San Diego to Phoenix / Tombstone - what to do on drive?

San Diego to Phoenix / Tombstone - what to do on drive?

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Discussion

boombang

Original Poster:

551 posts

180 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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We are off to the USA next October. Going to New York for a few days and flying home from Phoenix, in-between we are pretty free.

Two places we would like to visit are San Diego (fly there from NY) and Tombstone (before ending up around PHX), but there is nothing obvious to do to break up the 500 mile drive, whether for a short stop or a few days.

We could go San D to PHX then down to Tucson/Tombstone and back to PHX, but ideally we would go more direct.

Any tips for any city or in-between very welcome.

djc206

12,615 posts

131 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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Having done that drive last year, no not really other than Tuscon which is a nice town. The boneyard in Tuscon is cool, you can do tourist flights out of Ryan airfield if that sort of thing interests you.

What about flying NYC-SAN-TUS and then picking up a car to take down to Tombstone and then leave in PHX? Southwest fly the SAN-TUS route, it takes an hour and they give you free luggage allowance much better than that rather boring drive through the desert.

Are you planning on staying in Tombstone or just a day visit?

boombang

Original Poster:

551 posts

180 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
quotequote all
We're considering staying Tuscon area (or elsewhere in AZ) at a dude ranch, that might even be right by Tombstone, or West of PHX on the way over.

Could we get about SanD via taxis / buses if we wanted to go to the harbour, beach and Zoo? Looks like it.

We would scrap Legoland.

Edited by boombang on Saturday 11th February 17:44


Edited by boombang on Saturday 11th February 17:47

abzmike

9,129 posts

112 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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Sedona is only a couple of hours from Phoenix…. Gorgeous place, loads to do in the area.

boombang

Original Poster:

551 posts

180 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
quotequote all
abzmike said:
Sedona is only a couple of hours from Phoenix…. Gorgeous place, loads to do in the area.
Stayed in Sedona when we went in 2022, nice to have been again but not fussed about going again to be honest. It was an amazing place a decade ago but this time around it was overcrowded and full of hen dos.

djc206

12,615 posts

131 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
quotequote all
boombang said:
We're considering staying Tuscon area (or elsewhere in AZ) at a dude ranch, that might even be right by Tombstone, or West of PHX on the way over.

Could we get about SanD via taxis / buses if we wanted to go to the harbour, beach and Zoo? Looks like it.

We would scrap Legoland.

Edited by boombang on Saturday 11th February 17:44


Edited by boombang on Saturday 11th February 17:47
Uber is very good in San Diego, we had a car but it mostly stayed parked up so I could have a couple of beers. It’s not too big a city either so some things are walkable depending on where you stay of course.

ecsrobin

17,748 posts

171 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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boombang said:
We are off to the USA next October. Going to New York for a few days and flying home from Phoenix, in-between we are pretty free.

Two places we would like to visit are San Diego (fly there from NY) and Tombstone (before ending up around PHX), but there is nothing obvious to do to break up the 500 mile drive, whether for a short stop or a few days.

We could go San D to PHX then down to Tucson/Tombstone and back to PHX, but ideally we would go more direct.

Any tips for any city or in-between very welcome.
San to PHX on the i8 is quite a boring drive. Used to do a bit of driving between the airport and El Centro / Yumaare the main places on that route. Unless much has changed El Centro has a lot of poverty and I haven’t really got anything positive to say about the town. As someone mentioned you have the boneyard.

It’s a long slog between San D and tombstone and then back to the airport which will easily waste a day. You will have checkpoints to pass through (or did when I was last there) we found being English seemed to speed up their checks as there’s clearly a demographic that matches people smugglers.

hairy v

1,279 posts

150 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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Not really "on the way", but whilst your there, San Diego zoo is very good.

peter tdci

1,808 posts

156 months

Saturday 11th February 2023
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hairy v said:
Not really "on the way", but whilst your there, San Diego zoo is very good.
As is the Air & Space Museum, if you are that way inclined. Both are in Balboa Park.

If you are staying in San Diego for a few days, you can get a travel card for the buses & trams but, as someone said, Uber is good there.

djc206

12,615 posts

131 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
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peter tdci said:
As is the Air & Space Museum, if you are that way inclined. Both are in Balboa Park.

If you are staying in San Diego for a few days, you can get a travel card for the buses & trams but, as someone said, Uber is good there.
I forgot about the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tuscon. Even my wife enjoyed that one. Barrio brewery is worth a visit for some beer and food, walkable from downtown.

boombang

Original Poster:

551 posts

180 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
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So glad I posted this, thanks everyone.