Tequila to Oaxtepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tequila to Oaxtepec is 404 miles (650 km), about 7 h 14 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Morelos is the Mexican state that contains Oaxtepec. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Statue of Minerva, GuadalajaraMuseo de CeraParque Walt DisneyRayón National ParkCathedral of AtlacomulcoFine Arts Museum of TolucaLa Marquesa National ParkTepoztlán Ex Convento MuseumTequilaOaxtepec
Route from Tequila to Oaxtepec with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance404 mi (650 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 14 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 16.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 Oaxtepec is like

MEX-15D (275 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 76% of the 404 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tequila to Oaxtepec, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Jalisco
MEX-15D4–2521Jalisco
MEX-1525–3611Jalisco
MEX-15D36–290254Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico
connecting roads290–2933State of Mexico
MEX-55D293–32734State of Mexico
MEX-55327–3325State of Mexico
local roads332–3386State of Mexico
connecting roads338–3391State of Mexico
EM 44339–3478State of Mexico
connecting roads347–3503State of Mexico
local roads350–3544State of Mexico
MEX-200354–3595State of Mexico
local roads359–37314State of Mexico, Morelos
connecting roads373–3807Morelos
MEX-95D380–3866Morelos
MEX-160D386–40216Morelos
local roads402–4042Morelos
  • Mile 104 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 272 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 365 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)

Stops between Tequila and Oaxtepec

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 38), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 291), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 331), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 391)
  • Nature and outdoors: Parque Walt Disney (mile 42), Rayón National Park (mile 268), La Marquesa National Park (mile 347)
  • Museums and history: Museo de Cera (mile 40), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 291), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 331), Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 391)

Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara

Mile 38 · Statue · 0.8 mi from the route

At a roundabout fountain in Guadalajara, a bronze statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, stands on a large pedestal inscribed with the names of 18 notable citizens.

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.

Rayón National Park

Mile 268 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 291 · Catholic cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.

Fine Arts Museum of Toluca

Mile 331 · Museum · 0.9 mi from the route

Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.

La Marquesa National Park

Mile 347 · National Park of Mexico · 11 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.

Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum

Mile 391 · Museum · 0.5 mi from the route

Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.

When you get to Oaxtepec

Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán

Convent · in Oaxtepec

In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.

Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan

Convent · in Oaxtepec

Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.

More drives to Oaxtepec

From Tequila to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tequila to Oaxtepec?

About 7 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 404 miles.

How far is Oaxtepec from Tequila by car?

About 404 miles (650 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 Oaxtepec?

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 Oaxtepec?

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

What roads does the drive from Tequila to Oaxtepec use?

In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tequila and Oaxtepec?

Closest to the road: Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (statue, mile 38, 0.8 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 291, 0.4 mi from the route); Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 391, 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 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.