My in-laws have a true, deep, and ever-lasting love for travel. They will venture to places known and unknown, and they are not deterred by places that others would caution against. They are genuinely curious. They are seasoned travelers, and if there is a place that they want to visit, they set their intent and figure it out. They have seen much of the world, some of it independently, some of it with others, much of it multiple times, and all of it with their sights set on adventure. And it was with a sense of adventure that we set out for a trip to Jalisco, Mexico together.


My father-in-law wanted to see Los Altos de Jalisco, and by his own account, he knew very little about the area. His methods are “old-school.” He’ll arrive at a place, asking for a map and local recommendations. His methods have served him well for 60+ years. My husband and I, our methods are “new-er school,” so we both arrived armed with cell phones and international data plans. I like to research a place before I go, checking the weather, reading hotel reviews, noting possible sights, both online and in books. But before our trip, I could find very little information about Los Altos. So we all embarked on this trip, old and new methods married, none of us certain of what we would find. If you can’t bear to read to the end – we were all so very pleasantly surprised.

We booked arrival and departure flights and reserved rooms for the first two nights, and that was it. Ordinarily, I would be a little uneasy without a plan, a rough outline, or even a shell of a trip. But this time, I was comfortable knowing that the worst-case-scenario, would be an adventure!

Guadalajara
A big city, buzzing with energy! It offers something for everyone, boasting fine restaurants and premier accommodations, or walk up taco trucks and casual budget hotels.

We toured the city on a double-decker bus – then circled back on foot. We cooled off in the Instituto Cultural Cabañas museum, and we explored the packed San Juan de Dios Mercado Libertad. We were invited to Perla de Occidente, an Escaramuza school, for their mid-day rehearsal. Escaramuza is a long-held tradition of horsemanship (horsegirlship more accurately). The young women and their horses were remarkably skilled – flawlessly executing a precise and graceful performance in an expansive arena.

There were several more highlights just outside of the city center. Tlaquepaque and Tonalá (30 minutes from Guadalajara), are well-known for textiles & home decorations. We shopped while savoring croissants, and we chilled with ice cream! And further South of Guadalajara, we found Los 3 Potrillos, the ranch and home of famed mariachi, Vicente Fernández. They offer a free and informal tour of the grounds, an introduction to the gorgeous collection of show horses, and a glimpse of the peacocks roaming around the guitar-shaped pool.

Los Altos de Jalisco
After exploring Guadalajara, we began our adventure to Los Altos de Jalisco. We narrowed down our stops, and selected Tepatitlan de Morelos (Tepa to the locals) as our base. The drive to Tepa was easy, with beautiful vistas of developed ranch land covering the Altos. We saw mature and lush fields, pastures of cows, horses & goats, chicken coops for days (it is the Ciudad de Huevos!), and agave plants for miles.

Tepa is a well-developed small town, with handsome street-side homes, a wooden church clock tower, free weekend evening concerts in the square (Plaza de Armas), and locals that are clearly proud of their heritage.

From Tepa, we took day trips to Jalostotitlan, San Miguel de Alto, Arandas, and Atotonilco. We strolled the streets, admired the churches, enjoyed the beautiful squares, shopped in the sidewalk markets, and snacked at every chance. Arandas and Atononilco were my favorites! La Barca had been a planned stop on our way out of the Altos. But based on advice from locals, as well as a quick search of the US Government’s travel precautions, we changed plans and avoided the area completely. Instead, we took a longer route to Lake Chapala for an overnight stay in the charming lake town that is a tranquil respite from the city of Guadalajara.

Tequila
Our final nights were spent in the town of Tequila, and I absolutely LOVED it! We stopped at Tequilera Arette for a private tour of the small batch tequila distillery. Arette was immaculate, they have a great story to tell, and to see the process up close and personal was extra-special. We sampled their finest in the beautiful tasting room, and soon realized that the scent of roasting and steaming agave (similar to sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving – YUMMMM!) would fill the late afternoon air.

The town of Tequila is endearing. We skipped the organized tours, and instead opted to meander and taste on our own. The Museo Los Abuelos offers a glimpse into the history of tequila making, and the food stalls near the Parroquia Santiago Apostol offered something for everyone – sopes, tacos, and tamales, oh my!

Jalisco felt like the intersection of something familiar and also unknown. We went not knowing what to expect, we left enamored, and we’re pretty determined to go back (to Tequila for sure!).