Tequila, Jalisco: Make it a great day-trip!

Tequila is a small town in Guadalajara where the world-famous drink was born. Here’s all you need to know to plan your Tequila day trip from Guadalajara!

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Tequila is the birthplace of the most iconic drink in all of Mexico. It is also a charming, small town that you can explore and enjoy even if you’re not much of a tequila drinker. 😉

If you’re visiting Guadalajara, you have got to add a Tequila day trip to your list of activities. It’s only an hour away from the Guadalajara city center!

I’ll be differentiating Tequila (the city) and tequila (the drink) throughout this article.

The region where Tequila is located is filled with blue agave, the primary ingredient to make tequila, the drink. In fact, the history and popularity of the drink have made Tequila and the region around it a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Tequila is considered a Pueblo Mágico, and it is in my top 10 Pueblos Mágicos in all of Mexico!

In Tequila, aside from drinking tequila, you can do a variety of things:

• Take a tour and learn about the process to make tequila
• Take an Instagram-worthy photo with the agaves
• Tequila tasting
• Eat the street food
• Go shopping!

History of tequila, the drink

Before we jump into the details of the adventure, let’s get the historical context.

Simply put, Tequila is the birthplace of the most iconic drink in all of Mexico.

Native to this region, the agave plant was used by the pre-Hispanic natives. Using the sugars in the heart of this plant, they used it to make a fermented drink.

Once the Spaniards arrived (circa 1521, soon after Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztecs) , they took this beverage from the natives and they distilled it ultimately producing the drink we know today.

So tequila is actually a joint result from both the native pre-Hispanic people and the Spaniards. So tequila, as most of the Mexican culture and traditions, is the result of these two groups getting together! 😊

In fact, the term ‘tequila‘ is actually protected by the Mexican government, with its use limited to the beverage produced with agave grown in certain regions (Jalisco, Michoacán, and a few others).

Tour a distillery: get the full scoop

The tours of the distilleries in Tequila are a must do because they will offer the following:

• Step-by-step explanation how how tequila is made
• Showcase of the facilities and equipment used to produce tequila
• An opportunity to taste the fiber (or cane) of the agave
• Tequila tasting
• Some even include a ‘tasting’ class, which walks you through the different types as well as how & when you drink them

Here are three of the several distilleries found in Tequila that offer tours:

• José Cuervo
• Casa Sauza
• Herradura

Double-check on the tour availability via their website during the COVID restrictions. In general, most tours anywhere will include:

• The tour of the facilities where they make the tequila
• Tour of the agave fields (these may vary from distillery to distillery)
• Tequila tastings – some are more elaborate than others

What differentiates the larger distilleries is that the facilities are larger and generally better kept. You also want to keep an eye on which agave field they include in the tour (you want to make sure you ask if the agaves are large and not small, for example).

In general, though, you can buy different packages. Some, more economic ones may not include the tour to the agave fields, for instance. At José Cuervo, you can get a package that includes a tequila tasting session where they teach you about the types of tequila, how to drink them, etc., and you even get a certificate at the end. You’re practically getting out of there as a tequila sommelier. 😉

When choosing your tour, make sure you ask about the height of the agaves you visit. Some distilleries may take you to younger, hence smaller fields and your Instagram pictures may not have as much pop. 😉 The last tour we took, we got to go to El Mirador (the look out; GPS: 20°53’51.1″N 103°49’08.8″W). Aside from the amazing views, there were some good-sized agaves there!

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The town of Tequila

Tequila, like most small towns in Mexico, has a church and its main square. This is a great place to hang out, sip your beverage, eat a snack, and watch people walk by.

You may even get an opportunity to see the Voladores de Papantla do their aerial ritual right in front of the church, Parroquia Santiago Apostol. Note that this ritual is originally from Veracruz, and not Jalisco. It’s neat to get to see it here, nonetheless!

There are also many shops where you can buy souvenirs, and essentially spend an evening walking around and shopping.

The food in Tequila

There are several options for good food in Tequila. Aside from the restaurants, there’s two options I recommend:

• Street food outside of the market
• Sitting down and eating at the market

The advantage of eating street food aside from being very tasty is that it is fast. If you’re short in time, this can be a delicious and speedy option 😉

I got to celebrate my birthday at the market. It was an awesome experience! The market is a relatively small block with a center patio. There’s restaurants surrounding the center patio. My wife and friends brought a small band from the outside to play while we were eating. Talk about a moment to remember!

In addition to the street food, you can find cantaritos (small, clay-like barrels). They’re essentially tequila-based beverages that you can buy and drink while you stroll along the small town.

Alternatively, you can check out the local restaurants. La Antigua Casona was good, and had great ambience!

Logistics and how to get there

Getting to Tequila can be an experience in and of itself. There’s the José Cuervo Express® train, which departs from the Guadalajara Train Station (Ferromex) on Saturdays every 2 weeks. You can buy different packages for the ride, which could include the tour and visits to agave fields, among other things. There’s tequila on-board, and, if you’re into it, the party adventure can begin there.

Tequila Herradura Express is another train option. This train, too, is available only on Saturdays.

Generally, I like to drive to Tequila from Guadalajara. Since this is usually a part of one of my road trips, I simply extend the adventure there. It gives an opportunity to stop by the shops that are on the way there and enjoy them. This is how we got to taste camote de cerro (literally translated as “hill sweet potato”). It was a delicious raw sweet potato snack with powder chili and lime. Yum! 😋

If you are visiting Guadalajara, be sure to include a Tequila day trip in your list activities. Check my blog post on Guadalajara for other fun ideas!

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Please let me know what you think about this trip and about this article in the comments section below. I love to hear about other’s travel experiences and share tips!

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