Scott Murray
Route Planner & Logistics Expert
San Diego, CA
The San Diego Local Who Keeps Crossing
I moved to San Diego in 2003 and discovered that living 20 minutes from the Mexican border changes your entire perspective on travel. My first trip to Tijuana was for tacos — and honestly, that's still the main reason I cross. But over the years it expanded: weekend wine trips to Valle de Guadalupe, surf sessions at K38, lobster in Puerto Nuevo, camping in the desert outside San Felipe.
I got my SENTRI card early on and it changed everything — 100+ border crossings and counting. I've watched TJ's food scene explode from street tacos to world-class restaurants. I've driven the entire Baja peninsula twice.
I've learned which lanes to use at San Ysidro, which hours to avoid at Otay Mesa, and exactly how long the CBX pedestrian bridge takes on a Sunday evening. Every weekend is a potential Baja trip.
I'm not a travel blogger. I work in healthcare IT. But Baja keeps pulling me back, and I finally decided to put everything I've learned into something useful — a site with real local knowledge, honest prices, route planning from San Diego, and an AI trip planner that builds itineraries from our combined experience.
It's the resource I wished existed when I first crossed that border.
Why You Can Trust Scott's Advice
- San Diego local since 2003 — 20+ years living 20 minutes from the border
- 100+ border crossings through San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and CBX
- SENTRI card holder — trusted traveler program for expedited border crossing
- Driven the full Baja peninsula twice — San Diego to Cabo and back
- Watched TJ's food scene transform from street tacos to world-class dining
- Knows every border crossing lane and the best hours to cross
- Valle de Guadalupe regular since before the wine country boom
- Healthcare IT professional by day — Baja road trip obsessive by every other waking moment
What Scott Covers
San Ysidro vs. Otay Mesa, SENTRI lanes, CBX pedestrian bridge, best hours to cross, and drive times to every Baja destination.
Real prices in MXN and USD from trips we actually took. Daily budgets, hotel costs, food prices, transport fares.
Detailed driving routes from San Diego — toll roads, gas stations, road conditions, and the logistics that make Baja road trips stress-free.
Mexican auto insurance, ATM tips, pesos vs. dollars, and the nuts-and-bolts details guidebooks skip.