A shift is happening in Nayarit. Long dominated by the international traffic flowing into Puerto Vallarta, this stretch of Mexico’s Pacific coast has long relied on its southern neighbor to funnel in sun-seekers bound for the Riviera. But now, just a few hours up the road, the state’s capital of Tepic is carving out its own path, one runway expansion and direct flight at a time.
With the recent launch of Volaris’ new nonstop flight from Los Angeles to Tepic’s revamped airport, Tepic-Riviera Nayarit International (TPQ), travelers have a new — and notably less congested — way to reach the Bay of Banderas and northern Nayarit Riviera. The flight runs three times a week for now, but it signals a larger story of strategic investment, improved connectivity and a growing appetite for travel experiences in Mexico’s Pacific region that go beyond the beachfront.
A modernized gateway
The LAX-TPQ route takes just under three hours and arrives in a newly renovated terminal equipped with upgraded immigration and customs, rental car counters and a refreshed highway system linking Tepic to the coast in less than an hour. For travelers headed to popular coastal destinations like San Blas, Punta Mita or Sayulita, it’s a compelling alternative, especially for those seeking to avoid the traffic and bottlenecks around Puerto Vallarta’s international airport.
But the arrival in Tepic also presents an opportunity to experience a side of Nayarit that many travelers miss entirely.
A detour worth taking
Set in the shadow of the Sierra Madre, Tepic is becoming more than a transit point. It’s a city of historic plazas and modern hotels, highland coffee farms and Indigenous roots. The city’s historic center is compact, anchored by the soaring Catedral de la Asuncion and the leafy Plaza Principal. A stroll here reveals quiet cafes, shaded arcades, restaurants and bars.
Just outside the city, Cerro de San Juan has hiking trails through cloud forest terrain, while nearby Xalisco, a 15-minute drive away, is emerging as a hub for small-scale coffee producers. You can post up at coffee shops like Cata y Mindo to try the local brew, along with a selection of tapas and pastries. Art lovers should not miss the Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Emilia Ortiz, where the region’s Wixárika (Huichol) art is on full display in psychedelic colors.
Conoce Tepic en Nayarit
Toward the coast: San Blas and the northern Riviera
From Tepic, the road west leads to San Blas in under 90 minutes. San Blas remains one of the best places to experience coastal Nayarit before the crowds swoop in. Here, seafood shacks still serve whole red snapper — snag a palapa at Tunabreak on Playa el Borrego for excellent seafood — and the most popular beach drink is a salty michelada, not a curated cocktail. The town’s birdwatching tours and boat rides through La Tovara National Park reveal a world of crocodiles, herons and freshwater springs.
Continue south from San Blas and the Riviera Nayarit starts to flicker into view. Bucerias, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Punta Mita and Sayulita are all within reach via the Compostela highway network, which links easily back to Tepic.
Tepic also opens easy access to some of Nayarit’s lesser-visited inland destinations. Less than an hour’s drive southeast, Compostela is a cobblestoned historic town surrounded by green hills and coffee farms. Its colonial-era church, tree-lined plaza and cafes make it a lovely stop for a slow afternoon or an overnight.
Further east, tucked at the base of the Ceboruco volcano, Jala is one of Mexico’s smallest Pueblos Mágicos. Known for its volcanic soil and massive ears of native corn, Jala is also home to a Baroque basilica built with hand-carved stone and a walkable historic core. It’s the doorstep to the region’s outdoor adventure, too. The hike up to the crater of the Ceboruco volcano is a bucket-list must for active travelers.
Not far from the coast is one of Nayarit’s most stunning natural wonders: the Santa María del Oro lagoon. This almost perfectly circular crater lake shimmers in deep blues and greens, ringed by forested cliffs and peppered with cozy cabins. Popular with locals but still blissfully under the radar for most international visitors, the lake is ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding or hiking.
The Volaris flight is just the beginning. Tepic’s airport has undergone significant investment over the last few years, including a lengthened runway that can now accommodate long-haul aircraft, new terminal infrastructure and expanded highway access from the coast.
But even if future flights take time to arrive, what’s already in place is a shift in how Nayarit is experienced. The infrastructure improvements are helping position Tepic as an alternative airport, as well as a standalone destination. For travelers who have done the beachfront villa and are seeking a deeper dive into Mexico’s diversity, starting the journey in Tepic opens the door to mountains, mangroves, museums and mariscos.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
