Hillsboro OR to Chandler AZ

[Merryg]

We are moving from Hillsboro, OR to Chandler, AZ. (actually this was just a temp stay here in OR) What is the best route? Is the 101 a good, safe drive with a family? How long of a drive is that versus taking I-5? Why would we do 101 instead of I-5?

[PNW Judy]

If you're looking for scenery, take 101. If you're looking to get to AZ quick, take I-5.

101 is a 2-lane road, rather windy, and can get a tad clogged with tourist traffic. It's beautiful and has lots of cool things to go, as does Hwy 1 in CA, but I would only suggest this if you have at least a couple extra days to explore. You could spend a week or more just doing the Oregon Coast and still not see everything.

Hope that answers your questions. Have a fun and safe move to AZ.

[RoadTripper Brad]

First, may I be the first to welcome a new amigo del camino (friend of the road) to Metro Phoenix!

Second... here is the route that I take through california now. Take I-5 south to Stockton, and jump on the CA 4 freeway East. This you will take, oh, 5 or 6 miles across Stockton to CA 99. Highway 99 bypasses that empty farmland of the valley and goes through cities like Fresno. This gives you better accesses to services, and there are plenty of rest stops.

Being that it goes through more cities, there is more interesting things to look at than "there goes another grassy hill", preventing your brain from falling asleep. I took it when driving down from Washington State, and I won't ever go back to I-5 through central cali!

CA 99 meets back up with I-5 just before Tejon Pass and Los Angeles. My advice would be to bypass LA via Bakersfield. You can get on I 40 at Barstow (just east of Bakersfield) and take I 40 into Kingman, and then jump on US 93 (Joshua Tree Parkway). This will help you bypass the annoyingly straight desert drive from Indio to Phoenix via Blythe. You'll come in to Phoenix on Grand Ave, though I would suggest taking AZ 74 (Carefree Highway) over to I 17, and that south to I 10. East on I 10 to either into Chandler. ** Note: there is a freeway that runs along the south end of chandler between I 10 and Arizona Avenue (it intersects AZ Loop 101 Price Freeway) called AZ Loop 202 San Tan Freeway (don't mistake this with another AZ Loop 202 that you will encounter on I 10 in central Phoenix. That one is called the Red Mountain Freeway, and will eventually connect to US 60 and the San Tan near Apache Junction).

If you must go through LA, take I 210 to CA 57 (the Orange Freeway)... but be very careful, as California doesn't use exit numbers and LA interchanges are poorly signed... you could easily bypass your interchange.

AAA has a special map, titled nothing else than the Los Angeles Freeway System, which if you are an AAA member I recommend picking up.

If you have time, I would suggest the 101 for sight seeing. But if this is going to be a "One-Way-Speed-Run", take CA 99.

- Brad M.

[Merryg]

Thanks for the replies! Very helpful!

[Robert Schaller]

An alternative route avoids California altogether! Use I-84 to I-15, US89 and I-17 to come down through Idaho and Utah. This is one of my favorite routes, and is only about 60 miles longer than the I-5 drive. Bob

[Merryg]

Where is a good site that will give me driving directions? I went to rand mcnally but it only gave me I-5 directions. We want to see directions for 101 and compare miles and time. Thanks again for your help? Also what about going through Nevada? Yay or nay?

[Robert Schaller]

We have information about maps and planning software here on RTA -- click on this link to go to our roadtrip planning section and the appropriate articles. I'm one of those that prefers MS Streets and Trips, by the way; it is very easy to use and I've discovered it to be fairly accurate on my trips for routes and times. I do not use it (or any other program) for turn by turn directions (these are usually too detailed for a solo driver to follow on the roll), but it gives me an idea for planning purposes on times, mileages, etc. I use folding paper maps on the road, or an atlas if my routes stick to major highways.

On Nevada, I emphatically prefer Nevada over the central California route -- but for the same reasons others might hate it. I like the wide open roads, the desert scenery, the desolate and rugged mountains. In feel, it might as well be North Africa. On the other hand, the northern reaches of I-5 and US101 in California are also scenically beautiful. I just don't care as much for the agricultural and industrial lowlands -- they're not as aesthetically pleasing (to me).

By the way, you can FORCE Rand McNally and other programs to give you the route you want by choosing intermediate waypoints along that route. On Rand McNally, I think you are limited to 10 of them, but that may have changed. If that's the case, and you need more, then simply split your trip into legs with each one of them being a separate road trip -- with 10 possible stops.

For I-5 south to US101 (via Grants Pass), then across (from US101) through Bakersfield to US95 (through Lake Havasu City) and US60 into Phoenix/Gilbert, the miles are 1526 and roughly 30 hours driving time. Nice route, IMO.

For the straight I-5 to I-210 to I-10 route, if traffic is good, it's 1363 miles and 23 hours on the road. These are both figured at a lower average speed that allows for some gas stops and road-breaks.
Bob

[Merryg]

Thank you!