Discover the spirit of Mexico: visiting Tequila, Jalisco

Explore, discover, taste

Senior WriterLos Angeles

JUNE 12, 2023 10:09 AM EDTJUN 12, 2023, 10:09 AM EDT

The first day of Summer is around the corner, and with the summer solstice comes the time for fun in the sun. If you enjoy and appreciate the sweet taste of tequila and want to appreciate its cultural, spiritual, and rich history, you should consider visiting Tequila, Mexico. Nestled in Jalisco, the Pueblo Mágico or “magical towns” is recognized worldwide as the birthplace of tequila and is a World Heritage Site protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Tequila, Jalisco — Tequila is a distilled spirit that is primarily made from the blue agave plant, specifically the Weber blue agave, which is native to Mexico.

Tequila enthusiasts, history buffs, and those interested in Mexican culture should add this location to their bucket list and discover the centuries-old process of harvesting, cooking, fermenting, and distilling agave. Tequila can only be produced in specific regions of Mexico, mainly the state of Jalisco and limited areas of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.

Visiting a new destination is exciting but can be stressful. Luckily, we know how to plan the perfect trip to Tequila, where you can visit the oldest distillery in Latin America, La Rojeña, experience a tequila tasting led by a master, stroll through the magical and beautiful agave fields, and more..

MEXICO ECONOMY AGAVE TEQUILA — Tequila can only be produced in specific regions of Mexico, mainly the state of Jalisco

How to get to Mexico

The best way to get to Tequila is to fly into the Guadalajara airport. Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco and is beautiful. Founded in 1542 in the Atemajac Valley, it has numerous landmarks you can visit before or after the trip to Tequila and is home to many Mexican cultural traditions including mariachi, tequila, and birria.

You can spend the night at hotels like Bellwort Hotel before making your way into Tequila. If you have time to grab dinner and enough energy to go out, you can grab dinner at Bruna, which has an exclusive art gallery inside a beautiful garden, and a stunning layout. After dinner, you can dance the night away at Amaro Records. The trendy bar has a DJ, and walls covered in records. Their cocktails are delicious too. Next door is Jamaica GoGo, a speakeasy. It has an outdoor area and an indoor area with DJS that you can dance the night away at. The decor and plants are like a tropical paradise.

Making your way to tequila

If you want to make a day trip to Tequila, you can ride the Jose Cuervo Express. The all-you-can-drink train (yes, really!) leaves from the Mexican Railway Station (Ferromex) in Guadalajara, Jalisco every Saturday. The 11-hour excursion will take you to the Tequila, Jalisco Train Station. It already has an itinerary so you don’t have to worry about making reservations.

Traveling the Tequila Agave landscape by train — Jose Cuervo Express

If you choose the Sunrise option, the train leaves at 9 am and will not wait for you! But if you get there at 8 they will give you free continental breakfast. You can reserve your tickets online and choose which level of priced ticket you want, (some of them come with food!). The train is beautiful and is a smooth ride with delicious cocktails that are never too sweet. You can take in sights of the towns and the miles of agave fields that spread throughout the state of Jalisco.

The trip includes an educational tasting guide, a trip to the Mundo Cuervo facilities, visit to the Juan Beckmann Gallardo Cultural Center and La Rojeña Factory.

Fábrica La Rojeña — The production process of tequila involves harvesting the blue agave plants, roasting them to release the sugars, extracting the juice, fermenting the juice, and distilling it to obtain the final product.

The Jose Cuervo La Rojeña is the oldest distillery in Mexico and guided tours take visitors through the agave fields, distillery facilities, and barrel aging rooms. The guides are always so knowledgeable and you can witness firsthand the craftsmanship that goes into each bottle of tequila.

You’ll get the chance to see how tequila is made and appreciate the hard work of a jimador as they cut the leave of the agave. A process is known as Jima.

The train will return back to Guadalajara and you’ll be able to grab a drink or late-night snack once you’re back.

Alternatives:

If you want to spend another day in Tequila and have a rental car or feel confident with public transportation, you can head to the town right after you land in Guadalajara. You can stay the night at a hotel, and reserve your reservations for activities around the town. Solar de Las Ánimas is right in the heart of the town of Tequila. The hotel’s design is based on a Creole colonial house and resembles Mexican architecture from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

You can enjoy brunch at your hotel or find a local restaurant, but if you are going to spend the day taste-testing at the distillery, make sure you have a good breakfast. You can reserve a tasting and tour of La Rojeña Factory, where they have private professional tasting in the expert tequila tasting rooms.

If you spend the night in Tequila there are other activities you can add to your itinerary. Like A stroll through the Historic Center of Tequila. You can admire the colonial architecture, visit the main square (Plaza Principal), and walk through the charming streets lined with colorful buildings, restaurants, and shops. You can also explore the National Museum of Tequila, with exhibits that chronicle the history of tequila production and its cultural significance.

There are also horseback riding opportunities in the stunning agave fields. If you’re an avid hiker, you can even reach the summit of the Tequila Volcano, one of the most iconic peaks in Jalisco, Mexico.