Driving to Rosarito, Mexico from the U.S.

Every Wayro route we publish from U.S. cities to Rosarito, Baja California, with the border crossing each one uses and what you need to bring a U.S. car across.

About Rosarito

Playas de Rosarito lines the Pacific coast of Baja California between Tijuana and Ensenada. The beach town calls itself the cradle of surfing in Baja California, and its Baja Studios have hosted productions such as Titanic, Pearl Harbor and Fear the Walking Dead. Just south, the Puerto Nuevo lobster village has served fried lobster with rice, beans and flour tortillas since the 1950s.

• Rosarito Beach Hotel and Pier: The Rosarito Beach Hotel carries more than 100 years of history, and the town's pier juts into the Pacific right in front of it. source
• Puerto Nuevo Lobster Village: Fishermen's wives began cooking lobster at home for visitors in the 1950s, and the village is still built around that lobster tradition. source
• Popotla: This fishing village south of downtown sells local crafts and has the Popotla Arch, a rock arch almost 10 meters high used for rappelling. source
• Surf breaks: Baja Malibu, Calafia and K-38: Rosarito's main surf spots include Baja Malibu, Calafia, Raul's at Km 42 and El Morro at Km 38, with rideable waves year-round. source
• Artificial reef: Divers can explore an artificial reef off the coast, one of the reasons the town promotes itself for scuba diving as well as surfing. source

Crossing into Mexico: what you need to drive to Rosarito

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 131 of the routes below.

Tecate

The Tecate crossing sits about 40 miles southeast of San Diego and connects Tecate, California, with Tecate, Baja California. It is the smallest of the San Diego-area ports and handles both passenger vehicles and pedestrians. Used by 39 of the routes below.

Drives to Rosarito from the U.S.

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.