Advice for a trip to Guadalajara, Guanajuato, and San Miguel de Allende?

by philg

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  In our current era of real estate speculation and McMansions what could be more appropriate than to celebrate land theft and gluttony?  In 2005, however, a few of us have decided that perhaps we can get our 7000 daily calories without the biting cold weather and familial sturm und drang.  Where?  Mexico.


The plan is the following:



  • fly into Guadalajara on Sunday, November 20 (I might be alone in this town; I’m coming from helicopter school and cousins in Los Angeles)
  • catch a bus to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guanajuato on Tuesday, November 22 where most of the group (4-8 friends; not sure yet) will assemble
  • hire a couple of big taxis or catch a public bus to the gringo heaven of San Miguel on Nov 23 or 24
  • return home from the Leon-Guanajuato airport (BJX) on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 29

None of us have ever been to any of these towns so we’d be grateful for tips in any of the following areas:



  • things to do and see in the various towns
  • interesting English-speaking residents
  • good hotels
  • houses to rent in San Miguel (might be nice to have a big house to sleep 8 people complete with a staff to cook and clean)
  • a driver with a van and/or guide we could hire in San Miguel
  • language teachers in San Miguel

Please add your suggestions to the comments or email philg@mit.edu.  Thanks!

8 thoughts on “Advice for a trip to Guadalajara, Guanajuato, and San Miguel de Allende?”

  1. Very little english is spoken in San Miguel, essentially an american outpost. San Miguel is no good. You will find yourself longing for Guanajuato. When in Guanajuato, make sure you see los mumias. (Featured in the 1970s german version of Nosferatu.) Stay there, and take spanish classes at Escuela Mexicana. http://www.escuelamexicana.int.com.mx/ Trust me on this.

  3. The Lake Chapala area near Guadalajara is interesting, although the town of Ajijic is getting pretty gringofied. This is also within driving range of the town of Tequila, which is famous for one thing in particular :-). The Jose Cuervo distillery is just across the street from the Tequila museum.

    As for interesting people, Fred Reed (http://www.fredoneverything.net/index.html) is living in Guadalajara now. A recent column covers how to move to Mexico – see the August 9 column on the above website.

  4. Guanajuato is a great city, I visited there in 2003. The city is practically built into a ravine, so the downtown that is flat is pretty small, and the city goes steep uphill on both sides. Worth checking out (depending on your interests) would be:

    (1) The silver mines (some of the deepest around, I hear) You can probably see them from quite a ways off, they look like a large coliseum, which is just the opening of the shaft
    (2) The local university, which is quite beautiful architectually
    (3) Callejon del Beso, home of the local legend. It’s not a particularly thrilling spot, but you haven’t seen Guanajuato unless you’ve seen this. (http://www.donquijote.org/guanajuato/info.legends3.asp)
    (4) Diego Rivera Museum (if you’re into his art)
    (5) Mummy Museum (http://www.donquijote.org/guanajuato/museums.asp) This is a very interesting place, but it’s also very real, and a bit unsettling. Watch out for the tourist trappers outside the museum though.

    I didn’t spend as much time in the nearby town Leon (which is where the BJX airport is) but what time I did spend there I wasn’t impressed. Leon is like a less interesting version of Guanajuato.

  5. Any Spanish-speakers out there: is it incorrect to say “huevos” in the Spanish -speaking world when ordering eggs? Someone who does not speak Spanish once told me that one should say “huevo” so as to not sound like you’re speaking of testicles. Bullshit? I’m pretty sure it’s fine to order “huevos” and people won’t think you mean “balls.” Thanks.

  6. “Is it incorrect to say huevos”
    No, is not incorrect.
    Buy why in the world are you going to order only “huevos”? You need to specify the preparation. “estrellados, revueltos, a la mexicana, rancheros, divorciados, acapulque

  8. If you like shopping and/or Mexican crafts and furniture, go to Tlaquepaque and Tonola where there are markets. Great wrought iron work and things. I had some awesome street food there too.

    Also if you can catch the Ballet Folklorico in Guad. it is world famous.

    I stayed at the oldest hotel in Guadalajara. So if you are into colonial style check it out. Nice margaritas at happy hour 🙂 http://www.webtapatio.com/hotelfrances/

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