Tequila to Bernal Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tequila to Bernal is 291 miles (469 km), about 5 h 25 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Querétaro is the Mexican state that contains Bernal. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo de CeraParque Walt DisneyMuseo Regional de la CerámicaPlazuelasTequila CorralejoCelaya CathedralCerro de las CampanasClaustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio ConinEl Cimatario National ParkTequilaBernal
Route from Tequila to Bernal with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance291 mi (469 km)
Driving time, no stops5 h 25 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-110 → MEX-90 → MEX-45D → MEX-57D → QRO 4 → QRO 100
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-45D, MEX-57D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 11.7 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.

What the drive from Tequila to Bernal is like

MEX-15D (93 mi) and MEX-45D (67 mi) carry about 55% of the 291 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-45D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-110, MEX-90 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Tequila to Bernal, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Jalisco
MEX-15D4–2521Jalisco
MEX-1525–3611Jalisco
MEX-15D36–10872Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads108–1091Michoacán
MEX-110109–14435Michoacán, Guanajuato
MEX-90144–19046Guanajuato
MEX-45D190–25767Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D257–26811Querétaro
QRO 4268–28820Querétaro
QRO 100288–2913Querétaro
  • Mile 104 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 135 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 249 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)

Stops between Tequila and Bernal

  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 42), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 255), El Cimatario National Park (mile 260)
  • Museums and history: Museo de Cera (mile 40), Museo Regional de la Cerámica (mile 44), Plazuelas (mile 152), Celaya Cathedral (mile 228)

Museo de Cera

Mile 40 · Wax museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

On the Plaza de la Liberación in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo de Cera has 12 rooms with more than 130 wax figures of athletes, singers, actors, politicians and religious figures. It opened in 1994.

Parque Walt Disney

Mile 42 · Park · 1 mi from the route

Despite sharing a name with Walt Disney, this recreational space in Guadalajara's Colonia Olímpica has no direct theme tied to Disney's amusement parks.

Museo Regional de la Cerámica

Mile 44 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

On Calle Independencia in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the town's two main ceramics museums.

Plazuelas

Mile 152 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.

Tequila Corralejo

Mile 167 · Distillery · 1 mi from the route

Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.

Celaya Cathedral

Mile 228 · Church building · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.

Cerro de las Campanas

Mile 255 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.

Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin

Mile 255 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The Cloister of San Felipe Neri in central Querétaro was part of the Oratorian convent and stands beside the Templo de San Felipe Neri, now the city's cathedral.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 260 · National Park of Mexico · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

More drives to Bernal

From Tequila to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tequila to Bernal?

About 5 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 291 miles.

How far is Bernal from Tequila by car?

About 291 miles (469 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 Tequila to Bernal?

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 Tequila to Bernal?

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

What roads does the drive from Tequila to Bernal use?

In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-110, MEX-90, MEX-45D, MEX-57D, QRO 4 and QRO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tequila and Bernal?

Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Cerámica (museum, mile 44, 1 mi from the route); Cerro de las Campanas (National Park of Mexico, mile 255, 1 mi from the route); Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin (convent, mile 255, 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 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.