Best Freeway route from northern L.A. to Anaheim?

[HydroGuy]

Saturday traffic can be as bad as any other weekday. Yeah, I know, sounds ridiculous.

By 6-7 it does start to ease though. Avoid the 101 through Hollywood or Downtown. Also, avoid the 5 near the Chavez Ravine if there is a 7 o'clock Dodger game that night.

I just thought I would offer this to put some of the contradicting information regarding LA/OC traffic in perspective.

My DH was watching a football game the other day. The commentators were discussing driving from one spot in LA to another. One of them then said, "And for those of you not familiar with the area, that is a drive that could take anywhere from 30 minutes to a day and a half."

All we could do was laugh... because it's true!

Just because Mapquest says something is "20 miles," doesn't not mean you are 20 minutes away. It depends on time of day, day of the week, which roads, and so many other things when it comes to LA traffic. It truly could take you anywhere from 30 min. to a day and a half.

- Dreams

I lived all around SoCal for many years from San Diego to Riverside to Santa Barbara to Long Beach and had and have family scattered all throughout. I am very predictable these days when we are going from one spot to another. We hit heavy traffic and I say "This is why we do not live in SoCal anymore" at which point my DW will say "you always say that".

A couple years ago we had a summer trip where we visited DLR/Anaheim, San Diego, Riverside, Pasadena, Thousand Oaks, LA, etc. over the course of a couple weeks. We were on just about every freeway - 5, 405, 10, 101, 15, 210, 91, 60, etc. We avoided rush hour and traveled either after 8PM at night, in the afternoon, or on weekends. Every single time we drove somewhere we hit significant stop and go traffic. One time it was 11PM at night! Bumper to bumper! It took us four hours to make it from Anahiem to Riverside (40 miles) on the dreaded 91 freeway when we left DLR at mid-day on a weekday.

So I agree with Dreams - it is really hard to say how long it will take you to get somewhere. If you listen to the radio and know the code words for the freeways you have a better chance of working around it. The HOV lanes can help but often are just as bumper to bumper as the regular lanes.

I think the OP has gotten the point. Give yourself lots of extra time and take some Tylenol.

 

[mhconley]

Saturday traffic can be as bad as any other weekday. Yeah, I know, sounds ridiculous.

LA weekend traffic is actually worse than weekday traffic. Weekday traffic can be somewhat predictable with commute hours and directions. It's just that commute hours are about a 6 hour stretch in the morning and another 6-7 in the afternoon and direction can be both ways on some freeways.

Weekend traffic is jammed in every direction all day and into the night - the 3-1/2 hour trip from Burbank to San Onofre (70 miles) I mentioned earlier was on a Sunday.

Martin

 

[GrandBob]

LA weekend traffic is actually worse than weekday traffic. Weekday traffic can be somewhat predictable with commute hours and directions. It's just that commute hours are about a 6 hour stretch in the morning and another 6-7 in the afternoon and direction can be both ways on some freeways.

Weekend traffic is jammed in every direction all day and into the night - the 3-1/2 hour trip from Burbank to San Onofre (70 miles) I mentioned earlier was on a Sunday.

Martin

Thanks much. Not what I wanted to hear, but good information.

So, for a Saturday evening, which route do you think would be better: I5-210-57 or I5-110-91-I5? Or straight I5? Or some other combination?

-Bob

 

[mhconley]

Thanks much. Not what I wanted to hear, but good information.

So, for a Saturday evening, which route do you think would be better: I5-210-57 or I5-110-91-I5? Or straight I5? Or some other combination?

-Bob

I'd take the I5-210-605 or I5-210-57 route.

Martin