Day trips

The 15 Best Day Trips from Chula Vista

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 15 good day trips from Chula Vista, United States, led by Tijuana, Santa Ana, Moreno Valley. The closest is Tijuana, about 25 min by car, and 4 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Chula Vista at a glance

DestinationDistanceDrive timeBest as
Tijuana17 km SE25 minHalf-day trip
Santa Ana143 km NW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Moreno Valley145 km N2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Huntington Beach142 km NW2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Escondido53 km N1 hrHalf-day trip
Carlsbad63 km NW1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Costa Mesa136 km NW2 hr 10 minFull-day trip
Temecula95 km N1 hr 30 minFull-day trip
Murrieta102 km N1 hr 35 minFull-day trip
El Cajon21 km NE30 minHalf-day trip
Vista64 km N1 hr 15 minFull-day trip
Rosarito31 km S35 minHalf-day trip
Mission Viejo120 km NW1 hr 55 minFull-day trip
Indio145 km NE2 hr 15 minLong day or overnight
Menifee121 km N1 hr 55 minFull-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Chula Vista

  1. 1

    Tijuana, Mexico

    Half-day trip
    About 25 min by car17 km south-east of Chula Vista50 min round trip

    Known for Sesame Place San Diego.

  2. 2

    Santa Ana, United States

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car143 km north-west of Chula Vista4 hr 30 min round trip
  3. 3

    Moreno Valley, United States

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car145 km north of Chula Vista4 hr 30 min round trip
  4. 4

    Huntington Beach, United States

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car142 km north-west of Chula Vista4 hr 30 min round trip
  5. 5

    Escondido, United States

    Half-day trip
    About 1 hr by car53 km north of Chula Vista2 hr round trip
  6. 6

    Carlsbad, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car63 km north-west of Chula Vista2 hr 30 min round trip
  7. 7

    Costa Mesa, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 2 hr 10 min by car136 km north-west of Chula Vista4 hr 20 min round trip
  8. 8

    Temecula, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 30 min by car95 km north of Chula Vista3 hr round trip
  9. 9

    Murrieta, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 35 min by car102 km north of Chula Vista3 hr 10 min round trip
  10. 10

    El Cajon, United States

    Half-day trip
    About 30 min by car21 km north-east of Chula Vista1 hr round trip
  11. 11

    Vista, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 15 min by car64 km north of Chula Vista2 hr 30 min round trip
  12. 12

    Rosarito, Mexico

    Half-day trip
    About 35 min by car31 km south of Chula Vista1 hr 10 min round trip
  13. 13

    Mission Viejo, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car120 km north-west of Chula Vista3 hr 50 min round trip
  14. 14

    Indio, United States

    Long day or overnight
    About 2 hr 15 min by car145 km north-east of Chula Vista4 hr 30 min round trip
  15. 15

    Menifee, United States

    Full-day trip
    About 1 hr 55 min by car121 km north of Chula Vista3 hr 50 min round trip

A sample day trip: Chula Vista to Tijuana

A realistic pace for Tijuana, 17 km from Chula Vista. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

  1. 08:30Leave Chula Vista
  2. 08:55Arrive in Tijuana (25 min drive)
  3. 09:10Sesame Place San Diego
  4. 11:10Lunch
  5. 12:25Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Tijuana
  6. 14:55Head back to Chula Vista
  7. 15:20Home in Chula Vista

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Chula Vista?
The best day trips from Chula Vista are Tijuana, Santa Ana, Moreno Valley, Huntington Beach, Escondido. The closest is Tijuana, about 25 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Chula Vista?
Tijuana is the closest, 17 km south-east of Chula Vista, roughly 25 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Chula Vista?
4 places are within about an hour's drive of Chula Vista: Tijuana (25 min), El Cajon (30 min), Rosarito (35 min), Escondido (1 hr).
How far is too far for a day trip from Chula Vista?
Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Indio at 145 km, around 2 hr 15 min by car, which is better as a long day or an overnight stay.

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