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Calexico, CA Road Trips

Drivers starting from Calexico, CA have 5 mapped routes to choose from, making it a small but connected base in the Pacific Coast. The route mix is balanced, with options ranging from 123-mile quick runs to 604-mile cross-state drives. Most routes from Calexico, CA head west, giving the route network a clear directional lean.

city in Imperial County, California, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

5

Longest Drive

603.7 mi

Sacramento, CA

Quickest Drive

2h 16m

San Diego, CA

Plan Around Calexico, CA

Trips from Calexico, CA

Driving from Calexico, CA

On average, trips departing from Calexico, CA run 281 miles with a drive time of roughly 5h 16m. There is a healthy spread of short hops, medium drives, and longer road trips to pick from. The longest mapped route runs 604 miles (11h 12m), while the shortest is just 123 miles.

Popular Destinations

Drivers leaving Calexico, CA most often head toward Sacramento, CA (603.7 mi, 11h 12m), Bakersfield, CA (331.2 mi, 6h 19m), Los Angeles, CA (222.1 mi, 4h 13m), Chula Vista, CA (123.8 mi, 2h 18m), and San Diego, CA (122.8 mi, 2h 16m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

For the average 281-mile drive from Calexico, CA, expect to burn about 11.1 gallons of fuel one way at 25 MPG. Check local pump prices before you go to lock in your budget.

Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring. Most routes head west — leaving in the morning keeps the sun behind you for a more comfortable drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 5 mapped routes leaving Calexico, CA and 0 routes heading into Calexico, CA, covering 5 total connections. Distances range from 123 to 604 miles.

The longest mapped route from Calexico, CA covers 604 miles and takes approximately 11h 12m. Shorter options start at just 123 miles.

The average route from Calexico, CA runs about 281 miles with a drive time of roughly 5h 16m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

The most popular road trip destinations from Calexico, CA include Sacramento, CA, Bakersfield, CA, Los Angeles, CA and Chula Vista, CA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Calexico, CA by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

38,476

Median Income

$50,021

Median Home Value

$281,700

Median Age

33.5

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Calexico, CA at a Glance

Founded

1908

Elevation

10 ft

Area

8 mi²

Sister Cities

Tijuana Mexicali

Notable People from Calexico, CA

A sampling of people born in Calexico, CA.

Enrique Castillo

1949

American actor

Isaac Acuña

1989

Mexican footballer

Emilio Delgado

Emilio Delgado

1940–2022

American actor (1940-2022)

Allen Strange

1943–2008

American composer (1943–2008)

Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson

1916–1999

American politician (1916-1999)

Anita Álvarez de Williams

1931

American anthropologist

Takashi Kijima

Takashi Kijima

1920–2011

Japanese photographer

Landmarks & Historic Sites

Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Calexico, CA.

Calexico Carnegie Library

Calexico Carnegie Library

library

National Register of Historic Places listed place

City data from Wikidata (Q753034), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Calexico, CA

Calexico is a city in Imperial County in California, located just across the U.S.-Mexican border from Mexicali.

Most visitors to Calexico arrive on foot from the sister city Mexicali. From downtown Calexico it's a short walk to the border crossing and several tourist areas on the other side. U.S. citizens do not require a passport, only proof of citizenship, for short trips to the border area of Mexico, but you will need a passport, passport card, or enhanced driver's license to reenter the U.S.

1 Best Western John Jay Inn, 2421 Scaroni Rd, ☏ +1 760 768-0442. 2 Holiday Inn Express, 2501 Scaroni Rd, ☏ +1 760 768-6048.

Imperial Ave From Calexico is located at the southern end of Highway 111, 9 mi (14 km) south of its junction with I-8 (Exit 120 of I-8), east of El Centro. Birch St 1 Calexico International Airport (CXL IATA). For private pilots this is a common place for traveling to and from Baja to file customs and entry forms. Nearest airport for commercial flights by Mokulele Airlines is at Imperial Airport (IPL IATA) located 15 mi (24 km) north in El Centro. The next nearest airport for commercial flights is in San Diego International Airport (SAN IATA) where travelers can rent a car or take a Greyhound bus to Calexico. From Mexico the nearest airport for commercial flights is in Mexicali (MXL IATA) 2 Greyhound, (bus station) 123 E 1st St (E 1st St & Paulin across street from US Border Inspection Station), ☏ +1 760 357-1985, toll-free: +1 800 231-2222. Calexico is served by Greyhound from Los Angeles (around 6 hours via Imperial; El Centro, Indio/Palm Springs, San Bernardino); Phoenix (via Yuma, Gila Bend); and San Diego (around 4 hours) (updated Mar 2020) 3 Imperial Valley Transit (IV Transit), (bus stop) E 3rd St & Pauline Ave (Bus stop at SE of intersection of E 3rd St & Pauline Ave), ☏ +1 760 482-2900. Operates buses to El Centro (Rt #1); Brawley (Rt #32) and Imperial Valley College (IPVC) (#21). From Brawley the #31 bus goes to Calexico. (updated Mar 2020)

Travel tips adapted from Calexico on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

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