Central Pacific Coast of Mexico Tequila

The smell of its namesake liquor—made here for over four centuries—suffuses the streets of Tequila (pop. 20,000). Surrounded by gentle mountains covered with the prickly, blue-green agave cactus plants as far as the eye can see, this small town is home to 16 tequila distilleries, including those of tequila giants Sauza and José Cuervo. Nearly every business in town is linked to alcohol in some way, and tourism sustains a slew of T-shirt, souvenir, and liquor shops, selling every variety of tequila and mezcal. A great daytrip from Guadalajara, Tequila makes for good times and even better nights.

Transportation And Practical Information. Transportes Teocuitatlan buses (☎3619 3989) leave for Tequila from Guadalajara’s old bus station (2hr., every 15min. 5:30am-9:30pm, 50 pesos). In Tequila, walk to the left from the bus stop and head down Sixto Gorjón into town. Turn right at Juárez, and then left at the cathedral to get to Plaza Principal.

All the distilleries are close to Plaza Principal. The giant José Cuervo and Sauza plants are right next to each other two blocks north of the plaza on a street that starts off as Corona; to the left, as you walk towards the Sauza plant, it becomes Sauza Mora. Turn off Corona to the left on Cuervo to reach the factory gates. Though it’s hard to get lost in a town so small, you may want to pick up a map at the Gobierno Municipal, at the corner of Cuervo y Corona. The tourist office’s module is located in a corner of the plaza across from the Palacio Municipal. (Open daily 10am-4pm.) Bancomer, on Gorjón at Juárez, has a 24hr. ATM. (Open M-F 9am-4pm, Sa 9am-1pm.) Farmacia Gema, Gorjón 206 (☎742 4733), is open 24 hours. Sergio Cyber (☎742 4817), upstairs at Gorjón 88, has Internet access (12 pesos per hr). The police (☎742 0056) are right next door at Cuervo 33. In a medical emergency, call ☎080 or 116 for an ambulance. The post office is located at the corner of Juárez and Madero. (Open daily 9am-3pm.) Postal code: 46400.

Accommodations And Food. Tequila has a range of hotels close to the main plaza. Hotel Colonial 2, Morelos 52, one block to the right before the plaza, has clean rooms with fan, bathroom, and TV overlooking a tranquil lobby. (☎742 4540. Singles start at 135 pesos. Cash only.) Hotel San Francisco 3, 10 Vallarta, next to the cathedral, is a clean, comfortable sanctuary with large rooms. All rooms have private bath, fan, and TV. (☎742 1757. Singles 200 pesos; doubles 250 pesos. Cash only.) For a few more pesos, Hotel Posada del Agave 4 offers tequila-themed digs. Clean rooms decorated in tiles painted with agave plants have private baths, fans, and cable TV. (☎742 0774. Reception 24hr. Singles 210 pesos; doubles 299 pesos. Cash only.) Casa Dulce Maria Hotel 5, Abasolo 20, off Gorjón, catches the eye with stunning columns surrounding the fountain in the courtyard. Spotless rooms come with large, comfortable beds and equally immaculate baths. (☎742 3200. Reception 24hr. Singles 300 pesos; doubles 480 pesos. MC/V.) Hotel Abasolo 3, Abasolo 80A, provides spacious rooms with bath and TV, some with balconies overlooking the street. (☎742 8518. Reception 24hr. Singles 180 pesos; doubles 250 pesos; triples 380 pesos. Cash only.)

A diverse cross-section of restaurants surrounds the plaza and the nearby streets. El Mesón de Mezcal 4, Gorjón 152, flavors most of its food with its very own brand of tequila. (☎742 0476. Torta ahogada 20 pesos. Shrimp 72 pesos. Open daily 9am-10pm. Cash only.) For a nice evening view of the plaza, try Cafe de Rossy 3, Vallarta 4. (☎742 2030. Espresso 10 pesos. Cappuccino 18 pesos. Club sandwiches 20 pesos. Coffee with tequila 20-30 pesos. Open daily 8am-2pm, 6:30-11pm. Cash only.) Right across from the Cuervo factory is the elegant, breezy La Fonda Cholula 4, Corona 55. The enchiladas (50 pesos) go well with a little tequila, which starts at 30 pesos. (☎742 1079. Open daily 11am-6pm. AmEx/MC/V.) Taco stands also cluster on the right-hand side of the church as you face the entrance.

Entertainment. Entertainment in Tequila is limited to drinking, taking a tequila factory tour, and visiting tequila museums. The tourist office runs tours (85 pesos) every hour from 11am-3pm from their module on the plaza. A better option may be to head straight to the Sauza factory tour. Join in at the factory or trek to the tour’s official start: 50m down the highway past the entrance to Tequila at Rancho Indio, where a demonstration of blue agave cultivation precedes a visit to the factory. At the factory, a detailed demonstration of the production process, from agave to bottle, culminates predictably with shots. (☎742 0013. Tours M-F 11am, 12:30, 3, 4pm; Sa 11am, 12:30pm. 35 pesos.) Two blocks back toward the plaza is the less impressive José Cuervo factory, with a significantly more expensive, less detailed tour. For the price of a few shots, you’ll learn more than you ever wanted to know about agave, the distillation and aging processes, and the history of the famous liquor. The guides will ply you with tequila and margaritas throughout the tour. Those under 18 get virgin margaritas. (Tours every hr. M-F, 10am-4pm, Sa 10am-5pm. The 3pm tour is in English. 100 pesos.) The Museo Nacional de Tequila, Corona 34, teaches tequila history, and has an impressive bottle collection and a gift shop. (☎742 2410. Open Tu-Su 10am-4pm. 15 pesos, students and children 7 pesos.) The Museo Familia Sauza in the old Sauza family mansion at Rojas 22 can be visited via guided tour. (Open M-F 10am-1:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-4:30pm. Tours approx. every 30min. Donations suggested.)

For the first 12 days of December, Tequila celebrates its Feria Nacional de Tequila. Each of the town’s factories claims one day, on which it holds rodeos, concerts, cockfights, fireworks, and other festivities. Obviously, there are plenty of drinks to go around.

Nightlife. Despite Tequila’s diminutive size, throngs of well-dressed people pack the town’s streets on weekends. Most cafes close before midnight, but the occasional bar is there for those who want a longer night. Tequila flows with its namesake drink at night, but many locals actually prefer beer. Carajo’s, Corona 109, a few blocks from the plaza to the right, is a lively bar with a disco ball and cramped tables. On the weekends, people and loud club music overflow onto the street. (☎742 2885. Beer 15 pesos. Tequila 35 pesos. Open daily noon-1am. Cover F-Sa 30 pesos. Cash only.) For a quieter time, hit up La Revolución Cafe y Bar, upstairs at Corona 3A. Friendly regulars and nonstop banda music set the intimate tone. (Beer 15 pesos. Michelada 18 pesos. Tequila 35 pesos. Open daily 8pm-1am. Cash only.)