If you’re reading this, chances are Mexico is on your travel list and Tequila — yes, the town that gave the spirit its name — caught your attention. Good call.
Located about 90 minutes west of Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, the town of Tequila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by the blue agave fields that produce the only spirit in the world legally allowed to carry its name. This is where tequila tours in Mexico travelers rave about actually happen, and choosing the right one makes the difference between a nice day trip and a story you’ll tell for years.
This guide is built for first-time visitors. We’ll walk through what to expect, how to get there, and, most importantly, which experience suits the kind of traveler you are. There are two main ways to explore: the Jose Cuervo Express, a panoramic train that departs from Guadalajara and runs an all-day journey through the agave landscape, and the guided tours at La Rojeña Distillery, the oldest distillery in the Americas, in continuous operation since 1795. Most travelers combine both, and that’s exactly what we’d recommend.
A practical note before we dive in: nearly every experience requires advance booking, especially during high season (November through April). Same-day tickets are rare, and the premium categories sell out weeks ahead.
If you're traveling as a couple: intimacy, sunsets and candlelit tastings
For couples, the magic word is atmosphere. The Chocolate Tasting at La Rojeña Distillery is the kind of experience designed for two: a sensory pairing where Reserva de la Familia tequila meets the finest Mexican chocolates, and each match reveals notes neither would express on its own. It’s intimate, unhurried, and leaves a mark.
If you want to take it further, the Food & Tequila Pairing brings the experience to the table: three tequilas, three traditional Mexican dishes and a sensory dialogue between every sip and every bite. It’s the kind of dinner that starts as a tasting and ends as a conversation neither of you wants to cut short.
If you’d rather travel together before arriving, the train’s Sunset itinerary, available in Diamante and Elite categories, offers cocktails, gourmet pairings and golden-hour views of the agave fields through the window. The full ride lasts about 11 hours round-trip from Guadalajara, so plan it as your full-day activity.
If you're traveling with friends: shared rituals, guaranteed stories
When the plan is a group trip, you want everyone to have a great time without sacrificing authenticity. That’s where tequila Express Guadalajara tickets become your best ally. The train’s Express and Premium Plus categories are designed exactly for this: 11 hours that begin at Guadalajara’s central station, include onboard tequila tastings, an open bar with national spirits, live traditional Mexican music and, once you arrive in Tequila, a guided tour of La Rojeña Distillery and free time to explore the town’s magical center.
Want to add depth to the day? The Jose Cuervo and Fields experience starts in the agave fields with a jimador (the master harvester) demonstrating the centuries-old technique, and ends inside the distillery.
And if your group has a creative streak, the Blending Dobel Experience invites you to craft your own blend with a guided tasting, find the right balance between body, aroma and finish together, and take it home in a commemorative damajuana bottle. Few experiences leave a souvenir this tangible to share later.
If you're a connoisseur: the gourmet route
If you’re the type who reads about distilleries before booking, pairs wine with intention, and wants every detail curated, this section is for you. The Tequilero Gourmet Experience is a three-hour journey that combines crafting your own blend, a Dobel tequila tasting and pairings designed to highlight every nuance. You leave with the commemorative damajuana and the memory of having signed, quite literally, your own tequila.
The Food & Tequila Pairing brings the ritual to the table: three tequilas, three traditional Mexican dishes and a sensory dialogue between every sip and every bite. And aboard the train, the Diamante and Elite cars are built for refined palates: guided tastings of Reserva de la Familia, gourmet pairings, table service, and, in Elite, a chef’s tasting menu with personalized attention throughout the entire 11-hour journey. Both categories are Sunset-itinerary only, which adds to the romance.
If you want to learn: the educational route
For curious travelers, the Classic Tour at La Rojeña Distillery is the right starting point: a step-by-step walkthrough of how tequila is made, told inside the very spaces where Jose Cuervo wrote its history. Allow around two hours, and don’t skip the questions, the guides know their craft.
If you want to train your palate, the Jose Cuervo Tasting is the ideal entry: a four-tequila tasting from the Cuervo Tradicional® line: blanco, reposado, añejo, and cristalino guided by an expert, with all the keys to start reading a tequila the way you’d read a fine wine. It’s one of the most recommendable tequila tours Mexico has on offer for travelers who already enjoy the spirit and want to understand what makes one bottle different from another.
How to get there and what to bring
Most international travelers fly into Guadalajara International Airport (GDL), about 40 minutes from the city center. From Guadalajara, the train station for the Jose Cuervo Express is centrally located and easy to reach by taxi or rideshare.
If you’re visiting La Rojeña independently, the drive to the town of Tequila takes around 90 minutes via Federal Highway 15. Bring a valid ID, since every tasting requires you to confirm you’re of legal drinking age (18 in Mexico), comfortable shoes for walking the distillery floors, and a layer for the evening if you’re on a sunset itinerary.
Ready to plan?
Now you know what to expect: candlelit tastings, tequilas perfected over more than two centuries, agave landscapes that linger in memory, and a distillery that has been running since 1795. The rest is choosing well, booking ahead — those slots fill fast — and letting yourself be guided.