Road trip from Phoenix to San Diego? (Yuma, Maricopa: apartment, hotel)

[Nice Nice Baby!]

Your shortest and fastest route from Tempe is through Maricopa. Take a right before you pass by the Basha grocery store. This route takes you through a small place called Mobile. I've done many different routes before, and now this has become the only way to go. It meets up with I-8 just east of Gila Bend. The road through Mobile is two lane highway, and quiet. Watch for cattle.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Sounds like going to SD is very common experience here. I just had a major service interval done on my car, so I'm good there. I've actually done the PHX to SD route years ago on a family road trip (in the back seat), so I vaguely remember it. I remember all the towns between the two cities as being very dumpy. I agree, leaving PHX as early as possible would be ideal. Just how early me and my buddies can wake up is another issue... For the trip back, is it scary/ dangerous driving I-8 and AZ-85 at night? I've only personally driven on the (non-city) highways at night once, going from Flagstaff back to Phoenix. It was extremely dark, not too many cars, and I noticed a lot of deer crossing signs. Is there a deer or livestock hazard in the lower sonoran desert? How fast do you guys drive at night?

Oh yeah-- one more question. Would going through Maricopa on AZ-347, then AZ-84 for a few miles and meeting up with I-8 that way save any time instead of driving all the way through Phoenix on I-10? I live in Tempe, and I would be leaving on a weekday morning. Thanks for the help!

If you leave SD at 4 you really won't be driving in the dark until about 8 or 8:30. The desert in the summer stays light until then. You will be almost home. There is not a lot of traffic on the highway unlike in Phx and the speed limit is a lot higher. Maricopa is still the way to go to San Diego because it's south. There are a few stretches that are creepy because of no life forms but on the brite side the only animals in the desert you'll see in the summer are buzzards! I'm not joking!

[anikobell]

Try to leave as early in the morning as possible when heading there. As for coming back you will either be dealing with the heat or the traffic - especially if it is on the weekend

[Boatdrinks]

Originally Posted by Nice Nice Baby!

Your shortest and fastest route from Tempe is through Maricopa. Take a right before you pass by the Basha grocery store. This route takes you through a small place called Mobile. I've done many different routes before, and now this has become the only way to go. It meets up with I-8 just east of Gila Bend. The road through Mobile is two lane highway, and quiet. Watch for cattle.

This is the route we take too. We've found it to be faster.

If you go this route, just make sure you don't miss your turns if you're driving at night. The first time we took that route at night, we almost missed one of the turns. It's pretty dark and not very well marked. Only happened the first time though - once you get used to it, it's easy.

[deem]

I agree with Twiggy - that is exactly what we do -
once you get past Yuma - it becomes a more enjoyable ride into CAlif.

[JeepGirl118]

Originally Posted by CodyW

The drive itself is fairly simple.. But if I remember right, there is some mountain driving after you get past Yuma - So if you have a small econo-box of a car, be ready to test your nerves on the way there. On the way back, just be careful, and you should be fine.

The way that some of those trucks come swinging around those bends in the mountains on the way/way back is scary. If I recall correctly, there are no guard rails in those mountains there. There have been a lot of accidents. It's teh only part of the drive that I do not like - just as I do not like parts of the drive down through the mountains from Pinetop.

[azkylady]

some of the drive, there just is not any reception. thats the part that worries me. I had the pleasure of being a passenger one particuliar hot summer. never been on a drive so isolated, yikes, kinda of freaked me out! I would wait till winter!

[Movin Ed]

I've driven between the two a number of times and at all times of the day. It's a simple little drive but a very boring one at that. I've had to cover up my side window a number of times due to the intense sun beating in. Other that that, I've never had any issues with any of the cars I've taken on the trip.

BTW, watch out when you get to the mountains. A lot of drivers seems to think they're an Indy driver or something when they get to that stretch of the road.

Ed

[warmless]

I've done this drive down the I-8 many times. The main thing to make sure you prevent is overheating of your car. Don't run the AC on high the whole time, make sure you have plenty of water, and make sure your car is well-maintained, especially its cooling system.

Drive during the cooler parts of the day/night, but if you make the drive at night, do so only if you are a well-seasoned driver who is comfortable driving long, boring distances at night, especially when you hit the freeway system in San Diego. It's not bad, but when you're tired, the city freeways can be tedious.

warmless

[IceZombie]

Originally Posted by JeepGirl118

The way that some of those trucks come swinging around those bends in the mountains on the way/way back is scary. If I recall correctly, there are no guard rails in those mountains there. There have been a lot of accidents. It's teh only part of the drive that I do not like .

This is correct. I believe there was a recent fatality there.

Based on this being your first time and your comments about returning from Flag I dont advise you doing it at night. While its certainly doable it will be less stressful to drive this stretch during daylight.

Other than that its an easy drive with some of the starkest landscape imaginable.