BajaMama
Super Nomad
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Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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SB Mexicali East or West & Directions (please)
Howdy, I have decided on my original plan to travel Mex 5 to BCS in May. Which Mexicali crossing is less confusing, east or west? Specifically for
finding the INM office. I can get flustered and find it comforting to have specific directions in my head... May I please have directions (and a map
if possible) on where to park to get my FMM stamped and how to continue on to Mex 5? I will really really appreciate your help.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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The INM office is in the first building inside Mexico (Tijuana, Tecate, Mexicali). Park as soon as you see a place, it may be before the automatic
gates (as it is at Tijuana and Mexicali West). If you cannot park before the gates, then as soon as you can after.
In 2019, we parked after the gates on the right curb and walked across the lanes to the building (on the left) inside which is the INM desk.
Since street construction is happening often, all you can do is follow the many signs for San Felipe... even though there may be shorter routes. Try
using Google or Waize app on your phone GPS.
From Mexicali West, we took a left at the intersection signed for Tijuana right (and San Felipe straight). This cut over to the original route south
easily and on the map is shorter than the new route ahead that often confuses drivers before it reaches the original route near Costco.
[Edited on 2-16-2020 by David K]
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Alan
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Last week at Mexicali West I simply pulled into the Declaracion Area. I explained I need to go to IMN. They pointed to where I could park and then
had an officer lead me to IMN. Super nice guys, super easy.
In Memory of E-57
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PaulW
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Do the same thing for Mexicali east.
Quote: Originally posted by Alan  |
Last week at Mexicali West I simply pulled into the Declaracion Area. I explained I need to go to IMN. They pointed to where I could park and then
had an officer lead me to IMN. Super nice guys, super easy. |
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bajafreaks
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West is extremely easy. Covered area to the left before you go thru the gates, you cant miss it. Park there walk into the white building to the right
of the parking area, cant miss it either. Go inside do your fmm. When you leave the parking area head towards the gates and youre done.
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Howard
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So if you don't need an FMM, what is the best way to cross going southbound?
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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Alan
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I don't know the best answer
because I haven't crossed here that often in recent years but with Hwy 5 now open it will become my goto route. Last week I crossed at Mexicali West
and it was very straight forward. I had read on here about construction in the area that was causing problems for some so as suggested I simply
stayed straight south from the border and ignored some of the signs that suggested I turn left for San Felipe. I merely continued straight for about
a mile and a half before finally following one of the signs for San Felipe. My copilot tracking us on Google Maps kept us on track and it was a piece
of cake.
[Edited on 2-17-2020 by Alan]
In Memory of E-57
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BajaMama
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Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Thank you all so much! It's funny, Google Maps ALWAYS used to route me through TJ when searching time and distance for stops. Now, with the new
paving of Mex 5, it routes that way. Kinda nice to break up the routes as my father in law and I will travel Mex 1 when we return north.
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Bajazly
Senior Nomad
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If you are heading to San Felipe, west is very easy. Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can
follow to the intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5. There is a big sign pointing
left to San Felipe
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
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Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly |
If you are heading to San Felipe, west is very easy. Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can
follow to the intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5. There is a big sign pointing
left to San Felipe |
Map apps work well in TJ and Mexicali. With map on your phone, you won’t get lost— you might even be confident enough to overcome fear of foreign
urban environments and explore the cities, as the navigation is so easy with phone apps working well in TJ and Mexicali.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
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Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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Good luck in other cities
| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | | Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly |
If you are heading to San Felipe, west is very easy. Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can
follow to the intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5. There is a big sign pointing
left to San Felipe |
Map apps work well in TJ and Mexicali. With map on your phone, you won’t get lost— you might even be confident enough to overcome fear of foreign
urban environments and explore the cities, as the navigation is so easy with phone apps working well in TJ and Mexicali. |
Been a long time since I have spent any time in Tecate.
Month ago I headed into downtown for a quick meal, then asked my map to send me to Tecate USA. Figured it would find me an easy route to the
Garita….
Sent me to Otay, up to I-8 and then back to Tecate
By then I had spotted the border fence and just tracked it back to the east and got myself re-oriented.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17404
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner | | Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | | Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly |
If you are heading to San Felipe, west is very easy. Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can
follow to the intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5. There is a big sign pointing
left to San Felipe |
Map apps work well in TJ and Mexicali. With map on your phone, you won’t get lost— you might even be confident enough to overcome fear of foreign
urban environments and explore the cities, as the navigation is so easy with phone apps working well in TJ and Mexicali. |
Been a long time since I have spent any time in Tecate.
Month ago I headed into downtown for a quick meal, then asked my map to send me to Tecate USA. Figured it would find me an easy route to the
Garita….
Sent me to Otay, up to I-8 and then back to Tecate
By then I had spotted the border fence and just tracked it back to the east and got myself re-oriented.
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Yes, map apps should be used with an ounce of common sense 
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1106
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
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Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | | Quote: Originally posted by Bajazly |
If you are heading to San Felipe, west is very easy. Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can
follow to the intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5. There is a big sign pointing
left to San Felipe |
Map apps work well in TJ and Mexicali. With map on your phone, you won’t get lost— you might even be confident enough to overcome fear of foreign
urban environments and explore the cities, as the navigation is so easy with phone apps working well in TJ and Mexicali. |
That is too funny - and maybe someday I will be comfortable with it. A couple of years back my son and I attempted Merida in the Yucatan. Sooooo
confusing even navigating with Waze. We both voted to abandon the city and went back to our planned route to Uxmal and beyond.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3019
Registered: 5-21-2013
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My car nav was not getting to a place in Ensenada so I opened Google maps on my phone and found the place I wanted. I had previously loaded Ensenada
for offline use.
BTW Google just did an update with lots of places like restaurants and various eating places. Tons of places even in San Felipe.
Google maps is a free app for all platforms.
It uses voice directions to get where you where you want.
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eguillermo
Nomad
Posts: 113
Registered: 10-10-2008
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I somehow mess up getting to 5 from the border about half the time, so what Bajazly said a few msgs back about going down Calz. de los prez and then
going left on 2 makes sense: "Once thru, the new road is open and it puts you right on Calzada de Los Presidentes which you can follow to the
intersection of 5 or a couple miles from the border turn left on Lazaro Cardeanes and that takes you to 5."
If you DID want to try to get on 5 as quick as possible, it looks like you'd have to do kind of a back-up-and-over via Zorilla -- a truly rich milieu
for the error-prone. This link with endless URL parameters may or may not show the area I'm talking about :
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tienda+Truper/@32.6633603,...
Happy to hear any recent advice on getting onto 5 and down the road as quick as possible. I'm not eager to explore any Mexican city such as Mexicali
because I'm not eager to explore any city anywhere in traffic, period 
[Edited on 11-30-2021 by eguillermo]
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Lee
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3459
Registered: 10-2-2006
Location: High in the Colorado Rockies
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Crossing at Calexico East, skip Mexicali Centro traffic. Connect to 5 where 2 splits going South.
US Marines: providing enemies of America an opportunity to die for their country since 1775.
What I say before any important decision.
F*ck it.
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