GC
Junior Nomad
Posts: 70
Registered: 5-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Calexico Border crossing
Looking for information on crossing into the US at Calexico. Are the lanes wide enough for a large motorhome? I also noticed that there are both a
Calexico West, and a Calexico East crossing. Any information/recommendations will be appreciated.
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BajaWarrior
Super Nomad
Posts: 2307
Registered: 9-27-2006
Location: Mission Bay, San Diego. Playa Hermosa, San Felipe.
Member Is Offline
Mood: Anxious to get south
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East crossing has less "city" to deal with. And where you come onto the highway it put you about 15 miles south of town, open road south from there
on, no more traffic signals, no more stops or speed bumps.
Plenty of room for your RV. Take I-8 to just past El Centro to Orchard Ave (Hwy. 7) and it takes you directly to the border (6 miles). Use the CAR
lane.
Stay left when entering the border. Check your map of Mexicali from there or I can give you detailed directions on a U2U.
Haven't had a bad trip yet....
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
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Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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RE: Calexico Border crossing
Hi There GC,
You shouldn't have any problem crossing the border at either of the crossings. The Eastern crossing is a little more open and maybe a bit easier to
get through. But I like to cross at the Western crossing which is right at the end of Calexico's main drag…Imperial Ave./Hwy. 111
The reason I like to cross there is that there's lots of places to change yourmdollars to Pesos, get some last minute gas, Mexican Insurance, some
groceries, or maybe a bite to eat at McDonald's or somewhere else.
Another reason I like to cross at the Western crossing is so that I can stop and shop at one or both of the DUTY FREE stores which are located on
Imperial Ave. just before you cross the border. I like shop for BOOZE (ooh….did he say B-O-O-Z-E???? LOL…and NO…I’m not an alcoholic, I just like to
have a drink once in awhile). They carry all the top name brands at VERY GOOD prices. Sometimes they even have sales and the prices
are even better. If you’re a smoker, they also have very good prices on those. And occasionally, I’ll even buy some good chocolate or perfume as a
present for someone. I’ve bought several bottles many times and some cigarettes for a friend’s father, and NEVER had any problem crossing into Baja
with them.
The first store…Baja Duty Free, is located on Imperial and 3rd Avenue and the second one is located at Imperial and 2nd St., literally just before
you cross into Baja. I’m always pulling a 14’ trailer behind my F250 Crew Cab, so I park on the street at the first one, or across the street
sometimes. At the second one, I pull into the lot from 2nd St. and they let me pull up in front of the store. Then, when you are done shopping, you
just pull out of the lot and you are crossing the border.
Here’s a GOOGLE MAPS link of the Western crossing…http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl&q=
NOTE: Do not try to cross over later in the afternoons, especially on Fridays. The workers and others crossing for visits can really back up Imperial
Ave. I will often use Emerson Ave. (1 block west of Imperial) to get to the stores. You can’t normally use it as a short-cut for traffic, because they
won’t let you turn right onto Imperial from the side streets, but they will let you exit the store’s driveways.
NOW…RE: RE-ENTRY INTO THE U.S.
I definitely like to re-enter the U.S. using the EASTERN border crossing. I feel like the wait times have always been less and it’s not located in
quite as seedy of an area. You can reach it by taking some shortcuts off Mexico 5, before you ever get into Downtown Mexicali. I don’t have a map link
for you, but maybe someone else does and will post it.
Amo Pescar / Michael 
[Edited on 11-14-2006 by AmoPescar]
[Edited on 5-10-2009 by AmoPescar]
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DianaT
Select Nomad
Posts: 10020
Registered: 12-17-2004
Member Is Offline
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Since we lived in Calexico, we always used the crossing in town to enter Mexicali---the west crossing on 111. But we always returned home throught
the east crossing----shorter wait time.
Also, in going back and forth to the San Diego area, when we reached almost the bottom of the hill on I-8 entering the Imperial Valley, we took the
Calexico turn off---98.
Have a great trip
Diane
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fdt
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4059
Registered: 9-7-2003
Location: Tijuana, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: Yeah, what if it all goes right
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I crossed northbound friday morning at the west (old) crossing and took 30 minutes it was 9:30am, radio report on fm garita said east crossing had
only 15 cars but I was already downtown mexicali. I also take the 98 hwy in both directions. And yes, there is room enough as I saw a big tour bus on
the right lanes and it fit just fine.
saludos
A well informed Baja California traveler is a smart Baja California traveler!
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