miles (646 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 50 min of driving.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Nayarit — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Michoacán is the Mexican state that contains Angangueo. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Tepic CathedralMuseo Amado NervoIxtlán del RioNational Museum of TequilaGuachimontonesBasílica de San Felipe NeriMuseo del Tequila y el MariachiMuseo Regional de la Ceramica, TlaquepaqueTeatro Morelos de MaravatíoSan BlasAngangueo
Route from San Blas to Angangueo with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance401 mi (646 km)
Time at the wheel, no stops6 h 50 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-76D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MICH 122
Mexican states on the routeNayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán
Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap)MEX-76D, MEX-15D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.1 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.

The San Blas–Angangueo drive in a few lines

MEX-15D (331 mi) and MEX-76D (20 mi) carry about 88% of the 401 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-76D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

Roads you'll take from San Blas to Angangueo

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–77Nayarit
MEX-76D7–2720Nayarit
MEX-15D27–144117Nayarit, Jalisco
MEX-15144–15511Jalisco
MEX-15D155–369214Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads369–3712Michoacán
MICH 122371–38413Michoacán
local roads384–40117Michoacán
  • Mile 96 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 223 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)

What to see on the way from San Blas to Angangueo

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 370)
  • Museums and history: Tepic Cathedral (mile 33), Museo Amado Nervo (mile 33), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), National Museum of Tequila (mile 124), Guachimontones (mile 130), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 159), Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi (mile 159), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 163), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 370)

Tepic Cathedral

Mile 33 · Cathedral · 1 mi from the route

Serving the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also called Tepic Cathedral, stands on the main square in the heart of the city.

Museo Amado Nervo

Mile 33 · Biographical museum · 2 mi from the route

Poet Amado Nervo was born on August 27, 1870, in this mid-19th-century house in downtown Tepic, which opened as a museum dedicated to him on April 27, 1970.

Ixtlán del Rio

Mile 85 · Archaeological site · 0.5 mi from the route

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.

National Museum of Tequila

Mile 124 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The National Museum of Tequila (MUNAT) in the town of Tequila tells the story of the spirit that put this corner of Jalisco on the map. The state government took it back in 2026 and announced a reopening with refreshed exhibits.

Guachimontones

Mile 130 · Archaeological site · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Basílica de San Felipe Neri

Mile 159 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi

Mile 159 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi is a space devoted to showing and sharing the culture of tequila and mariachi, both part of Mexico's heritage and cultural identity.

Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque

Mile 163 · 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 Morelos de Maravatío

Mile 370 · Opera house · 0.2 mi from the route

Opera singer Ángela Peralta performed at the opening of Maravatío's Teatro Morelos on January 11, 1879. Architect Rafael Guerrero Torres designed the building in a neoclassical style with French influence.

In Angangueo itself

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve

Biosphere reserve · in Angangueo

Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

More drives to Angangueo

From San Blas to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from San Blas to Angangueo?

About 6 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 401 miles.

How far is Angangueo from San Blas by car?

About 401 miles (646 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 San Blas to Angangueo?

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 San Blas to Angangueo?

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

Which highways go from San Blas to Angangueo?

In order: MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-15 and MICH 122. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between San Blas and Angangueo?

Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 85, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 163, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 370, 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.