The Wayro route from West Hollywood to Mexicali is 235 miles (379 km), about 4 h 13 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 232 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 | 235 mi (379 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-66 Hist → US-101 → US-99 Hist → I-10 → I-10 EXPR → CA-86 → CA-78 → CA-111 |
| Border crossing | about mile 232 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 9.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Mexicali
| 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.
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 West Hollywood to Mexicali is like
I-10 (108 mi) and US-99 Hist (45 mi) carry about 65% of the 235 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through California for about 232 miles; after the border at Calexico West you have about 3 miles left in Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from West Hollywood to Mexicali, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-66 Hist | 0–3 | 3 | California |
| connecting roads | 3–4 | 1 | California |
| US-101 | 4–9 | 5 | California |
| US-99 Hist | 9–19 | 10 | California |
| I-10 | 19–40 | 21 | California |
| I-10 EXPR | 40–49 | 9 | California |
| I-10 | 49–136 | 87 | California |
| CA-86 | 136–168 | 32 | California |
| US-99 Hist | 168–203 | 35 | California |
| CA-78 | 203–209 | 6 | California |
| CA-111 | 209–229 | 20 | California |
| connecting roads | 229–231 | 2 | California |
| local roads | 231–235 | 4 | California, Baja California |
- Mile 232 of this route: California → Baja California (international border)
Stops between West Hollywood and Mexicali
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (mile 7), The Broad (mile 7)
- Nature and outdoors: Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park (mile 34), California Botanic Garden (mile 39), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (mile 102)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (mile 7), The Broad (mile 7), Mission San Gabriel Arcángel (mile 16), Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument (mile 102), Sand to Snow National Monument (mile 103)
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Designed by Rafael Moneo, the mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles glows through alabaster windows and displays John Nava's tapestries. Guided tours cover the cathedral, its plaza gardens, and the mausoleum.
The Broad
Founded by Eli and Edythe Broad and opened in 2015, this Grand Avenue museum shows postwar and contemporary art by artists such as Basquiat, Warhol, Koons, and Kusama inside a veil-and-vault building by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Gensler.
Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument
Mission San Gabriel Arcángel
Founded on September 8, 1771, as the fourth of California's missions, San Gabriel remains an active Catholic parish where visitors can see the buttressed stone church, a museum exhibit, and a Native American garden.
Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park
Puddingstone Lake anchors this Los Angeles County park in San Dimas, open for fishing and boating. Trails serve hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders, and the grounds include an equestrian center and the Raging Waters water park.
California Botanic Garden
Spread across 86 acres in Claremont, this nonprofit garden is devoted to California native plants, with more than 22,000 of them on the grounds, some rare or endangered, plus guided walks and a native plant nursery.
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.
When you get to Mexicali
Baja California's state capital sits on the desert floor directly across the border from Calexico, and summer highs here can approach 50°C (about 122°F). Mexicali is known across Mexico for its Chinese food, a tradition that took root when Chinese immigrants settled in the 1910s and built the downtown district called La Chinesca.
- La Chinesca: The historic Chinese quarter downtown mixes Chinese and Mexican architecture and has a Chinese temple, small museums and plenty of Chinese-Mexican restaurants. source
- Museo UABC: Run by the state university since 1977, it covers desert ecology, paleontology, archaeology and the Cucapá, Kiliwa, Pai Pai and Kumiai peoples. source
- Museo Sol del Niño: A hands-on science and environment museum for kids, housed in La Jabonera del Pacífico, a former cottonseed warehouse recognized as heritage by INAH. source
More drives to Mexicali
- Fresno, CA to Mexicali
- Silver City, NM to Mexicali
- Long Beach, CA to Mexicali
- Winslow, AZ to Mexicali
- Poway, CA to Mexicali
- El Centro, CA to Mexicali
From West Hollywood to other places in Mexico
- West Hollywood, CA to Tecate
- West Hollywood, CA to Rosarito
- West Hollywood, CA to Tijuana
- West Hollywood, CA to San Quintín
- West Hollywood, CA to Ensenada
- West Hollywood, CA to San Luis Río Colorado
All routes to Mexicali, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Mexicali, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from West Hollywood to Mexicali?
About 4 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 235 miles.
How far is Mexicali from West Hollywood by car?
About 235 miles (379 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 West Hollywood to Mexicali drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 232 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 West Hollywood to Mexicali?
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.
Is it safe to drive from West Hollywood to Mexicali?
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 West Hollywood to Mexicali use?
In order: US-66 Hist, US-101, US-99 Hist, I-10, I-10 EXPR, CA-86, CA-78 and CA-111. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between West Hollywood and Mexicali?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (catholic cathedral, mile 7, 0.2 mi from the route); The Broad (art museum, mile 7, 0.5 mi from the route); Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park (regional park, mile 34, 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.