TEQUILA AND OCEAN TIDES IN JALISCO |
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If you close your eyes and picture a stereotypical scene from Mexico, it probably has some elements from the state of Jalisco. Maybe your mind's eye conjures up mariachi music, people sipping tequila or someone performing the Mexican hat dance. They all have roots in the area around the state capital of Guadalajara — and then when you head west, Jalisco wows you with 200-plus miles of coastline, with some of the country's best beaches. Guadalajara is one of Mexico's largest cities and its main tech hub, but the metropolis only receives a fraction of the annual visitors of Mexico City, so it still feels like your own discovery. The city itself has a grand cathedral from the early 1600s and a main square with pedestrian streets and cafés branching out from there. There are also some intriguing museums, such as the Cabañas Cultural Institute, where a chapel features some of José Clemente Orozco's mural masterpieces. One of Jalisco's best-known industries has plenty of tourist appeal, however: The majority of Mexico's tequila comes from a region centered around the imposing yet inactive Tequila Volcano. Tequila is an actual town, too. Located about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Guadalajara, it's designated by the nation's tourism board as one of Mexico's 132 "magic towns," a place where you can do distillery tastings, visit cantinas and listen to mariachi after strolling past the main church, Parroquia Santiago Apóstol. Two of Mexico's few passenger train lines run out to this area: the José Cuervo Express and the Tequila Herradura Express, both offering a full-day experience centered around the spirit. Some distilleries in the Los Altos highlands are also open to visitors. This area, starting about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Guadalajara, produces tequila that is more floral, with less of a bite, thanks to growing altitudes above 6,500 feet (about 2,000 meters). Make some time for a trip to the Guachimontones ruins near Teuchitlán, an hour west of the capital city. There you'll see a different kind of pyramid: These are circular instead of square. Then head to the coast for some beach time, whether in hopping Puerto Vallarta or in a more secluded spot farther south in the upscale Costalegre region, where the Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo opened. There's plenty to do on the water, in the jungle or in the city of Puerto Vallarta itself, including admiring the sculptures on the long promenade by the sea. |
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Guadalajara sits 5,100 feet (1,550 meters) above sea level, but Jalisco state extends from sea level at Puerto Vallarta and Costalegre up to nearly 14,000 feet (4,260 meters) in the rugged mountains that rise up nearby. The coast is worth a visit year-round, but there's a higher chance of rain (and murkier water) from July through September. |
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Guadalajara's historic center and cathedral Cabañas Cultural Institute Tapatía Plaza Colonia Americana nightlife Puerto Vallarta Town of Tequila | | Templo Expiatorio Tlaquepaque Huichol Wixárika Art Museum Yelapa Costalegre Guachimontones |
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Guadalajara's historic center and cathedral Cabañas Cultural Institute Tapatía Plaza Colonia Americana nightlife Puerto Vallarta Town of Tequila |
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Templo Expiatorio Tlaquepaque Huichol Wixárika Art Museum Yelapa Costalegre Guachimontones |
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Paulina Gómez sommelier and chef at Bajo Fuego Taller & Catering in Guadalajara |
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| "A well-kept secret in Jalisco is the gorgeous small town called Tapalpa, a 'magic town' that's a two-hour drive from Guadalajara. While you drive up the mountain you can enjoy the green panoramic views of the Sierra Madre. It has a beautiful waterfall called El Salto del Nogal, reached via a 40-minute hike surrounded by pine trees. The town itself has a pretty main church and you can enjoy street corn, churros with dulce de leche, tostadas or tacos in the plaza. Tapalpa is known for a mysterious site with huge rocks called 'Piedrotas' and a local alcoholic beverage made with pomegranate." |
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Casa Kimberly/Hacienda San Angel |
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These two boutique hotels in downtown Puerto Vallarta share the same owner, and both formerly belonged to actor Richard Burton. Casa Kimberly is in two buildings once occupied by him and Elizabeth Taylor, while Hacienda San Angel was purchased for his third wife, Susan Hunt. The rooms still exude romance today, and the buildings are brimming with Spanish Colonial antiques and colorful tile work, including at the swimming pools. |
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Ranked as one of the top restaurants in Latin America, Francisco "Paco" Ruano's Alcalde has been wowing Guadalajara diners since 2013. Featuring ingredients mostly sourced from Jalisco, the Basque-trained chef's highly photogenic dishes are a modern take on seasonal cuisine inspired by the meals of his childhood. The 10-course tasting menu — which includes insects, cow tongue and bone marrow — will appeal to the most adventurous diners. |
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Sloppy but tasty, this "drowned sub sandwich" is touted as a hangover cure but is worth ordering no matter what state you're in. The main ingredient is slow-cooked pulled pork, or carnitas, on a crusty baguette-like roll that can stand up to the spicy tomato sauce that drowns it. Traditionally, the only additions are onion, cilantro and lime on the side. |
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Movies filmed in Jalisco go from the highbrow ("The Night of the Iguana") to lowbrow ("Beverly Hills Chihuahua"), and a few such as "Predator" have used the jungles to good effect. Guadalajara plays a starring role in the first season of the popular Netflix show "Narcos Mexico," and Jalisco is the setting for much of "Monarca," about a scheming tequila-producing family. |
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| You'll find variations on the classic shrimp cocktail across Mexico, but a spicy kick is a must, Eva Longoria says. Fresh avocado balances the spiciness. Longoria said her dad would double (!) the amount of hot sauce called for in her version, shared in the cookbook "Eva's Kitchen," but you can adjust the hot sauce to your own taste. Try Longoria's recipe here. |
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Recipe image from the book "Eva's Kitchen: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends" by Eva Longoria and Marah Stets. Copyright © 2011 by Eva Longoria. Food photography © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. |
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