Driving Carlsbad to DL - Fri nite or Sat AM? at end of Aug

[bjakmom]

Living in a tourist area with heavy summer traffic myself, thought I'd better get your opinions on whether I should leave Carlsbad late Friday afternoon, after a day at WAP, and check in that night at DLH - or would it be a huge difference in traffic to spend Fri nite in Carlsbad and head out early Sat AM? - this will be the weekend before Labor Day weekend. In my area, Fri night traffic is heavy, but Sat AM traffic doesn't even move!

It won't make a difference in our DL 'time' - we already have 5 days scheduled in the parks and will probably just go in that Sat to do a few FPs and see F! and/or fireworks that night - just wondering if there is any major 'travel' advantage to one or the other before I make my DLH reservation?

 

[eduk8r26]

Friday night traffic going north isn't bad. Everyone is going the other direction. When we went to WAP this summer, I had in mind to leave around 5. But due to the fact they are open late in the summer and the weather was so nice, we didn't leave till 9. We rode the monorail twice--once during the day and again late evening. Staying later let's you take your time and if you have kids, enjoy everything. Saturday traffic northbound is not busy, either.

 

[judimouse]

Since I drive the Ocenaside / DL route almost every weekend (have missed 3 weekends this year) I would suggest that you do one of the following:

If you are leaving on Friday make it late. If I go up on Friday (seldom) I leave around 3 PM and 5 North is ok until just after the 405 split. Then it backs up. It has taken me 40 mintues to do that last 19 miles.

Saturday mornings (leaving around 7 AM) gets me to DL just before 8 AM.

I drive up to DL on Sunday a lot when traffic is great. Standard joke is my car knows the way better than I do. LOL

I would say save the money on the hotel on Friday and arrive early Saturday morning.

judimouse

 

[lark]

Assuming nothing out of the ordinary, I believe you will experience far greater traffic on Friday afternoon than Saturday morning. While it's true that north is the better direction to be going, you're talking about a holiday weekend. You'll probably be ok going through Pendelton, but from southern orange county up, it's going to be a tough 20 miles. There are carpool lanes, though, which might help a little.

I'd say if you decide on Friday, as others have mentioned, go late or early.

 

[Tink33]

I also agree with after 7:00 pm on Friday night or early Saturday morning.

 

[bjakmom]

Wow! thanks everyone !! I think we'll just go back to the hotel in Carlsbad after our day at WAP (saving ourselves from having to check out Fri morning before we head out) and have a relaxing swim and do our laundry (we like to pack light!) - then we'll check out early Sat AM and head to DLH (hopefully increasing our chances of getting our room requests by checking in early) and heading over to DL to get the lay of the land!
I'm assuming that there is only one obvious route to take (up I5) north.