Autlan, Jalisco Mexico

[mama]

Also known as Autlan de Navarro, this mexican town is a fabulous destination for anyone looking to experience real mexican culture. Located 2 hours south of Guadalajara, it can be reached by Bus, Taxi or you can rent a car. While renting a car in Mexico may sound a bit frightening, it is more frightening relying on someone else behind the wheel We rented a car in Guadalajara. The trick is to get out of Guadalajara as every major intersection has 4-5 streets spinning off of it in all directions. It seemed like each intersection also had it's own statue, so if you ask for directions you better know all the landmark statues by name as that is what your directions will be based on!

Once you're on the outskirts of the city, the road is a much simpler two-way highway and you're home free!! Autlan can also be reached by flying to Manzanillo and driving east about an hour and a half.

The drive either way is scenic and you will have the opportunity to view miles of rolling blue Agave fields. A sight for sore eyes for true Tequila aficionados. There are several reputable hotels in Autlan. We stayed in the "Hotel Autlan" and were very pleased with the accomodations. Not the Ritz Carlton, but clean and authentic, with a hint of modern. Right across the street from this hotel is a University (an extension of the University of Guadalajara), where anyone can go for free internet access. There are also a couple of internet cafes within the town. The town atmosphere is warm and friendly. You may run into a few Americans here and there. There is an annual "Carnaval" in the middle of February that lasts two weeks. Festivities include bullfights, parades, dances, and various other traditional mexican events. Undoubtedly, Tequila must be the spirit of choice during these celebrations!!

[MrAgave]

Sounds like fun! Any good restaurants or tequila bars?

[mama]

I would imagine most bars in Jalisco are Tequila bars
There are several restaurants and bars in Autlan.

The one we frequented while we were there, had live entertainment, which we were able to convert into our own karaoke!!
One particular night was a bit fuzzy, but I'm fairly certain we were buying Tequila by the bottle from the bartender.

Beware of drinking with the locals...they have a wee bit more tolerance