Plan on about 5 h 47 min of driving for the 286-mile (460 km) trip from La Serena to Quintay, before any stops.
Full advisory: Chile. Advisory issued: Chile August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Chile: “Driving in Chile is relatively safe.”
| Distance by road | 286 mi (460 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | F-800 |
| Regions on the route | Coquimbo, Valparaíso |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the La Serena to Quintay drive plays out
F-800 (14 mi) carries about 5% of the 286 miles. It runs through 2 regions: Coquimbo, Valparaíso. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from La Serena to Quintay, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–223 | 223 | Coquimbo, Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 223–225 | 2 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 225–265 | 40 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 265–266 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 266–270 | 4 | Valparaíso |
| connecting roads | 270–271 | 1 | Valparaíso |
| F-800 | 271–285 | 14 | Valparaíso |
| local roads | 285–286 | 1 | Valparaíso |
- Mile 171 of this route: Coquimbo → Valparaíso (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Quintay
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Histórico-Arqueológico de Quillota (mile 232), Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar (mile 258)
- Nature and outdoors: Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park (mile 59), La Campana National Park (mile 233), Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar (mile 258), Lago Peñuelas National Reserve (mile 271)
- Museums and history: Faro Punta Tortuga (mile 7), Museo Histórico-Arqueológico de Quillota (mile 232), Museo Palmira Romano (mile 239)
Faro Punta Tortuga
Punta Tortuga Lighthouse in Coquimbo was inaugurated on June 1, 1886, and is named for the point's turtle-like shape seen when entering Coquimbo Bay from the sea. It is still staffed.
Bosque de Fray Jorge National Park
Near Ovalle in Chile's semi-arid north, Fray Jorge National Park shelters a fog-fed forest of species typical of southern Chile, such as olivillo and canelo. A short marked loop trail winds through it, and the park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Museo Histórico-Arqueológico de Quillota
Quillota's history and archaeology museum occupies the Casa Colonial, a building declared a National Monument, in the city of Quillota.
La Campana National Park
In Chile's coastal range northwest of Santiago, La Campana National Park protects the Chilean palm that Charles Darwin studied on his 1834 visit. Trails climb toward Cerro La Campana, and the park also holds petroglyphs and the Salto La Cortadera waterfall.
Museo Palmira Romano
Run by the municipality of Limache in the Valparaíso Region, the Museo Palmira Romano is a museum listed in Chile's museum registry.
Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez
Quilpué's municipal theater opened on December 7, 1940, as Teatro Velarde; the city bought it in 2012 for reconstruction, and it reopened as Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez in 2017.
Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar
Covering 395 hectares in Viña del Mar, the National Botanical Garden takes in hills of scrubland and sclerophyll forest.
Lago Peñuelas National Reserve
Chile's Lago Peñuelas National Reserve surrounds Peñuelas Lake, a freshwater reservoir that supplies drinking water to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar.
More drives to Quintay
- Reñaca to Quintay
- Coquimbo to Quintay
- Vicuña to Quintay
- Punta de Choros to Quintay
- Copiapó to Quintay
- Caldera to Quintay
From La Serena to other places in Chile
- La Serena to El Colorado
- La Serena to Valle Nevado
- La Serena to Los Andes
- La Serena to Santa Cruz, Chile
- La Serena to Curicó
- La Serena to Pichilemu
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from La Serena to Quintay?
About 5 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 286 miles.
How far is Quintay from La Serena by car?
About 286 miles (460 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.
Is it safe to drive from La Serena to Quintay?
The U.S. State Department rates Chile Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from La Serena to Quintay?
Closest to the road: Museo Histórico-Arqueológico de Quillota (museum, mile 232, 0.9 mi from the route); Teatro Municipal Juan Bustos Ramírez (theater, mile 254, 1 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico Nacional de Viña del Mar (botanical garden, mile 258, 0.6 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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 October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.