The Wayro route from San Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla is 309 miles (498 km), about 5 h 27 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 309 mi (498 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 → MEX-110 → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 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.
What the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla is like
MEX-54D (89 mi) and MEX-80D (81 mi) carry about 55% of the 309 miles. MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Jalisco, Colima. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from San Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 2–83 | 81 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 83–88 | 5 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 88–92 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 92–109 | 17 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 109–198 | 89 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 198–206 | 8 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 206–231 | 25 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 231–233 | 2 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 233–270 | 37 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 270–309 | 39 | Colima, Jalisco |
- Mile 190 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 286 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between San Juan de los Lagos and La Manzanilla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 242)
- Museums and history: Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 9), Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi (mile 88), El Ixtépete (mile 93), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 164), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 165), El Chanal (mile 201), Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar (mile 203), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 242)
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.
Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi
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.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
El Chanal
North of Colima city, this Postclassic settlement straddles the Colima River. Its ceremonial core holds temples, palaces, altars and a ballcourt, and digs revealed copper, silver and gold metalwork along with pottery and obsidian tools.
Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar
Founded by collector María Teresa Pomar and run by the University of Colima, this museum is dedicated to Mexican folk art and handcrafts (artesanía), with pieces from across the country as well as the traditions of Colima state.
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.
More drives to La Manzanilla
- San Luis Soyatlán to La Manzanilla
- Cotija to La Manzanilla
- Amatitán to La Manzanilla
- Tepatitlán to La Manzanilla
- Uruapan to La Manzanilla
- Pénjamo to La Manzanilla
From San Juan de los Lagos to other places in Mexico
- San Juan de los Lagos to Jerez, Zacatecas
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sombrerete
- San Juan de los Lagos to Nombre de Dios
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Salto, Durango
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla?
About 5 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 309 miles.
How far is La Manzanilla from San Juan de los Lagos by car?
About 309 miles (498 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 Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla?
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 Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to La Manzanilla use?
In order: MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D, MEX-54, MEX-110, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between San Juan de los Lagos and La Manzanilla?
Closest to the road: El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 93, 1 mi from the route); Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar (art gallery, mile 203, 1 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 242, 0.4 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.