catbird Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 What are the best days to visit Tonala? It's been several years since I've been there and I remember there were certain days of the week that were very busy and best to miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsnob Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Thursday and Sunday are the days you do not want to go, big market days... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Thursdays and Sundays are dynamite days to go, especially if you want your guests to be blown away by the complete awesomeness of so much activity and so many people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 I agree with CG. I wouldn't go any other days than Thursday or Sunday. It would be like going to the Ajijic tiangus at 2:30. I should clarify and say if I knew what I wanted to buy and from which vendor then I would not go on those days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Good point. "Best days to visit" implies a tourist day, as opposed to a trip to find some specific items. Although, last tianguis day I was there, I wanted one of those tin/alloy mirrors that are so cool, and found it very easy to get off the main drag to shop. I for one would really appreciate a tourist map of the area; it's so big. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsnob Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Pick pocket heaven on those days too, a lot of the main stores are closed on those days as everything is out on the street Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Pickpockets, maybe. But if I let that bother me, I wouldn't go to WalMart or local tianguis either. Stores closed? Not in my experience. Doesn't matter anyway: there are a bazillion of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 The best time to go is any day except market day Thursdays and Sundays..where all the cheap stuff from China is for sale.. those days are awful and I make sure I never go then, The stalls hide the better stores , it is more difficult to find what you are looking for those days..so I think it is a question of taste... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Agree. We went once thinking there might be some interesting and nice stuff for sale on market days but basically it was a bunch of junk and as bmh noted it made it almost impossible to visit the nicer shops there. Skip Thursdays and Sundays, you'll enjoy your visit and shopping there more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 That's why Baskin-Robbins makes 31 flavors 'cause we all don't like the same things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Anyone new to Mexico should take in the Mercado Libertad, and the Tonala tianguis at least once. Both are a real eye-opener, and something you won't see anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. It is exciting and vibrant, with quality merchandise, interesting food and drinks, and a ton of trinkets (including good stuff and cheap imports). If you have kids and friends back home, these are the ideal places to go nuts for souvenirs, hanging pottery, wall hangings, doo-dads and geegaws. Telling someone NOT to go there to make up their own mind is a rather limiting piece of advice. Plus, simply step off the main tainguis street one short block for a world of impressive stores, completely unaffected by the madding crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Absolutely, CG. Especially for visitors. Let them enjoy a trip up one side of the street and down the other, stopping for some shrimp and a beer along the way.....as often as you like. If you go in the morning, you can just snack, saving your lunch appetite for Tlaquepaque, which you can reach by turning left on Juarez and following that road into Tlaquepaque, turning left again on Niños Heroes and left again on Juarez (a different one), parking a few blocks in and walking to Tlaquepagque Centro. Try lunch at 2PM at El Patio on Independencia; Combo 2-3PM with lunch, then Mariachi Feminil 3-4PM. You will have a great, and very full day. Go around the block clockwise to get back to Juarez, turn left on Niño Heroes and follow the green signs (R, L, L.) to get back to the Guadalajara-Chapala highway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 Anyways, no matter what your decision remember it is very easy to get lost in places like this. Make sure you have a plan for a landmark to meet at, in a half hour after if you find you are somehow split up. You could get cheap walkie talkies too. Or those tether/leashes they use to stop little kids from wandering - adorable when used by tourists! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Shrall Posted January 17, 2017 Report Share Posted January 17, 2017 We had friends visiting from the beach that stopped at Tonala on the way home. They took the macrolibriamiento off the Chapala highway made a left at the end toward Guad and then another left on 80 (Lazaro Cardenas). Tonala was the first exit. They said the trip was very quick with no traffic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdlngton Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 9 hours ago, bmh said: The best time to go is any day except market day Thursdays and Sundays..where all the cheap stuff from China is for sale.. those days are awful and I make sure I never go then, The stalls hide the better stores , it is more difficult to find what you are looking for those days..so I think it is a question of taste... That has been my experience also. I prefer to go on non-market days when it's easier to get to the established stores that sell more authentic Mexican goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted January 18, 2017 Report Share Posted January 18, 2017 8 hours ago, bdlngton said: That has been my experience also. I prefer to go on non-market days when it's easier to get to the established stores that sell more authentic Mexican goods. Exactly. But, hey, whatever floats your boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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