San Diego to Rocky Point
- Thread starter FastRay
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Roberto
Guest
I take Rt 5 through Mexicali to Rt 4 to Rt 40 at Coahuila city. Then 40 south to get on the Costal highway. Only tricky spot is where 4 ends at Coahuila. Go left over the tracks pass the OXXO on the left side and end up at the T on 40. Rt 4 is a little picturesque through several small ejido towns but the road is good all the way.
Rt 2 through San Luis to the south bypass I found confusing. Poor signage.
Have not driven it in many years but 2 to Sonoita is a narrow killer road with convoys of big trucks. No trucks on the other route, well maybe one or two but not many.
Rt 2 through San Luis to the south bypass I found confusing. Poor signage.
Have not driven it in many years but 2 to Sonoita is a narrow killer road with convoys of big trucks. No trucks on the other route, well maybe one or two but not many.
brokenwave
Guest
I've driven from SD going to Yuma thru San Luis, Go thru the inspection and thru the 1st light (highway 2), No left turns onto Highway 2
( 1st light, no left turn so I went a couple blocks south then came back onto highway 2) drive for about 2 miles east
and then take highway 3 (toll road) south to El Doctor.
Take highway 40, SE to El Golfo, then highway 3 to Penasco. Super Easy drive took me less than 6 hours from Oceanside.
Google maps is a help but cell service is spotty through there. So have it pre load before.
3 items you need to be aware of,
1. just south of San Luis getting on 3 is a toll road, have some pesos, it was 20ish pesos 3 years ago.
2. There is a check point before you get to El Golfo, could take time to get thru it.
3. The road past El Golfo to Penasco can have some serious sand drifts across the road
around the 53-60km mark, some bad accidents occur there, keep alert and slow down in that area.
Drive it during the day. Use Google maps satellite street view to visualize the drive through San Luis
Here is the route.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/San+Diego,+CA/Puerto+Peñasco,+Sonora,+Mexico/@32.3617889,-115.4921852,9.77z/data=!4m24!4m23!1m15!1m1!1s0x80d9530fad921e4b:0xd3a21fdfd15df79!2m2!1d-117.1610838!2d32.715738!3m4!1m2!1d-114.622258!2d32.7306829!3s0x80d6f68137596c17:0x6f859f35fcebc13a!3m4!1m2!1d-114.6503749!2d32.6828311!3s0x80d6f626de830327:0x9c33eaf5a339dc81!1m5!1m1!1s0x812ba5b44ea74411:0x4349796169c75fb3!2m2!1d-113.5311843!2d31.3268218!3e0
( 1st light, no left turn so I went a couple blocks south then came back onto highway 2) drive for about 2 miles east
and then take highway 3 (toll road) south to El Doctor.
Take highway 40, SE to El Golfo, then highway 3 to Penasco. Super Easy drive took me less than 6 hours from Oceanside.
Google maps is a help but cell service is spotty through there. So have it pre load before.
3 items you need to be aware of,
1. just south of San Luis getting on 3 is a toll road, have some pesos, it was 20ish pesos 3 years ago.
2. There is a check point before you get to El Golfo, could take time to get thru it.
3. The road past El Golfo to Penasco can have some serious sand drifts across the road
around the 53-60km mark, some bad accidents occur there, keep alert and slow down in that area.
Drive it during the day. Use Google maps satellite street view to visualize the drive through San Luis
Here is the route.
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/San+Diego,+CA/Puerto+Peñasco,+Sonora,+Mexico/@32.3617889,-115.4921852,9.77z/data=!4m24!4m23!1m15!1m1!1s0x80d9530fad921e4b:0xd3a21fdfd15df79!2m2!1d-117.1610838!2d32.715738!3m4!1m2!1d-114.622258!2d32.7306829!3s0x80d6f68137596c17:0x6f859f35fcebc13a!3m4!1m2!1d-114.6503749!2d32.6828311!3s0x80d6f626de830327:0x9c33eaf5a339dc81!1m5!1m1!1s0x812ba5b44ea74411:0x4349796169c75fb3!2m2!1d-113.5311843!2d31.3268218!3e0
I've driven San Diego (Carlsbad) to Rocky Point at least 10 times a year for the past 5 years. I've tried almost every conceivable route. The one I drive most often is the way Roberto posted (no tolls). I'll point out that I find it faster to cross Calexico Centro (west). I take the Tecate crossing (multiple tolls for about 8usd) every now and then just to mix it up and it is only 2 miles longer from North County.....probably shorter in comparison to Calexico from some areas of SD County.
Driving to Yuma and down through Somerton is the longest by mileage and time (one toll for about 105 or 110 pesos the last time I took it a few years ago).
Crossing in Andrade and dropping down to MX 2 and heading east passed San Luis (same 105 peso toll as above) is just about the same driving time compared to the Mexicali crossing but it is about 40 miles longer. My truck gets terrible gas mileage so driving less miles is one of my consideration points.
My preferred Calexico crossing route does drive all the way through Mexicali and you do have to drive through about 30 miles of farming villages with stop signs and speed bumps. The Andrade crossing is more miles but the same amount of time since you will be on a loft more open highway type driving.
I believe if you google map search the trip it gives you the route through Mexicali as the preferred. I always just tell my guests coming in from CA to just download the map and route of Google and it will give you the correct directions to my front door in Rocky Point.
Driving to Yuma and down through Somerton is the longest by mileage and time (one toll for about 105 or 110 pesos the last time I took it a few years ago).
Crossing in Andrade and dropping down to MX 2 and heading east passed San Luis (same 105 peso toll as above) is just about the same driving time compared to the Mexicali crossing but it is about 40 miles longer. My truck gets terrible gas mileage so driving less miles is one of my consideration points.
My preferred Calexico crossing route does drive all the way through Mexicali and you do have to drive through about 30 miles of farming villages with stop signs and speed bumps. The Andrade crossing is more miles but the same amount of time since you will be on a loft more open highway type driving.
I believe if you google map search the trip it gives you the route through Mexicali as the preferred. I always just tell my guests coming in from CA to just download the map and route of Google and it will give you the correct directions to my front door in Rocky Point.
brokenwave
Guest
There were a couple of Pemex gas stations in El Golfo my last trip there.
CheddarBob
Guest
Not so sure I would trust the diesel in any small town. I fill up in AJO before crossing the border. Just to make sure I have enough to get in and get out.
Last edited:
Roberto
Guest
why? did you get lost ???
Made the trip down last week and got back Tuesday. Really easy drive and great road. No issues at all about 5 and 1/2 hours from Carlsbad. Thanks Roberto for the initial directions and everybody else who had great advise and ideas. Looking forward to going back in a few months when it cools down.