Every Wayro route we publish from U.S. cities to Guerrero Negro, Baja California Sur, with the border crossing each one uses and what you need to bring a U.S. car across.
About Guerrero Negro
Guerrero Negro sits on the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula, right at the Baja California–Baja California Sur state line on Federal Highway 1. UNESCO describes it as a center for whale watching and salt production, and next to town lies Laguna Ojo de Liebre, part of the El Vizcaíno Whale Sanctuary, a World Heritage site since 1993.
- Laguna Ojo de Liebre (El Vizcaíno Whale Sanctuary): UNESCO calls this lagoon system the world's most important breeding ground for the eastern North Pacific gray whale. source
- Lagoon wildlife: Besides gray whales, the sanctuary's lagoons shelter California sea lions, harbor seals, northern elephant seals and four species of endangered sea turtles. source
- Salt works tour: Local guides take visitors through the Exportadora de Sal salt works, founded in 1957, to walk among white salt hills and watch solar evaporation harvesting. source
- Dunas de la Soledad: The Dunas de la Soledad, a field of desert dunes near town, are a popular side trip from Guerrero Negro. source
Crossing into Mexico: what you need to drive to Guerrero Negro
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Guerrero Negro 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 Sur 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.
Where drivers cross the border
San Ysidro
San Ysidro links San Diego with Tijuana where Interstate 5 ends at the border, just south of its junction with Interstate 805, and a federal fact sheet calls it the busiest land border crossing in the Western Hemisphere. It handles passenger vehicles, pedestrians and buses, with dedicated SENTRI lanes for pre-screened travelers. Used by 15 of the routes below.
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. Used by 14 of the routes below.
San Luis
The San Luis port connects San Luis, Arizona, south of Yuma, with San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora. It handles passenger vehicles and heavy pedestrian traffic, and GSA calls it the second busiest non-commercial vehicle port in Arizona; trucks use the separate San Luis II crossing east of town. Used by 2 of the routes below.
Calexico East
Calexico East lies a few miles east of downtown Calexico, about a mile south of State Route 7, and connects with the eastern side of Mexicali. It carries passenger vehicles, commercial trucks and pedestrians, so it is the usual alternative to the downtown Calexico West crossing. Used by 1 of the routes below.
Drives to Guerrero Negro from the U.S.
| From | Miles | Driving time | Border crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | 381 | 10 h 20 min | Calexico West |
| Yuma, AZ | 425 | 10 h 59 min | Calexico East |
| Coronado, CA | 457 | 11 h 55 min | San Ysidro |
| San Diego, CA | 459 | 11 h 52 min | San Ysidro |
| Julian, CA | 464 | 12 h 6 min | Calexico West |
| Indio, CA | 466 | 11 h 58 min | Calexico West |
| Palm Desert, CA | 475 | 12 h 14 min | Calexico West |
| Del Mar, CA | 477 | 12 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Solana Beach, CA | 478 | 12 h 12 min | San Ysidro |
| Rancho Mirage, CA | 478 | 12 h 15 min | Calexico West |
| Encinitas, CA | 483 | 12 h 17 min | San Ysidro |
| Poway, CA | 488 | 12 h 6 min | Calexico West |
| Palm Springs, CA | 488 | 12 h 21 min | Calexico West |
| Carlsbad, CA | 491 | 12 h 23 min | San Ysidro |
| Oceanside, CA | 494 | 12 h 25 min | San Ysidro |
| Escondido, CA | 499 | 12 h 18 min | Calexico West |
| Vista, CA | 511 | 12 h 34 min | Calexico West |
| Yucca Valley, CA | 513 | 12 h 50 min | Calexico West |
| San Clemente, CA | 515 | 12 h 44 min | San Ysidro |
| Dana Point, CA | 521 | 12 h 51 min | San Ysidro |
| Temecula, CA | 528 | 12 h 46 min | Calexico West |
| Laguna Beach, CA | 529 | 13 h 6 min | San Ysidro |
| Redlands, CA | 529 | 12 h 56 min | Calexico West |
| Twentynine Palms, CA | 534 | 13 h 19 min | Calexico West |
| Irvine, CA | 539 | 13 h 6 min | San Ysidro |
| Riverside, CA | 541 | 13 h 14 min | Calexico West |
| Newport Beach, CA | 544 | 13 h 19 min | San Ysidro |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 544 | 13 h 15 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Ana, CA | 545 | 13 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 549 | 13 h 26 min | San Ysidro |
| Nogales, AZ | 706 | 15 h 42 min | San Luis |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 715 | 15 h 58 min | San Luis |
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.