Jalisco, estado (state), west-central Mexico. It is bounded by the states of Nayarit to the northwest, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes to the north, San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato to the east, and Michoacán and Colima to the south and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. Políticas de uso y privacidad Acerca de este portal Plataforma Nacional de Transparencia Gobierno de Jalisco © 2026 Malecón Boardwalk, Zona Romántica, Beaches, Flea & Street Markets.

Understanding the Context

See what other travelers like to do, based on ratings and number of bookings. Book these experiences for a close-up look at Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta's Best Canopy Zipline + Jorullo Bridge walk! Planning a Jalisco trip?

Key Insights

This guide shows how to connect Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Tequila, Lake Chapala, and the mountain towns into one realistic route — with what each place is best for, how many days to spend, and when the trip works best. Jalisco is where many travelers find the Mexico they had in mind before arriving: mariachi in Guadalajara, blue agave fields around Tequila ... The state Jalisco (see map) has an area of 78,609 square kilometers and a population of 7,070,555 (2010 estimate). The state’s capital city is Guadalajara, Mexico’s second largest city (2009 population: 4,365,000). Map of the state of Jalisco, including Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and ...

Final Thoughts

Jalisco is one of Mexico’s cultural powerhouses. It is the birthplace of tequila and mariachi, home to Guadalajara, and one of the most diverse travel states in the country. Many well–known Mexican icons—including sombreros, rodeos, the Mexican Hat Dance and mariachi music—originated in culture–rich Jalisco. It’s also the birthplace of tequila. The state is the...