Plan on about 3 h 30 min of driving for the 199-mile (320 km) trip from Tepatitlán to Chacala, before any stops.
| Distance | 199 mi (320 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 3 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.9 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.
Driving Tepatitlán to Chacala: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (78 mi) and MEX-80D (38 mi) carry about 58% of the 199 miles. It runs through 2 states: Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-80D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Tepatitlán to Chacala: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 2–40 | 38 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 40–53 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 53–62 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 62–127 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 127–161 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 161–179 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 179–185 | 6 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 185–193 | 8 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 193–199 | 6 | Nayarit |
- Mile 110 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Chacala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 91), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 121)
- Nature and outdoors: Agua Azul (mile 45), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 51), Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 185)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 42), Guachimontones (mile 75), National Museum of Tequila (mile 81), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 91), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 121)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 47)
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Ceramics lovers in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, can find the Museo Regional de la Cerámica on Independencia Street. Along with the Pantaleón Panduro Museum, it is one of the city's two principal pottery museums.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.
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.
National Museum of Tequila
Jalisco's state government took back the National Museum of Tequila in 2026, announcing a reopening with refreshed displays. The museum, known as MUNAT, tells the story of the spirit in the town that shares its name.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
Agave landscapes and mining are the twin themes of the Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum in the municipality of Magdalena.
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
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.
More drives to Chacala
- Tequila to Chacala
- Amatitán to Chacala
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Chacala
- Mazatlán to Chacala
- Nochistlán to Chacala
- San Juan de los Lagos to Chacala
From Tepatitlán to other places in Mexico
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to Calvillo
- Tepatitlán to Real de Asientos
- Tepatitlán to Jerez, Zacatecas
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tepatitlán to Chacala?
About 3 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 199 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tepatitlán to Chacala?
About 199 miles (320 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 Tepatitlán to Chacala?
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 Tepatitlán to Chacala?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tepatitlán to Chacala use?
In order: MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepatitlán and Chacala?
Closest to the road: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 51, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 91, 0.5 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 121, 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.