Driving departure time from San Jose

[Supermavs]

This ok to ask here? I've never driven myself down to DL, usually my hubby does it. I am wanting to leave on a Tuesday morning to get to DL area without hitting major known traffic times. Coming from the Bay Area/San Jose area, anyone have input on best times? I was thinking of leaving around 7am.

Becky

 

[DLmama]

We drive from San Jose to DLR pretty often. The later in the morning you leave, the more traffic you will hit. 7 wouldn't be too bad. We try to leave by 5am, which usually has us getting to Anaheim around 11:30. We stop for breakfast, gas and bathroom in one stop if we can, sometimes two.

 

[Supermavs]

Thank you for the input. I'm sure my daughter would be fine with an earlier departure time. We will be heading to bed early anyway, to be there at DL for rope drop.

 

[Sith]

I live in the Santa Cruz mountains. I would suggest leaving a little earlier as somebody else has already said. As long as you make it through LA by 2pm you should hopefully miss the really bad traffic.

 

[mgd]

I would think there isn't that bad of traffic until you reach the LA area and even that is just a few miles. Assuming you take 5 and not 101, I think 5am is kind of early unless you are really trying to avoid any bit of traffic. Personally, I would rather sit in a little traffic than get up to drive at 5am. Depends on how early you want to get there that day though.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I make that drive a LOT. If you are wanting to get to the park that day or have something to get down there for, I agree with leave by 6 or 7am. If it is JUST a travel day, I agree with take a more casual approach and leave a bit later. Traffic starts seriously building around 2pm from LA to Commerce. You could easily leave at 8 or 9am and will only hit an additional 15-20 min of traffic.

Whether for work or DL trip, I would always try and hit downtown LA by 1pm or wait till after 8pm.

 

[thumperjr9]

So I'm curious....we will be doing the opposite. We will be leaving Disneyland (on a Wed., last week of Aug.) and heading up to the San Jose area. What would be the best time to leave, keeping in mind I don't need to arrive at my destination at any particular time and I have never driven in Ca. before. The Southern Ca. freeways terrify me. Oh and also, any suggestions on stops along the way for breaks and a good meal.

 

[Sith]

So I'm curious....we will be doing the opposite. We will be leaving Disneyland (on a Wed., last week of Aug.) and heading up to the San Jose area. What would be the best time to leave, keeping in mind I don't need to arrive at my destination at any particular time and I have never driven in Ca. before. The Southern Ca. freeways terrify me. Oh and also, any suggestions on stops along the way for breaks and a good meal.

Same as going from SJ to Disneyland. As long as you make it through LA before 2pm, you should do ok traffic wise. That LA traffic is terrible.

 

[DLmama]

When driving back home to San Jose, we usually leave around noon. The worst traffic is always through LA. We're usually home around 7. The best places we've found to stop are Tejon Ranch, just on the other side of the Grapevine and Kettleman City, which is about halfway. Lots of food choices at both stops.