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.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Baja California: “Travelers should remain on main highways and avoid remote locations.”
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
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Not needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in |
| 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.
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.
| From | Miles | Driving time | Border crossing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronado, CA | 30 | 43 min | San Ysidro |
| San Diego, CA | 31 | 41 min | San Ysidro |
| Del Mar, CA | 49 | 60 min | San Ysidro |
| Poway, CA | 51 | 1 h 4 min | San Ysidro |
| Solana Beach, CA | 52 | 1 h 1 min | San Ysidro |
| Encinitas, CA | 56 | 1 h 5 min | San Ysidro |
| Escondido, CA | 58 | 1 h 5 min | San Ysidro |
| Carlsbad, CA | 64 | 1 h 12 min | San Ysidro |
| Oceanside, CA | 67 | 1 h 14 min | San Ysidro |
| Vista, CA | 70 | 1 h 20 min | San Ysidro |
| Julian, CA | 85 | 1 h 55 min | San Ysidro |
| Temecula, CA | 86 | 1 h 33 min | San Ysidro |
| San Clemente, CA | 88 | 1 h 33 min | San Ysidro |
| Dana Point, CA | 94 | 1 h 40 min | San Ysidro |
| Laguna Beach, CA | 102 | 1 h 55 min | San Ysidro |
| Irvine, CA | 112 | 1 h 54 min | San Ysidro |
| El Centro, CA | 114 | 2 h 26 min | Tecate |
| Newport Beach, CA | 117 | 2 h 8 min | San Ysidro |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 117 | 2 h 4 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Ana, CA | 118 | 2 h 1 min | San Ysidro |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 122 | 2 h 15 min | San Ysidro |
| Anaheim, CA | 125 | 2 h 9 min | San Ysidro |
| Riverside, CA | 126 | 2 h 14 min | San Ysidro |
| Long Beach, CA | 135 | 2 h 29 min | San Ysidro |
| Redlands, CA | 139 | 2 h 22 min | San Ysidro |
| Claremont, CA | 149 | 2 h 34 min | San Ysidro |
| Palm Desert, CA | 149 | 3 h 2 min | San Ysidro |
| Hermosa Beach, CA | 150 | 2 h 38 min | San Ysidro |
| Los Angeles, CA | 150 | 2 h 31 min | San Ysidro |
| Rancho Mirage, CA | 150 | 3 h 4 min | San Ysidro |
| Manhattan Beach, CA | 151 | 2 h 37 min | San Ysidro |
| Palm Springs, CA | 151 | 2 h 51 min | San Ysidro |
| Pasadena, CA | 154 | 2 h 41 min | San Ysidro |
| Glendale, CA | 157 | 2 h 37 min | San Ysidro |
| West Hollywood, CA | 157 | 2 h 44 min | San Ysidro |
| La Quinta, CA | 158 | 3 h 18 min | San Ysidro |
| Burbank, CA | 160 | 2 h 39 min | San Ysidro |
| Venice Beach, CA | 160 | 2 h 48 min | San Ysidro |
| Beverly Hills, CA | 160 | 2 h 45 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Monica, CA | 163 | 2 h 47 min | San Ysidro |
| Yucca Valley, CA | 165 | 3 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Yuma, AZ | 170 | 3 h 17 min | Tecate |
| Indio, CA | 171 | 3 h 9 min | San Ysidro |
| Big Bear Lake, CA | 175 | 3 h 23 min | San Ysidro |
| Malibu, CA | 180 | 3 h 14 min | San Ysidro |
| Twentynine Palms, CA | 186 | 3 h 40 min | San Ysidro |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 188 | 3 h 18 min | San Ysidro |
| Camarillo, CA | 201 | 3 h 33 min | San Ysidro |
| Barstow, CA | 203 | 3 h 20 min | San Ysidro |
| Fillmore, CA | 205 | 3 h 28 min | San Ysidro |
| Oxnard, CA | 211 | 3 h 45 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Paula, CA | 213 | 3 h 44 min | San Ysidro |
| Ventura, CA | 217 | 3 h 51 min | San Ysidro |
| Ojai, CA | 232 | 4 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Barbara, CA | 244 | 4 h 23 min | San Ysidro |
| Ridgecrest, CA | 252 | 4 h 33 min | San Ysidro |
| Tehachapi, CA | 260 | 4 h 39 min | San Ysidro |
| Bakersfield, CA | 261 | 4 h 18 min | San Ysidro |
| Solvang, CA | 277 | 5 h 9 min | San Ysidro |
| Lompoc, CA | 298 | 5 h 28 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Maria, CA | 307 | 5 h 44 min | San Ysidro |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | 313 | 6 h 16 min | Tecate |
| Lone Pine, CA | 324 | 5 h 56 min | San Ysidro |
| Pismo Beach, CA | 325 | 6 h 5 min | San Ysidro |
| Wickenburg, AZ | 331 | 6 h 32 min | Tecate |
| Avila Beach, CA | 332 | 6 h 15 min | San Ysidro |
| Visalia, CA | 332 | 5 h 39 min | San Ysidro |
| Bullhead City, AZ | 336 | 6 h 54 min | Tecate |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | 338 | 6 h 20 min | San Ysidro |
| Goodyear, AZ | 340 | 6 h 11 min | Tecate |
| Pahrump, NV | 349 | 6 h 19 min | San Ysidro |
| Casa Grande, AZ | 350 | 6 h 6 min | Tecate |
| Morro Bay, CA | 350 | 6 h 35 min | San Ysidro |
| Surprise, AZ | 351 | 6 h 29 min | Tecate |
| Peoria, AZ | 354 | 6 h 26 min | Tecate |
| Glendale, AZ | 355 | 6 h 30 min | Tecate |
| Phoenix, AZ | 355 | 6 h 26 min | Tecate |
| Paso Robles, CA | 357 | 5 h 58 min | San Ysidro |
| Henderson, NV | 357 | 5 h 46 min | San Ysidro |
| Las Vegas, NV | 360 | 5 h 44 min | San Ysidro |
| Chandler, AZ | 365 | 6 h 37 min | Tecate |
| Tempe, AZ | 367 | 6 h 39 min | Tecate |
| Boulder City, NV | 368 | 5 h 60 min | San Ysidro |
| Scottsdale, AZ | 368 | 6 h 44 min | Tecate |
| Fresno, CA | 368 | 6 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Laughlin, NV | 370 | 6 h 7 min | San Ysidro |
| Coolidge, AZ | 370 | 6 h 33 min | Tecate |
| Cambria, CA | 370 | 7 h 3 min | San Ysidro |
| Gilbert, AZ | 372 | 6 h 46 min | Tecate |
| Beatty, NV | 372 | 7 h 24 min | San Ysidro |
| Prescott, AZ | 374 | 7 h 45 min | Tecate |
| Mesa, AZ | 377 | 6 h 47 min | Tecate |
| Bishop, CA | 382 | 7 h 6 min | San Ysidro |
| Cave Creek, AZ | 382 | 7 h 5 min | Tecate |
| Fountain Hills, AZ | 386 | 7 h 1 min | Tecate |
| Apache Junction, AZ | 389 | 7 h 6 min | Tecate |
| Chino Valley, AZ | 395 | 8 h 6 min | Tecate |
| Tucson, AZ | 411 | 7 h 5 min | Tecate |
| Jerome, AZ | 413 | 8 h 43 min | Tecate |
| Oakhurst, CA | 413 | 7 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Merced, CA | 422 | 7 h 14 min | San Ysidro |
| Globe, AZ | 434 | 8 h 4 min | Tecate |
| Camp Verde, AZ | 436 | 7 h 50 min | Tecate |
| Goldfield, NV | 439 | 8 h 39 min | San Ysidro |
| Mariposa, CA | 439 | 7 h 52 min | San Ysidro |
| Mesquite, NV | 439 | 6 h 57 min | San Ysidro |
| Payson, AZ | 442 | 8 h 6 min | Tecate |
| Cottonwood, AZ | 448 | 8 h 8 min | Tecate |
| Clarkdale, AZ | 452 | 8 h 16 min | Tecate |
| Salinas, CA | 452 | 7 h 49 min | San Ysidro |
| Gilroy, CA | 458 | 7 h 27 min | San Ysidro |
| Pine, AZ | 458 | 8 h 29 min | Tecate |
| Sedona, AZ | 460 | 8 h 22 min | Tecate |
| Modesto, CA | 461 | 7 h 59 min | San Ysidro |
| Tonopah, NV | 466 | 9 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Monterey, CA | 470 | 8 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Pacific Grove, CA | 472 | 8 h 18 min | San Ysidro |
| Nogales, AZ | 473 | 7 h 58 min | Tecate |
| Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA | 473 | 8 h 17 min | San Ysidro |
| St. George, UT | 477 | 7 h 33 min | San Ysidro |
| Ivins, UT | 478 | 7 h 51 min | San Ysidro |
| Williams, AZ | 478 | 8 h 51 min | Tecate |
| Groveland, CA | 481 | 8 h 54 min | San Ysidro |
| Sonora, CA | 481 | 8 h 42 min | San Ysidro |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 481 | 8 h 14 min | Tecate |
| Santa Clara, UT | 482 | 7 h 40 min | San Ysidro |
| Stockton, CA | 487 | 7 h 41 min | San Ysidro |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 488 | 8 h 38 min | Tecate |
| Livermore, CA | 489 | 7 h 43 min | San Ysidro |
| San Jose, CA | 490 | 8 h 5 min | San Ysidro |
| Los Gatos, CA | 491 | 8 h 6 min | San Ysidro |
| Angels Camp, CA | 491 | 8 h 58 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 493 | 8 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Santa Clara, CA | 494 | 8 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Hurricane, UT | 495 | 7 h 53 min | San Ysidro |
| Pleasanton, CA | 496 | 7 h 51 min | San Ysidro |
| La Verkin, UT | 496 | 7 h 58 min | San Ysidro |
| Murphys, CA | 500 | 9 h 10 min | San Ysidro |
| Hawthorne, NV | 500 | 9 h 27 min | San Ysidro |
| Palo Alto, CA | 505 | 8 h 23 min | San Ysidro |
| Bisbee, AZ | 506 | 8 h 48 min | Tecate |
| Menlo Park, CA | 508 | 8 h 30 min | San Ysidro |
| Walnut Creek, CA | 513 | 8 h 6 min | San Ysidro |
| Kanarraville, UT | 516 | 8 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Alameda, CA | 518 | 8 h 13 min | San Ysidro |
| Oakland, CA | 519 | 8 h 11 min | San Ysidro |
| Show Low, AZ | 521 | 9 h 47 min | Tecate |
| Springdale, UT | 522 | 8 h 25 min | San Ysidro |
| Berkeley, CA | 523 | 8 h 20 min | San Ysidro |
| Martinez, CA | 524 | 8 h 17 min | San Ysidro |
| Half Moon Bay, CA | 526 | 8 h 45 min | San Ysidro |
| Benicia, CA | 526 | 8 h 18 min | San Ysidro |
| Cedar City, UT | 528 | 8 h 20 min | San Ysidro |
| San Francisco, CA | 530 | 8 h 21 min | San Ysidro |
| Pioche, NV | 533 | 9 h 15 min | San Ysidro |
| Sacramento, CA | 533 | 8 h 24 min | San Ysidro |
| Safford, AZ | 536 | 9 h 6 min | Tecate |
| Gardnerville, NV | 537 | 10 h 25 min | San Ysidro |
| Sausalito, CA | 539 | 8 h 40 min | San Ysidro |
| Napa Junction, CA | 539 | 8 h 36 min | San Ysidro |
| Cameron, AZ | 541 | 9 h 42 min | Tecate |
| Fairfield, CA | 543 | 8 h 35 min | San Ysidro |
| Davis, CA | 545 | 8 h 35 min | San Ysidro |
| Folsom, CA | 545 | 8 h 56 min | San Ysidro |
| Tiburon, CA | 546 | 8 h 41 min | San Ysidro |
| Napa, CA | 547 | 8 h 47 min | San Ysidro |
| Vacaville, CA | 551 | 8 h 41 min | San Ysidro |
| Orderville, UT | 552 | 9 h 23 min | San Ysidro |
| Woodland, CA | 552 | 8 h 40 min | San Ysidro |
| Carson City, NV | 553 | 10 h 48 min | San Ysidro |
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.