Plan on about 5 h 24 min of driving for the 313-mile (504 km) trip from San Blas to Santa Fe de la Laguna, before any stops.
| Total distance | 313 mi (504 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-76D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MICH 39 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-76D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
Driving San Blas to Santa Fe de la Laguna: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (241 mi) and MEX-15 (33 mi) carry about 88% of the 313 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-76D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect San Blas and Santa Fe de la Laguna
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Nayarit |
| MEX-76D | 7–27 | 20 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 27–144 | 117 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 144–155 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 155–279 | 124 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| MICH 39 | 279–291 | 12 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 291–313 | 22 | Michoacán |
- 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 154)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 154)
- Museums and history: Tepic Cathedral (mile 33), Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 33), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), National Museum of Tequila (mile 124), Guachimontones (mile 130), Museo de las Artes Populares de Jalisco (mile 159), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 163)
Tepic Cathedral
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 Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
National Museum of Tequila
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
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Zapopan's Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Jalisco with a busy event calendar that includes open-air film screenings, live concerts and food festivals.
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.
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.
Arriving in Santa Fe de la Laguna
Church and ex monastery of San Francisco, Tzintzuntzan
Tzintzuntzan's Franciscan complex, begun in 1570, centers on an atrium of centuries-old olive trees, the plateresque Church of San Francisco from 1601 and a cloister with painted walls, plus a museum.
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
More drives to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Pedro Escobedo to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Amatitán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Cadereyta to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Tequila to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Zimapán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Santa Fe de la Laguna
From San Blas to other places in Mexico
- San Blas to Teúl de González Ortega
- San Blas to Temacapulín
- San Blas to Barra de Navidad
- San Blas to Comala
- San Blas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- San Blas to Boca de Pascuales
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Blas to Santa Fe de la Laguna?
About 5 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 313 miles.
What is the driving distance from San Blas to Santa Fe de la Laguna?
About 313 miles (504 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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.
What roads does the drive from San Blas to Santa Fe de la Laguna use?
In order: MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-15 and MICH 39. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Blas and Santa Fe de la Laguna?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 85, 0.5 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 154, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 163, 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.