Coming from the Inland Empire in California. In the past we have taken the 10 freeway then cut down to Gila Bend and then crossed at Lukeville. Is this still the best/fastest route? Or should I cross at Mexicali and take that route. Maps states going through Mexicali will save me an hour but I don't know if that's real or not. Probably longer to cross back to the US at Mexicali.
Driving - Best Route
- Thread starter mikef
- Start date
Jungle Jim
Guest
Hola Mikef..........
You can shave off at least two hours of driving time by running down to I-8 thru Indio then to El Centro. From there head east to Yuma, take Hwy 95 to San Luis Sonora, make a left turn go about three miles to an overpass where a sign says Caborca and Puerto Penasco. About four miles out you will come to a toll booth where they will charge you 110 pesos to get on the Coastal Highway. Depending on your speed you can make it to Puerto Penasco in less than two hours from the toll booth.
JJ
You can shave off at least two hours of driving time by running down to I-8 thru Indio then to El Centro. From there head east to Yuma, take Hwy 95 to San Luis Sonora, make a left turn go about three miles to an overpass where a sign says Caborca and Puerto Penasco. About four miles out you will come to a toll booth where they will charge you 110 pesos to get on the Coastal Highway. Depending on your speed you can make it to Puerto Penasco in less than two hours from the toll booth.
JJ
2 hours. Wow. Thank you. How much drive time in Mexico? My wife is a little worried about that. Is it safe? Any problems with law enforcement?
We have always felt safe and never had a problem driving from Lukeville down to PP. but I have heard stories about law enforcement problems.
brokenwave
Guest
+1 on what JJ said. I did it last June from Oceanside and it took me about 6 hours, 370ish miles. Took me a little over 3 hours from Yuma.
Nice easy drive and plenty of scenery especially coming down the big hill into the Colorado river Delta.
There is one check point at El Doctor.
Just watch out for the drifting sand banks on the road between El Golfo and RP.
They can cause some serious damage to your car if you hit them at 75 mph.
PintoPoint
Guest
I take Hwy 5 in Mexicali to Hwy 4 to Hwy 3 to El Golfo and on the Puerto Penasco. I travel that way every six weeks. You can check it on google maps and it will give you complete directions. Bypasses the toll road and runs through some nice farm land.
Jungle Jim
Guest
Mike.......
After dealing with Mexican customs at the border, where you will most likely get a green light, the only required stop will be the agricultural checkpoint at El Doctor, about midpoint between the border and the El Golfo turnoff. They WILL look in your coolers and ask what you have. We usually have some traveling snack fruit like grapes, cherries, green apples, etc. I just tell em what we have and they might look but usually happily wave us through.
Be careful with the town of El Golfo. The turnoff to the Coastal Highway is well marked and about a half mile before entering the town proper. The cops there are well known bandits and they will stop you for no reason at all. They will check you out, ask a few questions the determine if you are weak enough to fall for their lying shit, usually speeding or running stop signs that never existed. They will demand the now usual hundred bucks USA. You might get em off your back if you demand to go to the Police Station which is right there on the north edge of town.
My policy is to AVOID El Golfo entirely. They have nothing you need that you can't get in Penasco. Be sure that you fuel up before leaving the border. There is a Pemex station in El Golfo.
As you get close to Penasco you may be stopped by a road block by the Federal Police. They might ask a few questions then wave you on. They are looking for the hardcore criminals not you.
Have fun!
JJ
After dealing with Mexican customs at the border, where you will most likely get a green light, the only required stop will be the agricultural checkpoint at El Doctor, about midpoint between the border and the El Golfo turnoff. They WILL look in your coolers and ask what you have. We usually have some traveling snack fruit like grapes, cherries, green apples, etc. I just tell em what we have and they might look but usually happily wave us through.
Be careful with the town of El Golfo. The turnoff to the Coastal Highway is well marked and about a half mile before entering the town proper. The cops there are well known bandits and they will stop you for no reason at all. They will check you out, ask a few questions the determine if you are weak enough to fall for their lying shit, usually speeding or running stop signs that never existed. They will demand the now usual hundred bucks USA. You might get em off your back if you demand to go to the Police Station which is right there on the north edge of town.
My policy is to AVOID El Golfo entirely. They have nothing you need that you can't get in Penasco. Be sure that you fuel up before leaving the border. There is a Pemex station in El Golfo.
As you get close to Penasco you may be stopped by a road block by the Federal Police. They might ask a few questions then wave you on. They are looking for the hardcore criminals not you.
Have fun!
JJ
Thank you so much Jim. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me.
Abe Gonzalez
Guest
Ive used that route two times from Corona CA, and it does save you about 2 hours. Ive only traveled it during the day and with at least one more car with us. I wouldnt drive that route by myself because if you break down, there is nothing out there, and i mean nothing!!
Abe Gonzalez
Guest
Another plus, crossing back to the US from Sonoyita has taken us 8 plus hours, weve averaged 45 min in San Luis and 1 hour in Mexicali. I recommend Mexicali, as soon as you cross you can jump on the 98 or 8. Thru San Luis, its still a drive to get the 8.
Really? Wow. That's crazy. We always cross at Lukeville. Usually about 15 minutes.
brokenwave
Guest
15 minutes at a Non peak time is doable. It all depends on when you go through Sonoyta back to the USA
.
Typically, hitting the border on Sundays at 12-3pm it's usually 45-90 minutes. Busy times, ex. Spring Break,
Memorial Day, Easter, Thanksgiving it can be 2-6 hours if you hit Sonoyta after 11am.
The only way we go back to the USA via Sonoyta on big holidays is leave at 6-7am or go the next day after most people have left.
More than a few 1.5-3 hour waits made me re-think my travel habits.
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mexicoruss
Lovin it in RP!
Never heard of 8 hours at Lukeville.......that's just plain silly.
PintoPoint
Guest
Almost no time with my Sentri Pass at Mexicali.
So last time we took the 10 freeway to the 85 to Lukeville. then down to PP. The drive took us a little less than 7 hours.
It takes me about 3 hours to Yuma. Then 3 hours from Yuma to PP..... So that is about 6 hours. So really it is only about a 45 minute savings. But on the way home if you factor in border wait times it might be more?
brokenwave
Guest
It's a nice drive scenery wise
Jungle Jim
Guest
Last Sunday 5 Feb 17 we waited 3 1/2 hours in line to get back to the FUSA at the San Luis POE. After crossing we were ordered to secondary inspection for another 45 minutes to get an in-depth bad bug and bad me lesson by the FUSA customs agents concerning two extremely dangerous whole fresh Mexican avocados that I stupidly declared. I "got learned" that the millions of Mexican avocados sold at every grocery store in the FUSA had been dipped in some kinda bad bug killing vat then irradiated with some kinda death ray making them safe so as not to hurt the non existent Arizona avocado industry. The very same avocados are A-OK to import if the seeds have been removed and will not be required to undergo the dip and radiation. Kinda funny ain't it?
We usually come home on a Monday afternoon with a half hour wait at most, with a dozen or so avocados sin semilla in frozen zip lock bags juiced up with fresh squeezed Mexican Lime juice and a sprinkle of Ball brand Fruit-Fresh produce protector. I've discovered that if I toss in a few strips of the avocado skin it will help keep the flavor as does the deadly illegal seeds do.
JJ
We usually come home on a Monday afternoon with a half hour wait at most, with a dozen or so avocados sin semilla in frozen zip lock bags juiced up with fresh squeezed Mexican Lime juice and a sprinkle of Ball brand Fruit-Fresh produce protector. I've discovered that if I toss in a few strips of the avocado skin it will help keep the flavor as does the deadly illegal seeds do.
JJ
mexicoruss
Lovin it in RP!
Less than an hour and probably more like 10 minutes. The hotels and condos have check out times of 11)) am so the worst time to leave Peñasco is around noon as the border is crushed by everyone trying to squeeze out the last few minutes here before heading home. 9:00 am puts you way ahead of this pack.