Mesa to Santa Monica drive - plan a road trip (2024)

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driving / 2 days / no pets / no RV


Mesa to Santa Monica road trip planner

Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Mesa to Santa Monica. If you're planning a road trip to Santa Monica, you can research locations to stop along the way.Make sure you check road conditionsto double check the weather. Traveling with a dog or cat? Find pet-friendly stops. Camping along the way? Search for RV campgrounds. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on themost talked about places recommended by Trippy members.

customize this trip

Day 1

10:00 am start in Mesa
drive for about 52 minutes

10:52 am Surprise (Arizona)
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 11:52 am
drive for about 2.5 hours

2:07 pm T-Rocks
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 3:07 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours

4:35 pm Desert Center
stay overnight and leave the next day around 10:00 am

day 1 driving ≈ 4.5 hours
find more stops

Day 2

10:00 am leave from Desert Center
drive for about 1 hour

11:09 am Palm Springs
eat at Cheeky's
stay for about 1.5 hours
and leave at 12:39 pm
drive for about 54 minutes

1:34 pm Oak Glen
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 2:34 pm
drive for about 1.5 hours

3:52 pm Disneyland
stay for about 1 hour
and leave at 4:52 pm
drive for about 52 minutes

5:44 pm arrive in Santa Monica
eat at Gjelina
stay at Shutters On the Beach

day 2 driving ≈ 4 hours


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Where should I stop along the way?

Surprise (Arizona) (5 answers)

T-Rocks

Desert Center

Palm Springs (67 answers)
Palm Springs Art Museum (4 mentions)
Indian Canyons (4 mentions)
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (3 mentions)
Trina Turk (3 mentions)
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (3 mentions)
restaurants around Palm Springs:
Cheeky's
Trio Restaurant
Jake's
Workshop Kitchen + Bar
Bar
Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs
questions about Palm Springs:
Best hotel pools in Palm Springs?
Cheap eats/activities
Quick weekend gataway this winter
What to do in palm springs in November?
Moderately priced restaurants

Oak Glen (6 answers)
Riley's Farm (2 mentions)

Disneyland (47 mentions)


Where's the best place to stay in Santa Monica?

Are you going straight to a hotel, orlooking for a vacation rental or Airbnb?

The best resource on neighborhoods, areas,and hotels is the Trippy page onwhere to stay in Santa Monica.

If you're looking for a quick answer, you can check out Shutters On the Beach, which was mentioned 36 times on Trippy.

Here are some more hotels people talk about:

Hotel Erwin (30 mentions)

The Huntley Hotel (15 mentions)

(13 mentions)

Hotel Casa Del Mar (12 mentions)

Want to research more popular hotels in Santa Monica?Click the blue button below.

Where's the best place to eat in Santa Monica?

Need some recommendations on somewhere to get food?

Trippy members suggest Gjelina, which was mentioned 44 times.

Here are some more restaurants people talk about:

Urth Caffe (13 mentions)

The Apple Pan (12 mentions)

Joan's on Third Cafe (12 mentions)

Gracias Madre (11 mentions)

Want to research more popular restaurants in Santa Monica?Click the blue button below.

What are some things to do in Santa Monica?

This section could be endless, so rather than trying tosuggest every local activity or attraction, we'll leave itopen-ended.

These are some of the places people talk about on Trippy:

Santa Monica Pier (70 mentions)

Venice Beach Boardwalk (62 mentions)

Abbot Kinney (56 mentions)

Third Street Promenade (55 mentions)

LACMA (50 mentions)

Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questionsbecause there's an entire community of travelers talkingto each other and sharing tips and advice. Trippy is whereyou can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets,trip dates & more!

For example, here are some questions people have asked about Santa Monica. Click on any question to see answers from the community!

Courtney from Los Angeles asked:
Drinks in SM? (4 answers)

Allie from Portland asked:
Fun things to do in Santa Monica? (3 answers)

Andrea from Rockville Centre asked:
Fun Santa Monica hotels under $400/night? (3 answers)

Brew from Manhattan Beach asked:
Good breakfast spot for a business meeting? (3 answers)

Pat from Cambria asked:
Avoiding sticker shock in Santa Monica (3 answers)

Click the button below to explore more questionsand answers related to Santa Monica.

Do I really have to go back home?

Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacationwho wants the trip to end? It's okay, you can start planning yournext trip!

Want to plan the trip back? Get the reverse directions for aSanta Monica to Mesa drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip.

You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or drivingby calculating the distance from Mesa to Santa Monica. Or get a full Mesa to Santa Monica flight plan.

Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation.You can also find some cool day trips or get away for a weekend.Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong,or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world.

And if you know Mesa well, please help your fellowtravelers and answer their questions about Mesa!

Mesa to Santa Monica drive - plan a road trip (2024)

FAQs

Can you plan a road trip on maps? ›

Google Maps is a convenient tool to use when planning a road trip. Not only is it a way to plan routes and share them with friends and travel companions, but Google Maps also lets you pinpoint sites, museums and even restaurants you might want to visit.

What is the best day to drive a road trip? ›

Research studies often point toward midweek as the safest period to be on the road. Wednesday, in particular, is commonly cited as a day with lower accident rates and reduced instances of aggressive driving.

How many hours a day should you drive on a road trip? ›

Stop often to rest for at least 45 minutes every 4.5 hours of driving to avoid getting tired and stay alert. Plan to stop for a break every 100 miles on your long road trip so that you can relax. Try to only drive for 9 hours a day.

What is the best free road trip planner? ›

The best free route planner apps
  • Google Maps: Best for individual drivers. ...
  • Mapquest: Best for small businesses up to 26 stops. ...
  • RAC Route Planner: Best for solo drivers in the UK. ...
  • Maps.me: Best for road trips. ...
  • RouteXL: Best for small businesses up to 20 stops. ...
  • Speedy Route: Best for user-friendliness.
Dec 21, 2023

What is the best map for a road trip? ›

Best Driving Route Planner
  • Badger Maps.
  • Google Maps.
  • Waze.
  • MapQuest Route Planner.
  • Roadtrippers.
  • My Route Online.
  • RouteXL.
  • Speedy Route.

Does Google Maps have a trip planner? ›

That's where Google Maps Trip Planner comes in handy. It's not just for getting from point A to B anymore. This powerful tool can help you: Plan an entire itinerary.

How many days should you plan for a road trip? ›

“For a 14-day trip, you can reasonably do 1,600 to 1,800 total miles, and in some cases, 2,000 miles,” says Dunham. “For a shorter three-day trip, plan for 200 to 300 miles.” Journeys mostly traversing rural interstates can cover more total ground than those focusing on harder-to-navigate byways and side roads.

How to plan a road trip by yourself? ›

How To Do A Solo Road Trip
  1. Make A Loose Plan. Have an idea of major sights and places you want to see along your trip and plan out your route around that. ...
  2. Make Sure Your Car Is In Good Shape. ...
  3. Playlists & Podcasts. ...
  4. Bring a Camera. ...
  5. Catch A Sunrise. ...
  6. Don't Underestimate Strangers. ...
  7. Eat local food. ...
  8. Just Go!

What is the riskiest time of day to drive? ›

Most crashes or near-misses happen at the times you would expect drivers to be tired: 4 to 6 a.m., midnight to 2 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m., according to NSF. Drowsy driving puts everyone on the road at risk.

What month is best for road trips? ›

What Is the Best Month to Drive Across the U.S.? Typically, spring and fall offer the best weather across the board, with mild temperatures making sightseeing and long-distance driving ideal. If you can't travel during these seasons, choose a northern route in summer or a southern stretch in winter.

How often should you stop driving on a road trip? ›

Road-trip travel considerations

Plan to stop driving about every 2 to 3 hours for day trips and every 4 to 6 hours for night trips. Regular breaks give you and your child opportunities to refresh.

How often should you stop for gas on a road trip? ›

Try to stop for at least 45 minutes every 4.5 hours of driving.

What is the ideal length of a road trip? ›

Ideally your road trip should be four to six hours between stopping points, maximum. Sometimes your stopping points are along the way, so you might do two hours, then have an hour or two stop, then two more hours with an hour or two stop, then two more hours.

What should I do to my car before a long road trip? ›

How to get your car ready for a road trip
  1. quality auto coverage starts here. When you drive with quality coverage, you drive with peace of mind. ...
  2. Check your car's battery. ...
  3. Inspect belts and hoses. ...
  4. Top off fluids and replace filters. ...
  5. Verify lights and electrical equipment are working. ...
  6. Check the brakes. ...
  7. Inspect tires.

Does Google Maps let you plan a route? ›

Yes, Google Maps can plan a route with multiple stops. To do this, simply enter your starting point and destination, and add any additional stops before you begin navigating routes. However, please note that Google Maps allows planning routes with up to 10 stops only.

Can you schedule a trip on Maps? ›

Plan future trips on Google Maps

On your computer or mobile device, you can choose when you want to start driving or when you want to reach your destination. The travel time estimate for your trip is based on traffic and transit schedules for the planned travel time.

How to create a road trip on Apple Maps? ›

In the Maps app on your Mac, click a location on the map, such as an intersection, landmark, or business. In the place card, do one of the following: Get directions to this location: Click Directions. Create a route from this location: Click Create Route, then enter the destination in the To field.

Can you plot a route on Google Maps? ›

Draw a Route on a Map

Draw your walking, running or cycling route by clicking on the map to set the starting point. Then click once for each of the points along the route you wish to create to calculate the distance. Change the view to map, satellite, hybrid or terrain using the controls above the Google route map.

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