Quick Summary
- Las Americas Premium Outlets sit on the US side of the San Ysidro border, just before the lanes that enter Mexico.
- You can drive a hire car from San Diego to the outlets and back without crossing the frontier, as long as you follow the Last US Exit and Camino de la Plaza signs.
- Crossing into Mexico in a rental usually needs written permission and extra insurance, so it is important to keep the border ramps separate from the mall access roads.
Where the San Ysidro outlets are in relation to the border
San Ysidro is the southernmost district of San Diego, and the main border crossing into Tijuana sits right at the end of Interstate 5. Just before the customs booths on the southbound side, a large retail complex known as Las Americas Premium Outlets spreads out along Camino de la Plaza on the US side of the fence. The shops, car parks and food court are all firmly within California.
When you look at a map, it can seem as though the outlet mall is almost inside the border compound. In reality there is a clear split between the motorway lanes that continue into Mexico and the slip roads that peel off to the shopping centre and local streets. Thousands of San Diego residents use those exits every week without going near the passport booths.
Driving from San Diego to the outlets in a hire car
From central San Diego the drive to San Ysidro is straightforward. You simply follow I 5 south towards the border for around 20 miles. A few kilometres before the crossing you will start to see overhead signs for the Last US Exit and Camino de la Plaza. Those are the markers you are interested in when you are heading for the outlets in a hire car.
Staying in the right hand lanes, take the clearly signed exit for Camino de la Plaza and follow the curve round to the surface streets. From there you will see multiple entrances to the mall car parks. As long as you leave the motorway at this point, you never approach the booths where Mexican authorities check documents. If you miss the exit, you quickly run out of opportunities to leave I 5 before the border itself, so use lane discipline and keep speeds moderate as you approach the junction.
Booking your San Diego car hire through Hola Car Rentals gives you access to clear directions and a choice of vehicles that suit both city driving and short runs down to the outlets.
What if you accidentally cross into Mexico
In the unlikely event that you find yourself in lanes marked Mexico Only, the safest course is to follow traffic through the official crossing, then turn around using the signed return routes on the Mexican side. You will need passports and any required immigration documents to re enter the United States, and you may also have to answer questions from border officers about your journey.
Most standard US hire agreements do not automatically allow travel into Mexico. Suppliers often require written permission on the contract and separate Mexican liability insurance before the car can cross the frontier. Hola Car Rentals explains these rules in detail in its guide on taking a California hire car into Mexico. If you crossed without permission and anything happened to the vehicle, you could face complicated claims and be personally responsible for some costs.
This is why careful lane choice on the approach to San Ysidro matters so much. It is perfectly safe and legal to drive to the outlets, park and return in a hire car as long as you stay on the US side and treat any road marked Mexico Only as out of bounds unless your contract explicitly allows a border crossing.
Parking, safety and timing tips
Las Americas Premium Outlets has large open air car parks on the shopping centre side of the freeway. As with any busy mall near a major city, it pays to remove valuables from sight, lock the vehicle and keep your parking ticket somewhere safe. Visiting during daylight or early evening hours helps first time visitors feel more relaxed, especially if you are not familiar with the area.
The drive back to downtown San Diego is usually quicker than the evening queues heading into Mexico, but you should still allow for traffic merging from local streets and from the pedestrian border crossing. Using a compact SUV from Hola Car Rentals selected via the San Diego SUV hire range can strike a good balance between luggage space and easy parking.
If your wider trip includes flights into or out of Los Angeles, it can be worth comparing vehicles at both airports using the Los Angeles airport vehicle options as well as the San Diego airport choices. Combining a flexible Hola Car Rentals booking with Free Cancellation up to 48 hours before pick up makes it easier to adjust plans if your border day changes.
Why book San Diego with Hola Car Rentals
Hola Car Rentals brings together partners such as Alamo, Budget and Hertz so you can compare prices, cover and mileage in one place before you travel. Many coastal California routes offer All Inclusive plus rates with maximum coverage, as well as maximum liability protection and free travel insurance up to 150,000 US dollars on selected itineraries.
Knowing that your cover is in place for US driving means you can focus on practical questions like outlet opening hours, traffic and where to eat. For travellers who are curious about visiting Mexico itself, the Hola Car Rentals guides to cross border driving from San Diego set out the paperwork and restrictions in plain language so you do not rely on guesswork.
Frequently asked questions
Do I ever go through US or Mexican immigration when I visit the San Ysidro outlets by car?
No. If you use the correct exit for Camino de la Plaza and stay on local streets around the mall, you never enter the border compound. Immigration checks only happen once you pass the point of no return on the Mexico Only lanes.
Is it safe to park a hire car at Las Americas Premium Outlets?
The outlet car parks are busy and well used by locals as well as visitors. Usual big city precautions apply, such as avoiding leaving luggage on display and parking in well lit areas if you stay after dark.
Can I collect a car in San Diego and drive it to Tijuana for the day?
Some suppliers do allow this with prior permission, extra insurance and sometimes a higher deposit, while others do not permit Mexican travel from US branches at all. Hola Car Rentals shows these rules on each offer, but if you only want to shop at the outlets it is simpler to stay on the US side.
When you are ready to plan a San Diego break, booking with Hola Car Rentals gives you a clear picture of how to reach the San Ysidro outlets by road without any unwanted border surprises.
