Where is San Diego on a map of California, and how far is it from LA, Mexico and Las Vegas?
San Diego is in the far southwest corner of California, on the Pacific against the Mexican border: downtown is 18 miles from the San Ysidro crossing, about 121 miles south of downtown LA and 332 miles from Las Vegas.
- To Mexico
- 18 mi
- To LA
- 121 mi
- To Las Vegas
- 332 mi
- County
- 4,526 sq mi
San Ysidro crossing
Downtown to downtown
About 6 hrs, no traffic
18 cities
The short version
- San Diego County is the southwesternmost county in the 48 contiguous states, bordered by Orange, Riverside and Imperial counties and Mexico
- The city had 1,406,106 people in July 2025, second in California after Los Angeles
- Downtown to the San Ysidro border crossing: 18 miles, about 22 minutes with no traffic
- Downtown to downtown LA: 121 miles; Palm Springs: 123; Las Vegas: 332; San Francisco: 502
- The county covers 4,526 square miles and 18 incorporated cities
On a map of California, San Diego is the bottom-left corner: the Pacific is to the west, Mexico is to the south, and the whole county sits below Orange and Riverside counties. Distances below run from downtown San Diego and were computed on November 5, 2026 with OpenStreetMap routing, which assumes no traffic.
Start
Within 1 hour
1-2 hours
2-3 hours
Pins from OpenStreetMap; times are no-traffic estimates.
See these on the full San Diego mapHow far is San Diego from other cities?
Drive distance and time from downtown San Diego
| Destination | Miles | Time with no traffic |
|---|---|---|
| San Ysidro border crossing | 18 | 22 min |
| Tijuana (downtown) | 19 | 25 min |
| Julian | 57 | 1 hr 22 min |
| Temecula | 58 | 1 hr 8 min |
| Ensenada, Mexico | 81 | 1 hr 53 min, plus the border |
| Borrego Springs (Anza-Borrego) | 86 | 2 hr 5 min |
| Anaheim (Disneyland) | 95 | 1 hr 55 min |
| Downtown Los Angeles | 121 | 2 hr 23 min |
| Palm Springs | 123 | 2 hr 30 min |
| LAX | 125 | 2 hr 29 min |
| Big Bear Lake | 145 | 3 hr 8 min |
| Joshua Tree (west entrance) | 147 | 3 hr 45 min |
| Yuma, Arizona | 172 | 3 hr 12 min |
| Santa Barbara | 217 | 4 hr 15 min |
| Las Vegas | 332 | 6 hr 7 min |
| Phoenix | 354 | 6 hr 34 min |
| San Francisco | 502 | 9 hr 25 min |
San Ysidro border crossing
- Miles
- 18
- Time with no traffic
- 22 min
Tijuana (downtown)
- Miles
- 19
- Time with no traffic
- 25 min
Julian
- Miles
- 57
- Time with no traffic
- 1 hr 22 min
Temecula
- Miles
- 58
- Time with no traffic
- 1 hr 8 min
Ensenada, Mexico
- Miles
- 81
- Time with no traffic
- 1 hr 53 min, plus the border
Borrego Springs (Anza-Borrego)
- Miles
- 86
- Time with no traffic
- 2 hr 5 min
Anaheim (Disneyland)
- Miles
- 95
- Time with no traffic
- 1 hr 55 min
Downtown Los Angeles
- Miles
- 121
- Time with no traffic
- 2 hr 23 min
Palm Springs
- Miles
- 123
- Time with no traffic
- 2 hr 30 min
LAX
- Miles
- 125
- Time with no traffic
- 2 hr 29 min
Big Bear Lake
- Miles
- 145
- Time with no traffic
- 3 hr 8 min
Joshua Tree (west entrance)
- Miles
- 147
- Time with no traffic
- 3 hr 45 min
Yuma, Arizona
- Miles
- 172
- Time with no traffic
- 3 hr 12 min
Santa Barbara
- Miles
- 217
- Time with no traffic
- 4 hr 15 min
Las Vegas
- Miles
- 332
- Time with no traffic
- 6 hr 7 min
Phoenix
- Miles
- 354
- Time with no traffic
- 6 hr 34 min
San Francisco
- Miles
- 502
- Time with no traffic
- 9 hr 25 min
OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), computed November 5, 2026. Real trips through LA or at rush hour run much longer.
How big is San Diego?
1.41M
City of San Diego
July 2025 estimate, 2nd in CA
3.3M
San Diego County
2024 estimate
4,526 sq mi
County area
Bigger than Delaware
6,533 ft
Highest point
Hot Springs Mountain
"San Diego" can mean two things: the city (about 1.41 million people) or the county, which holds 18 incorporated cities including Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido and Carlsbad, plus unincorporated towns from Julian to Borrego Springs. The county runs from the beach to mountains over 6,000 feet and the Anza-Borrego desert, which is why a forecast for "San Diego" can be wrong for half of it.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 5, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
OpenStreetMap / OSRM · Computed November 5, 2026
All mileages and no-traffic times
Wikipedia (Census Bureau estimates) · Checked November 5, 2026
San Diego 1,406,106 (July 1, 2025), ranked 2nd
- BackgroundSan Diego County, California
Wikipedia (March 2026 snapshot) · March 2026
4,526 sq mi, 18 cities, borders, southwesternmost county, Hot Springs Mountain, 2024 population