This will be our first visit to Mexico. I know I want to visit the following towns/cities: Lake Chapala area (Ajijic), Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, and Patzcuaro. This is a scouting trip for future retirement possibilities. We'll be leaving from OKC, going through Houston.

We do not want to rent a car, since bus travel is readily available. In what order should we visit these towns? How long to stay in each one?

Thanks for your help!

I would skip Chapala a huge disappointment to us. It is a ugly basically dead body of water. The town is much like you will find in any Retirement area of the southern US. Add a night or two in Morelia on the way to/from Patzcuaro. A wonderful vibrant city.

Concur. I too would skip Ajijic.
I assume you had originally planned to fly to GDL, rather than taking a bus from Houston.
If that's fixed, you may get a counterclockwise bus to Morelia/Patzcuaro or clockwise to Guanajuato/San Miguel de Allende for first stops.
www.primeraplus.com.mx
M (SMdA, Gto.)

Thanks for your replies. If I skip Ajijic, would you advise flying into Queretaro or Guanajuato rather than Guadalajuara?

D,
I think you'll find airfares to BJX and QRO higher than GDL or MEX.
There is no bus service from/to either BJX or QRO.
A taxi from BJX to Colonial Guanajuato is about $30. US; a shuttle from BJX to SMdA is $24. US pp (www.viajessanmiguel.com)
A taxi from QRO (a/p) to SMdA is about $30. US.
Again, I think maybe flying into MEX and doing a bus trip clockwise to Morelia/Patzcuaro or counterclockwise to Queretaro; SMdA and Guanajuato on the front end may make the most economic and time sense.
I personally would fly into BJX, take the shuttle to SMdA, then a bus to Gto., then busses to Morelia/Patzcuaro and fly out of MEX - I know that sounds bizarre, but devil is in the details.
Buen viaje.
M