If this what you’re looking for, you should visit San Diego instead as it is the more the stereotypical Southern California road trip experience. Our research is editorially independent but we may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. Roadtrip: San Diego to Baja California. Baja California Wine Tours is the number one company in the industry specializing in wine tasting tours to Valle de Guadalupe and other adventures into Baja California starting from San Diego. Written by Freddy Sherman Jun 8, 2020. If you want a beach day in California, this will be one of your best options. Upon arrival, orient yourself by driving to the top of Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial, a small mountain that has views of the entire city. The goal of this road trip would be to spend simple time together in the warm California summer air with no agenda other than to reconnect as a family. This relaxing, scenic getaway takes you along the stunning Pacific coast across the California-Mexico border to Tijuana for a cultural sightseeing tour and time to shop along Avenidad Revolution, followed by a luscious lobster lunch, margaritas and mariachi music in Puerto Nuevo. As the southernmost city in California, San Diego is a thriving metropolis and has a lot to offer visitors no matter the season. Easygoing San Diego is a great place to start any vacation. San Jose del Cabo (airport code SJD) is where you will be flying into to start your Baja California Sur road trip. Explore San Diego's epic roadways along with the best places for visitors to stop along the way and live out their SoCal road trip dreams. Admire the blue Pacific waters and rolling hills on the comfortable drive south to the third-largest city on the Baja peninsula. As the whale watching in Baja California was our priority, we decided to make it our first stop and since it was the farthest point on our itinerary, it turned out to be perfect.. We left early morning from La Paz, heading towards San Ignacio to watch the grey whales.. After the whale watching, we would have made all the relevant stops on the way back. From San Diego on the trolley to the border of Tijuana. Explore some of Baja California's top destinations on this day trip from San Diego. I would recommend Pacific Beach if you are looking for a great California beach town vibe or Coronado Beach on Coronado Island.. An amazing surf beach La Jolla will feature high on the must-visit list for any budding border. Actually, there are two towns here: Cabo San Lucas with its popular beaches, bars, restaurants, and resorts and the quieter, less touristy San Jose del Cabo. Practicalities for a California Road trip. Walking tour of … The trip: Three days, 100 miles This route kicks off from the San Ysidro border crossing, which is the port of entry for those coming from Los Angeles, San Diego, or the San Diego airport. WheOn this unbelievable trip you will experience wine country, both coasts of Mexico: the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean, snorkeling and if you want; the crazy busy, yet beautiful tip of Baja at Cabo San Lucas. There are a ton of things to do in San Diego, including an internationally-renowned zoo and theme parks, endless stretches of pristine beaches and much more. I have spent many vacations in California over the past decade, which has included driving along the Pacific Coast from San Diego to San Francisco, or from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and even from Los Angeles to Yosemite. Everyone knows about the scenic Pacific Coast Highway drive from L.A. to San Francisco, but that same road—known in Mexico as Ruta 1—goes south, too. San Diego is an ideal springboard to the many and varied cities, beaches, national parks, and historic attractions of Southern California.Within 30 to 60 minutes of the city, you can visit the beautiful beach towns of La Jolla and Carlsbad, or escape to the mountain resorts of Mount Laguna and Julian. Our experienced, bilingual tour guide will drive you from San Diego across the border and down the coast through various coastal towns of Baja California, Mexico. On this day trip from San Diego, travel along stunning coastal cliffs to Ensenada for a guided sightseeing tour and free time to explore this beautiful, vibrant seaport city at your own pace. Travelling in the USA is relatively easy, but we wanted to share a few things to help make planning your California road trip a little easier. San Pasqual Winery. Crowned the “ultimate road trip” by many a travel publication, Baja California is fast becoming a bucket list destination – and it’s easy to see why. The majority of the drive from San Diego to Ensenada is a picture-perfect cruise along the Pacific Coast on a paved toll road. If instead, you are a “see as much as possible” kind of person then the Go San Diego City Pass can save you money. The final stop on your South Baja California road trip is Los Cabos, another 2 hours south of La Paz. Get the reverse directions for a San Diego to Houston drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. We spent 3 months on our Baja road trip! 59-Mile Scenic Drive One-Day Coastal Highway 79 Historic Highway 80 HIstoric Highway 94 Historic Highway 101 County Route S2 Start in San Francisco – As you research your California coastal road trip, you might be tempted to fly into Crescent City (the northernmost coastal town in California). Bumpy dirt roads connect the wineries in the valley, however, so be sure your car can handle the terrain. What to See in San Diego. What follows is that list, a compendium of hotels, destinations, and road eats along the drive north from San Diego to San Francisco. Eat traditional cuisine, shop local fare, and dive into the “the world’s aquarium” in southern Baja. California is always a good idea. Driving Route 1 is an iconic California experience, and one that’s made immeasurably easier by the fact that the road passes through cities and towns that are equipped for visitors—meaning that the hotels and restaurants you pass along the way are each worthy destinations in and of themselves. Southern California Coast Road Trip in 5 Days San Diego Day 1 San Diego. Recognized as one of the world's most visited cities, with more than 40 million border crossings each year, Tijuana is an energetic hub of activity day and night. The USA uses a 110v electrical system, with plugs that are either two pin or three pin. California Road Trip: San Diego to Los Angeles Travel Guide By K.C. Crossing over the border from sunny slow San Diego, into the chaotic clash of cultures in Tijuan, is many people’s first taste of Mexico. Coastal Cool – Highway 101. 1. Baja California Sur: The ultimate road trip. If you're planning a road trip to Cabo San Lucas, you can research locations to stop along the way. While you sip and taste different wines, let your pup hang out by your side and wind down from the day’s adventures. Baja Border Tours, San Diego Picture: Friendship Park - Check out Tripadvisor members' 50,013 candid photos and videos. Lying just a 30-minute drive from San Diego’s Downtown is the popular seaside hotspot of La Jolla. The perfect 10 Day California Road Trip itinerary for must-visit places to see in California including San Francisco, Los Angeles, things to do along the Pacific Coast Highway and Big Sur, San Deigo, the Californian desert - Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley, the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, Lake Tahoe, etc. A visit to Mexico should include more than Tijuana. g, San Diego County Beaches Once you get past the base, you will see an exit sign for the Coast Hwy, which is also known as the Old Route 101, this takes you through Oceanside, Carlsbad, Leucadia, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and the Torrey Pines State Park area. From Tijuana a local bus company goes out to the ocean, and down the coast, past Rosarito to Ensenada, Baja Mexico. If you want to know what to do in San Diego, start the day at the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, or the Safari Park if your kids love animals. Electricity. Spend the day with us and see more of what Mexico has to offer. Miles of Hollywood-worthy desert scenes, Robinson Crusoe beaches, and a crazily biodiverse ocean are just some of the things drawing thousands of visitors here each year. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. I can't wait to put the plan in motion. 1. Dermody. You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving by calculating the distance from Houston to San Diego . This is a beautiful place to begin because San Jose del Cabo has an amazing collection of beaches, Old Town, resorts if you want to be fancy, and the most beautiful estuary. The final 2 days of this epic coastal California road trip itinerary will see you driving from Los Angeles to sunny San Diego. When you decide it's time to get away from the warm weather and beautiful beaches of San Diego, the surrounding region provides an almost endless array of options.From hiking through the rugged canyons of Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert to fishing off the coast of Baja Mexico, it's all just a short drive away. THIS ARTICLE WAS UPDATED ON MAY 24TH, 2019. The city has endless opportunities for family fun. Below we share our top 53+ things to do in Baja California. DAY 1 – LA PAZ – SAN IGNACIO . - PR10157601 Saturday – San Diego. If you are planning a California road trip with family, it seems obvious to begin in San Diego. A Coastal California Road Trip. Start your California road trip in San Diego and enjoy San Pasqual Winery, where pets are more than welcomed! A day trip to La Jolla is one of the easiest day trips from San Diego of all. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. 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