by LCR 
Consider living in Chapala if you want a warm and welcoming community. The city of Chapala is the main anchor on the north side of Lake Chapala. It is also the seat of the Municipality of Chapala, which includes everything to the west, from Ajijic Oeste, Ajijic Centro, La Floresta, San Antonio Tlayacapan, and Riberas del Pilar. East of Chapala includes the towns of Santa Cruz de la Soledad, San Nicolás de Ibarra, and Vista del Lago. Many of Chapala’s 25,000 inhabitants are native Mexicans. But there is a large contingent of expatriates scattered throughout the towns on the north shore of the lake. The largest expatriate communities are in Ajijic, to the west, and Vista del Lago, to the east.
Chapala is home to popular sites such as the Municipal Palace of Chapala, the Braniff House and the San Francisco Parish Church. Living in Chapala, you will find the lake’s largest and busiest boardwalk. Located at the end of the main street, it stretches from downtown to the popular Christiana Park. There are dozens of stalls for shopping. Look for souvenirs, a new pair of locally made huaraches or a serape to wrap up warm. You can also buy an Elote and a Michelada to cool off. All of this can be toured on foot from the ample parking lots on the Malecon.
Things to do in Chapala
Living in Chapala with the greats weather, you’ll have no shortage of outdoor activities to keep you busy. At the east end of the Malecon is the Club Nautico, nestled among dozens of upscale restaurants. If you enjoy golf, there is a 9-hole course at Vista Lago. You can also play at the Riberas course. If tennis is your thing, head to Christiana Park. Stay for a nice walk and picnic after your game.
On Mondays, there is a large farmers’ market, or tianguis, one block from Madero. On Mondays there is also the Sunrise market, where handmade items and homemade food are sold. Even expats have fun at this market sharing things they have made to sell. Even if you live in Chapala, you might want to venture west and visit the Mercado del Sol. Organic market in Ajijic on Tuesdays. It is very large and takes place in Constitución, from Hidalgo to the lake.
Getting around living in Chapala
Chapala is easily accessible from Guadalajara via the Liberamiento. Living in Chapala you will find that many of the businesses are on Avenida Madero, the street that enters the town from the main road. Soriana is a large store just off the highway where you can find many essentials and groceries. Further down the road, there are several restaurants, pharmacies, shoe stores, clothing stores and anything else you might need. You can buy dairy products at a creamery or meat at a butcher shop.
Living in Chapala, you can almost walk everywhere in town. However, you can also easily take a bus to all the towns along the lake. Of course, you won’t need to drive often. Cabs are plentiful and easy to find on the Malecon, near the Casa Braniff, or in the main square in downtown Chapala. There is a cab stand just north of the church. You may have heard of people driving golf carts, but they are prohibited on the main roads. Scooters, motorcycles and electric bicycles are popular ways to get around. There is a bike path that runs from Chapala to Ajijic Oeste. More work is underway to reach San Juan Cosala and Jocotepec. Consider living in Chapala!
