Car Travel

Having a car is a plus, since the city is extremely spread out, and you can rent one at the airport upon arrival. Driving from Guadalajara is a snap on the excellent four-lane toll road (54D), though not much faster than the scenic backcountry route on Highway 80 (via Barra). Highway 200, the Pacific Coast road, between Manzanillo and points north along the coast—namely Puerto Vallarta—is regarded as secure for travel. (The trip from Puerto Vallarta is slightly rough in patches but also quite scenic.) Security on the coast heading south, however, turns questionable about 50 miles out, so overland travel from Manzanillo to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Acapulco is not recommended.