Jalisco’s capital metropolis, Guadalajara, is an envoy for the nation. It’s wealthy within the vivid Mexican traditions which might be seared into the collective creativeness of tens of millions of worldwide vacationers: Guadalajara is dwelling to the brassy sounds of mariachi, the pageantry of charrería (the forerunner of American rodeo), the wealthy taste of birria and numerous different dishes—and it acts as a gateway to tequila country. The timeless fantastic thing about the town spans from its mix of neoclassical buildings, Spanish Renaissance cathedrals, and historic houses which might be shining examples of Mexican modernism. But it isn’t caught previously, both. Of late, Guadalajara has seen the expansion of a vibrant bar scene that’s gained worldwide recognition, alongside a thriving design culture. With all this curiosity, it is no shock that an enlargement of the Guadalajara International Airport is at present underway to enhance entry and repair the rising demand: A full rework of Terminal 1 and enhancements to Terminal 2 have already been accomplished, and a further entry street will probably be completed by May 2026, simply in time for the FIFA World Cup for which this metropolis will host 4 video games.
We know, you’ve got heard rather a lot about Mexico City, however Guadalajara rivals CDMX in its heritage-rich choices and up-and-coming inventive class, whereas feeling barely much less congested. We even named it one of many Best Places to Go in 2026, for this very purpose. If “Jalisco es Mexico”, because the state’s slogan reads, Guadalajara is its beating coronary heart.
Below, we cowl every little thing you want to know earlier than a go to—together with when to go, what to do, and really importantly, what to eat.
The greatest time to go to Guadalajara
Guadalajara’s excessive season spans from the drier months of October to December. Daytime highs brush the decrease 80s, however the season additionally coincides with festivals like Fiestas del Octubre, Guadalajara International Book Fair, and a surge of households coming back from overseas for the vacations. While temperatures drop considerably after the brand new 12 months, resorts stay at a premium from January to May.
Throughout June 2026, which is the start of the wetter season, Guadalajara will host 4 World Cup matches at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, an upscale metropolis within the municipality of Guadalajara. You can at present get World Cup 2026 tickets at FIFA’s official ticketing portal, licensed hospitality suppliers akin to Pitchside, and secondary websites like SeatGeek and VividSeats. The video games will probably be held on June 11, 18, 23, and 26, respectively.
Snag seats, see cities, and feast your eyes on the gorgeous sport.
How to get to Guadalajara
There are loads of direct flights to Guadalajara from main US cities akin to Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, and extra. Both home and Mexican carriers American Airlines, Volaris, Viva, Alaska, United, and Aeromexico present easy accessibility to the town. For folks residing in southern California, there are decrease fares from Tijuana International Airport on Viva, Volaris, and Aeromexico—and with Cross Border Xpress, passengers can stroll into the airport instantly for a payment.
Where to eat in Gaudalajara
A few issues to perceive on a excessive stage: When it comes to Mexican gastronomy, Guadalajara is dwelling to a few of its best hits. The metropolis is the birria capital of Mexico the place the savory dish is made with primarily goat, but in addition lamb, beef, and veal; it may even incorporate seafood. Likewise, this metropolis is a vacation spot for sandwiches. Two musts are tortas ahogadas, consisting of salty birote bread drowned in tomato sauce and fiery salsa de chile de arbol; and lonches, for which lunch meet and native cheese are layered in a softer bread roll. You’ll discover many kinds of tacos accessible all through the day, in fact, not to point out high notch seafood. Luckily among the most imaginative cooks and bartenders in Mexico are on this metropolis, making use of all the above, in completely new methods.
Casual eats
If you are arriving early within the day through Guadalajara International Airport, it’s a brief taxi trip to Birriería Chololo Campestre, opened in 1920, for an iconic plate of oven roasted birria de chivo (goat birria) that’s as a lot an emblem of the area as mariachis and tequila. Go for the combo of peinecillo (a fatty minimize of goat), ribs, macho (intestines), and carnaza (a prized boneless slice with consommé), plus sides of refried beans and queso fundido. Corn tortillas and salsas include the array of meats for making tacos of this smoky stewed goat.