Admire the blue Pacific waters and rolling hills on the comfortable drive south to the third-largest city on the Baja peninsula. Miles of Hollywood-worthy desert scenes, Robinson Crusoe beaches, and a crazily biodiverse ocean are just some of the things drawing thousands of visitors here each year. Less than 20 minutes from the city of San Diego, Tijuana Mexico is the gateway to the tourist corridor of Baja California. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. The trip: Three days, 100 miles This route kicks off from the San Ysidro border crossing, which is the port of entry for those coming from Los Angeles, San Diego, or the San Diego airport. This relaxing, scenic getaway takes you along the stunning Pacific coast across the California-Mexico border to Tijuana for a cultural sightseeing tour and time to shop along Avenidad Revolution, followed by a luscious lobster lunch, margaritas and mariachi music in Puerto Nuevo. The final stop on your South Baja California road trip is Los Cabos, another 2 hours south of La Paz. Explore San Diego's epic roadways along with the best places for visitors to stop along the way and live out their SoCal road trip dreams. Crossing over the border from sunny slow San Diego, into the chaotic clash of cultures in Tijuan, is many people’s first taste of Mexico. If you want to know what to do in San Diego, start the day at the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, or the Safari Park if your kids love animals. If you're planning a road trip to Cabo San Lucas, you can research locations to stop along the way. You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Houston to San Diego . Soledad Veterans Memorial, a small mountain that has views of the entire city. Electricity. From San Diego on the trolley to the border of Tijuana. Taking a cruise from San Diego to Baja has never been easier. Start in San Francisco – As you research your California coastal road trip, you might be tempted to fly into Crescent City (the northernmost coastal town in California). There are a ton of things to do in San Diego, including an internationally-renowned zoo and theme parks, endless stretches of pristine beaches and much more. The majority of the drive from San Diego to Ensenada is a picture-perfect cruise along the Pacific Coast on a paved toll road. The city has endless opportunities for family fun. A day trip to La Jolla is one of the easiest day trips from San Diego of all. Spend the day with us and see more of what Mexico has to offer. A Coastal California Road Trip. No highway better captures the laidback, beachside vibe of San Diego and its surf heritage than Historic Highway 101. We spent 3 months on our Baja road trip! What follows is that list, a compendium of hotels, destinations, and road eats along the drive north from San Diego to San Francisco. San Jose del Cabo (airport code SJD) is where you will be flying into to start your Baja California Sur road trip. A visit to Mexico should include more than Tijuana. Check out these four epic roadways in San Diego, along with the best places to stop, to live out your SoCal road trip dreams. This is a beautiful place to begin because San Jose del Cabo has an amazing collection of beaches, Old Town, resorts if you want to be fancy, and the most beautiful estuary. Get the reverse directions for a San Diego to Houston drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. An amazing surf beach La Jolla will feature high on the must-visit list for any budding border. 1. I can't wait to put the plan in motion. Written by Freddy Sherman Jun 8, 2020. Everyone knows about the scenic Pacific Coast Highway drive from L.A. to San Francisco, but that same road—known in Mexico as Ruta 1—goes south, too. The goal of this road trip would be to spend simple time together in the warm California summer air with no agenda other than to reconnect as a family. Our experienced, bilingual tour guide will drive you from San Diego across the border and down the coast through various coastal towns of Baja California, Mexico. - PR10157601 Baja Border Tours, San Diego Picture: Friendship Park - Check out Tripadvisor members' 50,013 candid photos and videos. From Tijuana a local bus company goes out to the ocean, and down the coast, past Rosarito to Ensenada, Baja Mexico. When you decide it's time to get away from the warm weather and beautiful beaches of San Diego, the surrounding region provides an almost endless array of options.From hiking through the rugged canyons of Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert to fishing off the coast of Baja Mexico, it's all just a short drive away. 59-Mile Scenic Drive One-Day Coastal Highway 79 Historic Highway 80 HIstoric Highway 94 Historic Highway 101 County Route S2 If instead, you are a “see as much as possible” kind of person then the Go San Diego City Pass can save you money. Start your California road trip in San Diego and enjoy San Pasqual Winery, where pets are more than welcomed! Coastal Cool – Highway 101. Our research is editorially independent but we may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. When to Plan Your California Coast Road Trip – The best months to drive from San Francisco to San Diego are September and October, but this drive can be done any time of year. Eat traditional cuisine, shop local fare, and dive into the “the world’s aquarium” in southern Baja. Driving Route 1 is an iconic California experience, and one that’s made immeasurably easier by the fact that the road passes through cities and towns that are equipped for visitors—meaning that the hotels and restaurants you pass along the way are each worthy destinations in and of themselves. Upon arrival, orient yourself by driving to the top of Mt. What to See in San Diego. While you sip and taste different wines, let your pup hang out by your side and wind down from the day’s adventures. Walking tour of … Practicalities for a California Road trip. WheOn this unbelievable trip you will experience wine country, both coasts of Mexico: the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, snorkeling and if you want; the crazy busy, yet beautiful tip of Baja at Cabo San Lucas. As the southernmost city in California, San Diego is a thriving metropolis and has a lot to offer visitors no matter the season. Easygoing San Diego is a great place to start any vacation. San Diego is an ideal springboard to the many and varied cities, beaches, national parks, and historic attractions of Southern California.Within 30 to 60 minutes of the city, you can visit the beautiful beach towns of La Jolla and Carlsbad, or escape to the mountain resorts of Mount Laguna and Julian. Crowned the “ultimate road trip” by many a travel publication, Baja California is fast becoming a bucket list destination – and it’s easy to see why. 1. Dermody. I would recommend Pacific Beach if you are looking for a great California beach town vibe or Coronado Beach on Coronado Island.. The USA uses a 110v electrical system, with plugs that are either two pin or three pin. Baja California Wine Tours is the number one company in the industry specializing in wine tasting tours to Valle de Guadalupe and other adventures into Baja California starting from San Diego. If this what you’re looking for, you should visit San Diego instead as it is the more the stereotypical Southern California road trip experience. As the whale watching in Baja California was our priority, we decided to make it our first stop and since it was the farthest point on our itinerary, it turned out to be perfect.. We left early morning from La Paz, heading towards San Ignacio to watch the grey whales.. After the whale watching, we would have made all the relevant stops on the way back. Bumpy dirt roads connect the wineries in the valley, however, so be sure your car can handle the terrain. San Diego is a fun, easygoing beach city that is renowned for its excellent surf, seriously spectacular weather, and righteous residents. Actually, there are two towns here: Cabo San Lucas with its popular beaches, bars, restaurants, and resorts and the quieter, less touristy San Jose del Cabo. San Pasqual Winery. Below we share our top 53+ things to do in Baja California. The perfect 10 Day California Road Trip itinerary for must-visit places to see in California including San Francisco, Los Angeles, things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur, San Deigo, the Californian desert - Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley, the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, Lake Tahoe, etc. The final 2 days of this epic coastal California road trip itinerary will see you driving from Los Angeles to sunny San Diego. Lying just a 30-minute drive from San Diego’s Downtown is the popular seaside hotspot of La Jolla. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. Travelling in the USA is relatively easy, but we wanted to share a few things to help make planning your California road trip a little easier. 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