bga23
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Driving from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas
My wife and I (and our dog) are planning to drive from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas later next month and I'm trying to find out what to expect. We've
driven from SD to Ensenada and then from San Felipe to Calixeco and I found the roads to be fine, much what I'd expect from 2-lane highways in the US.
But I've read about a lot of potholes along highway, especially in some parts of Baja Sur.
Google shows a bit over 1000 miles and about 20 hours driving. Our plan was to do SD to Guerrero Negro in 1 day, Google shows 10 hours. And then do
Guerrero Negro to Los Cabos on day 2, about 11 hours according to Google. I know we'll need to make stops for gas, food, bathroom, border crossing,
etc.. so that will slow us down some.
My question is, are these drive times realistic, given the road conditions? Always open to any tips or suggestions to make our trip easier.
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Alm
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Times are just barely realistic.
Sounds like you just need to get to Cabo in the shortest possible time.
If this is the case, a non-stop commercial flight from Tijuana would be the best, IMO. Takes only 2 hours.
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woody with a view
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I drive like I stole it and 10 hours to GN isn’t realistic. Add two to be safe with only gas and stops to water the cactus.
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bajaguy
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San Diego to Ensenada is about two hours with your stop to get the FMM at the border. It's another 3 hours (depending on the day and traffic) to San
Quintin and another 2 hours to Catavina depending on the road conditions.
We have made the trip from Ensenada to Gurrero Negro in 8, but that was pushing it and when the road was in better shape
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Paco Facullo
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I just did that drive about a month ago. The worse pot holes are before and after Catavina and before Guerrero Negro. And they are BAD.
You should NOT attempt to drive over 60 mph , it is just too dangerous.
Many accidents and life's lost along that road. No shoulders and a bad drop-off on much of it.
You don't even want to drive when dark so leave extra early.
I would say it is OK to drive in the dark till Ensenada but no further.
Oh, and be SURE your tires are in great shape !!!! I can't stress this enough !
[Edited on 4-9-2018 by Paco Facullo]
Since I've given up all hope, I feel much better
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4x4abc
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the really really bad part of the road (narrow and potholed) is between Ensenada and GN
may I metion that parts of the road are super narrow (8' 6")and have no shoulder - it ends with the white line, then drops 5 feet
hit a pothole (some are jacuzzi size not pot size) and you might not make it at all
GN to Cabo the road is in much better shape and can be driven fast in parts (not legally)
the part just south of GN is very fast and the cops know it (they are waiting for you) some horrific extortion stories lately
In my opinion, MEX1 is one of the most dangerous roads on the planet. I have helped countless people after they had been hit or fallen off the road
over the lest 30 years. Drive it fast and it gets even more dangerous.
so why would you ignore all traffic rules and endanger fellow drivers to get to Hollywood at the beach fast?
but you could do it and write a best selling book about it - or produce a TV piece about the bad roads in Mexico. You could be famous. In a wheel
chair, but famous.
Harald Pietschmann
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BajaBlanca
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If you take food in the car and have water so that pit stops are really short, you can do san diego to GNegro in 10 max 11 hours. It is grueling if
you aren't used to driving that many hours.
From there, I would for sure break it up since there are so many nice places to stay.
Loreto has tons of options and the next day down to Cabo would be long but easy.
Like everyone will tell you over and over, no night driving due to cows on the road, drunk drivers, no shoulders etc.
The suggestion to fly is a really good one if Cabo is your destination with no sightseeing along the way!
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bajagrouper
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I just drove in the opposite direction ( northbound ) last month, the road was in good shape until I hit the state line just past GN, pot holes made
me travel about 35 MPH....Why rush through beautiful Baja, take at least 4 days......
SD--EL ROSARIO---------5:30 HOURS--236 MILES
ER--GUERRERO NEGRO--4:30 HOURS--216 MILES
GN--LORETO--------------5:30 HOURS--249 MILES
LORETO--CABO-----------6:15 HOURS--300 MILES
I hear the whales song
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bga23
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We will be in San Jose del Cabo for 2-3 months and since we'll need a car, we figured driving made more sense than flying and renting one. Plus, more
importantly, there is no way we're gonna trust an airline with our dog and she's too big to go in the cabin with us.
Now, as far as why we were looking to do this in two days has a lot to do with having our dog, it limits sightseeing options pretty significantly.
But that said, maybe we shoot to do SD to GN the first day, spend the night in Loreto and then arrive in SJD on the third day.
Since we're looking at late-May we'll have plenty of daylight, so no driving at night and I don't plan to speed, it isn't worth the risk of an
accident or a run in with the policia.
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bajaguy
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bga23 - We have two Labradors that travel well in our truck (Toyota Tacoma) when on our way to BoLA, Mulege or Asuncion. We stop every 2 1/2 to 3
hours to stretch our legs and give them a potty break, and also walk them when we stop for gas (Baja Cactus in El Rosario) and eat (at Parcela 12).
Also great fun when we stop at military checkpoints.
They really liked the beach at San Buenaventura and had fun while we scarfed down a couple of Nathan's cheeseburgers and a few cold beers
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prt328
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I make the drive twice a year; heading north from Cabo next week. In October we go Sacramento to Chula Vista, then to Santa Rosalia (or only to
Guerrero Negro if I'm tired), then Cabo the next day. Next week I will do GN (staying at Halfway Inn; dog friendly) and La Quinta in Chula Vista.
They are very long days but I also never drive at night. Nor do I stop at immigration either way (permanent resident).
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David K
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It is actually at km. 0 south side of San Quintin where the 1973 rush job to build a paved Highway 1 begins. The road width narrows to 19 ft. without
shoulders or pullouts. The road is often on an elevated levee making pulling off near impossible for many. They have been widening sections, but are a
long ways from making this section to Santa Rosalia safe. The poor maintenance zone with frequent pot holes is from El Rosario to the state border,
near Guerrero Negro.
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chavycha
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We just did it northbound with our dogs. See here:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=90105
Short version: you can absolutely do it in two days if you aren't interested in stopping for anything other than necessities (food, gas, sleep). This
also presumes no mishaps or delays other than the usual checkpoints.
We have done Poway (or Imperial) to Asuncion several times in a single shot. It's about the same time-wise either way. It maps to about 10 hours,
but in reality with stops, it's a 12 to 14 hour day. Do note that you also gain an hour going south, which doesn't matter for your fatigue but does
matter for hotel check-in closing times, etc.
Regardless of how many days you decide to take, it'll be easier if you can switch drivers and don't mind getting up early to take advantage of the
long daylight hours.
We actually did the whole peninsula in a day and a half this past week while towing a small boat trailer, and ignoring the previous two pieces of
advice. I did all the driving and we drove after dark a bit.
We left La Ribera at 3pm on Tuesday. Ate a quick dinner in Insurgentes. Got to Loreto just before 10pm. Note that the time to La Ribera and Cabo are
almost exactly the same (as the 19 is a much straighter road than the 1). 7 hours.
Woke up, had breakfast, got on the road by 9am. Had lunch in Vizcaino at around 1pm. Arrived San Felipe at 7:30pm and had dinner. Left San Felipe
at 9pm. Arrived Mexicali 10:30pm. Time changes going north (-1hr) so that's 11:30pm "Loreto time." That's nearly a 15-hour day.
In total, around 22 hours transit time. I don't drive fast when towing, but we were brutally efficient en route. Quick eats, quick gas stops, quick
dog and person bathroom stops.
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chavycha
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This is extremely accurate. Driving in Baja is NOT like driving in the States - you have to be 100% alert, 100% of the time. There are no "easy"
stretches where you can zone out.
I am still pretty young and sharp, and have made the drive for several years running, but I won't lie - it's a grind, especially if you're trying to
minimize time in transit.
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UnoMas
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I would add an extra day to your trip, there are always unknowns. San Diego to GN is doable and a good day of driving. Then possibly to Ciudad
Constitution (sp?) then on to Cabo from there. Don't kill yourself getting there....  
Enjoy your trip...
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Jinete Viejo
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A friend returned yesterday from a trip to BoLA and says the potholes between Catavina and the BoLa turnoff have been patched. Instead of shin deep
holes they are now ankle high bumps.
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8knots
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Early on my drives were done in two days. No mas! I now only do 3 days and what a big difference it makes. On the crazy side of not having anything
else to do I once drove from Cabo to Bozeman, MT in 4 days with time to spare. Took 3 days to feel 'right' again.
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BajaBlanca
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The issue is the pooch! Younger dogs can handle long drives no problem, but some of the older ones sure have a harder time of it.
Our 12 year old English springer spaniel did NOT enjoy our trip to La Paz this past February. He really stressed out and Mom (=Blanca) stressed right
along with him. This was the first time ever that distance was an issue. We drove straight there, which we had done many times before.
We gave him a tranquilizer for the ride home and this was the key to sleepiness on his part and happiness on my part!
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