The Wayro route from Anaheim to San Felipe is 332 miles (534 km), about 6 h 55 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 209 on this route, near the Calexico West port of entry.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Baja California: “Travelers should remain on main highways and avoid remote locations.”
| Distance | 332 mi (534 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | CA-91 → I-215 → CA-60 → I-10 → CA-86 → US-99 Hist → CA-78 → CA-111 → MEX-5 |
| Border crossing | about mile 209 of this route, California → Baja California (near the Calexico West, CA port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Baja California (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for San Felipe
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: San Felipe is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed: Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles |
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Crossing at Calexico West
Calexico West sits in downtown Calexico, directly across from Mexicali, and GSA describes it as the main border crossing linking the Imperial Valley to Baja California. It handles passenger vehicles and pedestrians and is in the middle of a multi-phase federal modernization.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from Anaheim to San Felipe is like
MEX-5 (123 mi) and I-10 (50 mi) carry about 52% of the 332 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through California for about 209 miles; after the border at Calexico West you have about 123 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Anaheim to San Felipe, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | California |
| CA-91 | 2–38 | 36 | California |
| connecting roads | 38–39 | 1 | California |
| I-215 | 39–43 | 4 | California |
| CA-60 | 43–62 | 19 | California |
| I-10 | 62–112 | 50 | California |
| CA-86 | 112–145 | 33 | California |
| US-99 Hist | 145–179 | 34 | California |
| CA-78 | 179–185 | 6 | California |
| CA-111 | 185–205 | 20 | California |
| connecting roads | 205–208 | 3 | California |
| MEX-5 | 208–331 | 123 | California, Baja California |
| local roads | 331–332 | 1 | Baja California |
- Mile 209 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between Anaheim and San Felipe
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (mile 37)
- Nature and outdoors: Chino Hills State Park (mile 15), California Citrus State Historic Park (mile 31), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (mile 78), Chino Canyon (mile 86)
- Museums and history: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum (mile 8), California Citrus State Historic Park (mile 31), Gilman Ranch (mile 66), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (mile 78), Sand to Snow National Monument (mile 79)
Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
In Yorba Linda, this National Archives presidential library covers the life and presidency of Richard Nixon with museum exhibitions, White House tapes and artifacts, alongside research archives.
Chino Hills State Park
Where Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties meet, more than 14,000 acres of grassy hills and oak and sycamore groves offer hiking, horseback riding, a Discovery Center, and camping.
California Citrus State Historic Park
Riverside's living museum of the citrus industry spreads across more than 250 acres of working groves, with a visitor center, historic buildings, grove tours, picnic areas and trails for hiking and biking.
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
Filling a full city block in downtown Riverside, this Mission-style hotel is a National Historic Landmark with domes, archways and arcaded corridors. Daily historic tours include the St. Francis Chapel and its Tiffany windows.
Gilman Ranch
Run by Riverside County Parks, this 100-acre ranch in Banning grew from an adobe hut into a stage stop and ranch house. Its wagon museum displays stagecoaches and buggies, and a 1.5-mile trail looks over Banning Pass.
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
Rising from the Coachella Valley toward alpine peaks, this monument holds fan palm oases, bighorn sheep habitat, wilderness areas, and part of the Pacific Crest Trail. Its visitor center sits on Highway 74 in Palm Desert.
Sand to Snow National Monument
Established in 2016, this monument climbs from the Sonoran Desert floor to San Gorgonio Mountain, the highest peak in California south of the Sierra Nevada, and carries 30 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Chino Canyon
Rising from the northern edge of Palm Springs, this rugged canyon frames the ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which climbs about 6,000 feet to a mountain station at 8,516 feet with trails into Mount San Jacinto State Park.
Cerro Prieto
About 22 miles (35 km) south of Mexicali, this small rhyodacite lava dome rises above the desert floor and marks the surface of the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field, one of Mexico's major geothermal resources.
When you get to San Felipe
Where the Baja desert runs straight into the warm Gulf of California, San Felipe is a fishing town about two hours south of Mexicali. It is known for sport fishing, dramatic low tides that pull the water far from shore, and seafood, especially the shrimp it celebrates with an annual festival.
- Valle de los Gigantes: South of town on the road to Puertecitos, this cactus reserve on Punta Estrella Ranch protects towering cardón cacti up to about 17 meters tall. source
- Sport fishing: Charters head into the Gulf of California from San Felipe, a town long known for sport fishing thanks to the abundance of marine species offshore. source
- Gulf beaches: The town's beaches are made for kayaking, paddleboarding and walking the wide flats exposed at low tide. source
More drives to San Felipe
- Safford, AZ to San Felipe
- Rancho Mirage, CA to San Felipe
- Coronado, CA to San Felipe
- Mesa, AZ to San Felipe
- Bisbee, AZ to San Felipe
- Casa Grande, AZ to San Felipe
From Anaheim to other places in Mexico
- Anaheim, CA to Tijuana
- Anaheim, CA to Puerto Peñasco
- Anaheim, CA to Bahía de los Ángeles
- Anaheim, CA to Nogales
- Anaheim, CA to Sonoyta
- Anaheim, CA to Tecate
All routes to San Felipe, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to San Felipe, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Anaheim to San Felipe?
About 6 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 332 miles.
How far is San Felipe from Anaheim by car?
About 332 miles (534 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Where does the Anaheim to San Felipe drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 209 of this route, from California into Baja California, near the Calexico West port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Anaheim to San Felipe?
No vehicle permit is needed. Baja California is in Mexico's hassle-free zone for U.S. vehicles. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from Anaheim to San Felipe?
The U.S. State Department rates Baja California Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Anaheim to San Felipe use?
In order: CA-91, I-215, CA-60, I-10, CA-86, US-99 Hist, CA-78, CA-111 and MEX-5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Anaheim and San Felipe?
Closest to the road: California Citrus State Historic Park (open-air museum, mile 31, 2 mi from the route); The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (hotel, mile 37, 0.4 mi from the route); Gilman Ranch (museum, mile 66, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.