BajaNomad

Mexicali border crossing

Janzie - 3-29-2017 at 02:42 PM

We're heading north via Gonzaga and San Felipe soon. Is the Mexicali/Calexico border crossing as straight forward as it appears on Google Maps?
Thanks!

HeyMulegeScott - 3-29-2017 at 03:03 PM

Mexicali East was pretty easy for us.

chavycha - 3-29-2017 at 04:20 PM

Yes. Sometimes you have to drive a ways to the east in order to be able to left-turn into the border line, but it's pretty easy.

bajabuddha - 3-29-2017 at 04:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Janzie  
We're heading north via Gonzaga and San Felipe soon. Is the Mexicali/Calexico border crossing as straight forward as it appears on Google Maps?
Thanks!


Nothing is as easy and "straight forward" on google maps. Keep your eyes open and watch the signs, and if for some reason you feel you missed sumpin' ASK. People are more than just friendly to help a poor pilgrim lost.
Have a good, adventurous trip. :coolup:

David K - 3-29-2017 at 04:45 PM

Lot's of Signs... but probably not enough! For the main/ downtown border to Calexico, USA:

At Km. 0 northbound (where Hwy. 2 joins in from the right) you want to head across in the street that goes true north and not the one going northwest along the railroad line. It will pass the Hotel Lucerna and take you all the way to the border fence where the one-way street turns left and follows the fence to the official U.S. entry.

I seriously recommend going to Tecate and crossing there if you are headed for San Diego or I-5/ I-15 north. Tecate is closed from 11 pm to 5 am, however.

AKgringo - 3-29-2017 at 04:54 PM

Google, Garmin, TomTom and others are spot on as far as locating the roads. What they can't see is the current detours and diversions that you need to take to get in the correct lanes!

I have never used the east crossing, but I intend to try to find the right route to it next time.

mtgoat666 - 3-29-2017 at 06:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Lot's of Signs... but probably not enough! For the main/ downtown border to Calexico, USA:

At Km. 0 northbound (where Hwy. 2 joins in from the right) you want to head across in the street that goes true north and not the one going northwest along the railroad line. It will pass the Hotel Lucerna and take you all the way to the border fence where the one-way street turns left and follows the fence to the official U.S. entry.

I seriously recommend going to Tecate and crossing there if you are headed for San Diego or I-5/ I-15 north. Tecate is closed from 11 pm to 5 am, however.


Dk is correctly telling you to head north on Benito Juarez, stay northbound until you come to the border wall, then go left on road along the wall. Stay in left lane for SENTRI, it's marked.

Dk is wrong about tecate. Get sentri and use Mexicali. Or use Reg lanes at Mexicali. I8 is fastest way to x mtns to get to San Diego. Easy peasy

David K - 3-30-2017 at 08:47 AM

No, I'm not.

What family is going to get Sentri for one trip to Baja?
I go 1-10 times a year, and I don't have Sentri. It's a long process, costs money and designed for people who cross the border daily or more frequently than us campers. Besides, who wants to deal with Tijuana or Mexicali city traffic at the end of their vacation? Tecate for the win!

BajaMama - 3-30-2017 at 11:11 AM

I agree David the Sentri is not for a one time trip. I go twice a year and it was worth every penny (I think total cost is about $125) and for us it took about 4 months from application to card in hand. Plus all domestic air travel gets TSA-pre, and if you are flying international you get to use the "express" customs lane when re-entering the US. Since I am intimidated driving alone through TJ, (not TJ itself, just trying to find the Sentri lanes at San Ysidro) so I take Bl. 2000 to Otay Mesa - I have done i.e. twice now and crossed in under 3 minutes. Since the last time I crossed w/o it took 2 hours after a 12 hour drive, well all I can say is yay Sentri!!

elgatoloco - 3-30-2017 at 03:44 PM

For us the Sentri pass has enriched our lives beyond measure. It is a great value. Instead of dreading a trip south because of the possible nightmarish, unbearable, exasperating, ridiculous wait to cross we go down all the time, including day trips, to shop, eat, surf, paddle, fish or just hang out with friends and family. If we average 2 trips a month it works about to about a $1 per trip over the life of the card.

We went down yesterday for the day and waited 11 minutes in SY line at 8:00 PM.

RE: TSA precheck - technically you don't get that EVERY time you fly. Once in a blue moon they will have you not get it so you have to go thru the regular lines at airport. That's when I wear my slipon shoes instead of hiking boots and get to airport 20 minutes earlier then usual. :saint:

adventure calls

yumawill - 3-30-2017 at 05:28 PM

Baja is all about Adventure. Mexicali has it's charms. But crossing back to the U.S. via Tecate is like decanting a fine wine after a superb dinner with friends. Enjoy the ride. It may not pass by again...................

Janzie - 3-31-2017 at 06:28 AM

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the info.

David K - 3-31-2017 at 07:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by yumawill  
Baja is all about Adventure. Mexicali has it's charms. But crossing back to the U.S. via Tecate is like decanting a fine wine after a superb dinner with friends. Enjoy the ride. It may not pass by again...................


Posts like this make me wish Nomad had a "Like" button!:light::yes:

elgatoloco - 3-31-2017 at 11:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by yumawill  
Baja is all about Adventure. Mexicali has it's charms. But crossing back to the U.S. via Tecate is like decanting a fine wine after a superb dinner with friends. Enjoy the ride. It may not pass by again...................


So true. Some of my finer wines sometimes need 2 or 3 hours of decanting to express their charm. :saint:

mtgoat666 - 3-31-2017 at 05:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TedZark  
Sentri sounds great... Do they accept those of us with SD plates? Last I heard that was a no go. And you don't find out 'til after you have paid.


If your documentation is above board, no problem. If your documentation is shady, maybe a problem. I don't think they have any issue with South Dakota residents. but if you are a faux South Dakotan, maybe that doesn't fit the low risk profile.
The govt has algorithms for determining risk of criminal activity, I suspect the models have some basis in past experience of certain groups, such as faux South Dakotans.

Enjoy the border lines, the churros are quite delicious.

[Edited on 4-1-2017 by mtgoat666]

bajaric - 4-1-2017 at 08:43 AM

Approaching the border at Mexicali West is fairly straightforward, but like anything the first time can be a bit of a learning experience. You will be on a three lane highway northbound, at one point you need to be in the left lanes to go under an underpass, there is also a bridge to cross over and a couple of roundabouts. The highway basically dead ends one block before the border, where you turn right and drive several blocks parallel and in the opposite direction of the one way Blvd. Internacional that is right next to the border fence until you can look to your left and not see any more cars in the line, then you turn left to get to the end of the line. The wait is usually 1-2 hours.

Pappy Jon - 4-6-2017 at 08:15 PM

I crossed at Mexicali for the first time in over 20 years. The wait was an hour and a half at 10am. I'll find someplace else to cross next time.

Gulliver - 4-6-2017 at 08:34 PM

i have settled on Tecate because of one big thing. Being pestered half to death by vendors.

I ended up in a violent confrontation at the Tijuana crossing. Some dolt of a squeegee guy decided to get revenge after a very polite wave off from me and smashed his filthy jug of muddy water against my windshield and knocked off my windshield wiper arm. I caught him after a short run and made him put it back on. No one came near me for the remaining hour in line.

Sitting in that hot line at Mexicali with hoards of people waving frogs in my face was no fun last year.

If I pick my time of day with any sense at all I spend very little time waiting at Tecate. There is a lot to be said for a small town.

And I'll be damned of I'll pay $125 for my one crossing a year for a Sentri pass.

I support every possible charity, scholarship and community effort that I can down here. I understand that times are hard. But I expect to be treated with respect including my privacy. Polite people who don't push often get my money. I'm the worst kind of pushover. But touch my car or ignore a wave off and all bets are off.