Mybuddy and I are starting to plan a road trip in November, & are thinking about starting and ending in Puerto Vallarta. We have about ten days plus, start to finish [not including a final weekend in PV. How does this sound?

3 days PV to Manzanillo

4 days Manzanillo to Lake Chappala to Guadalajara

3 days Guadalajara to Tepic to PV

I like the idea of just finding towns or places to stay as we drive. Anyone travelled this route, and anyone have any suggestions of what to see / what to avoid?

I'd expand my horizons going PV to Lazaro Cardenas to Patzcuaro to Morelia to Guadalajara to PV. Many many interesting cities, beaches, mountains & most of all people. I would stop in Meleque & Playa Azul. Then Uruapan (a most wonderful national park there), Patzcuaro, Morelia, Chapala & Guadalajara.

On that last leg, you might want to stop in the town of Tequila. One guess as to what it's famous for ;-)]

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Visit the Sauza works and tell me if they still have that great mural!

Thanks Stewbear! Urupuan and Patzcuaro weren't even on our radar, but they look wonderful.
Playa Azul looked a bit package touristy - at least, from what I saw on google. Is it? I have this fantasy of finding a beachtown like the one in Y Tu Mama Tambien, though I'm not sure if we'll find it on this stretch of coast.

Actually many people (gringos) find Playa Azul too Mexican. In fact on weekends it is usually full of folks from the mountain cities. Now Lazaro Cardenas is strictly a working port, a true Mexican blue collar town that has little of interest unless you like the idea of being the only gringo in town which was something I delighted in when I spent a night in 2004. Now Uruapan also is a working city BUT has a most marvelous National Park with waterfalls & water sculptures. Two great hotels there are Hotel Uruapan, with lovely rooms on the main Plaza about 700 pesos or Hotel Mansion Del Cupatizio a beautiful hotel with lovely grounds overlooking the Park but rather expensive at around 1,300 peso for standard room. Across the street & overlooking a lovely waterfall is a Lunch only café called La Troucha that has wonderful fresh trout meals for only 70 to 90 pesos depending how prepared. You can walk the entire park in about 3 hours so staying overnight is not absolutely necessary. However 20 minutes north toward Patzcuaro is Tingambato with a nice archaeological site including a small pyramid. Any other questions E-mail me.

Spent Thanksgiving in Patzcuaro, Michoacan @ Mansion Iturbe and had great meals there and at Cha Cha Cha. Don't miss the mask carvers in Tocuaro and the copper stuff in Sta. Clara del Cobre.
Spent Christmas at Isla/Barra de Navidad, Jalisco at CocoCabanas: way fun and primitive; great chef.
Many good meals in Barra, Melaque and esp the grilled red snapper at Mosca's on the beach in Tenacatita.
M

Hokey Dokey, now we're looking at
Day 1-3: Tenacatita [or Melaque]. Chill, eat, swim, and kayak in the mangroves.

Day 4-5: Colima. Hike the volcano.

Day 6: Maruata or Playa Azul. Pit stop.

Day 7-9: Patzcuaro. Islands, hiking [I hope!], ruins

Day 10-11: Guadalajara.

and then off to PV to party.

There is so much to do, and we never can do it all. I want to do some hiking, and it was either Urupuan or Colima. I'm hoping that there is a good day hike near Patzcuaro.

And I'd like to see some wilderness. We read aboutjungle river trips out of San Blas, and could squeeze in a day, maybe. I thought maybe the kayaking near Tenacatita might be fun and similar. I know the chances of seeing el tigre are slim, but I have to try!

Muy Bueno,
I guess you have these:
www.costalegre.ca
www.tomzap.com
The natural Lago de Zirahuen just W of Patzcuaro remains one of the few unpolluted lakes in MX and is supposed to be a wonderful hiking experience.
A couple of Brits got there by bus for a day trip from Patzcuaro without any problems.
M

Your missing a treat by not stopping at the National park in Uruapan, You will be going right by & a good hiker can do the whole park in 2 hours. Waterfalls, Rapids, butterflies & lots of water sculptures. A feast for the eyes & the soul! Think about it. It's only 45 minutes from Patzcuaro.

Actually - I didn't realize that Uruapan was only 45" from Patzcuaro. We'll have a car, so we can do an easy daytrip there. And glad to hear there are other daytrips in the neighborhood!

Sb,
Is that Parque Nacional Pico de Tancitaro and the Volcan Paricutin?
Sounds great.
M

No. it's Parque Nacional Barranca del Cupatitzio "Eduadro Ruiz: a most lovely series of rapids, Waterfalls, pools, butterflies & gorgeous foliage, It's right in the city limits about 8 blocks from El Centro.

Muchas gracias, mi amig(a).
M