Driving from Bay Area over a random weekend: Friday-Sunday or Sat-Mon?

[countofmc]

We always drive down, but surprisingly we've never gone over a weekend, always taking vacation over weekdays.

We want to try some random weekends this year. Would it be optimal traffic wise (I-5, LA) and also in terms of park crowds to leave Friday morning (getting to the parks around mid-afternoon) and leaving Sunday afternoon, or leaving Saturday and leaving Monday? We do plan on taking a day off from work.

 

[China Expat]

If you want to be in the parks at say 2 pm, you need to leave the Bay Area by 6 or 7 am! Saturday would be less traffic for the drive down.

 

[tsumgirl]

If dodging traffic is a priority, then Sat-Mon is better on both ends. Fridays and Sundays have more cars on the I5. However, IMO crowds in the parks are better Fri-Sun. I usually avoid Mon. in the park when I can. So if dodging crowds are more important, then do Fri-Sun.

 

[Pamela M]

If dodging traffic is a priority, then Sat-Mon is better on both ends. Fridays and Sundays have more cars on the I5. However, IMO crowds in the parks are better Fri-Sun. I usually avoid Mon. in the park when I can. So if dodging crowds are more important, then do Fri-Sun.

Agree that the weekends seem to be less crowded because the operating hours are longer.
I live near the SF airport and I leave at 5:30am. I miss traffic in the Bay Area and hit a little in LA. But I’m usually pulling into hotel parking lot around 11:30-12. And in the parks by 1pm.

 

[StormyCA]

I drive to So Cal from the Sac area frequently as I have family in the area and usually stay with them a few times a year.

I usually leave for home on Monday either super early (like around 4.30am) or around 9am. This puts me either ahead of or behind the LA rush hour traffic, and gets me through Stockton and Sac before rush hour hits. The caveat is that my route is from Claremont, so the 210 to I-5, I don't go through downtown LA.

BFF lives in the Bay Area and when we go together we usually head down on Sunday and head home on the following Sat or Sun to avoid the LA traffic. But the Bay area traffic is always a bi...., well, always busy no matter when you leave LA. It's either rush hour or it's people coming back from wherever.

If I had to do it on a 3 day weekend basis, I'd probably leave late Friday evening, stay en route (we stay in either Lost Hills or Lebec at the Motel 6) then finish up the drive early Saturday. Then you have Sat & Sun in the parks and drive home Monday, leaving after rush hour.

 

[ParkHopper1]

If I had to do it on a 3 day weekend basis, I'd probably leave late Friday evening, stay en route (we stay in either Lost Hills or Lebec at the Motel 6) then finish up the drive early Saturday. Then you have Sat & Sun in the parks and drive home Monday, leaving after rush hour.

Word of caution for a Friday PM departure plan...depending on where you are starting from in the Bay Area Pacheo Pass Hwy 152 through Gilroy/Hollister connecting 101 to I-5 is a gawd awful drive on Friday evenings.

 

[tink89]

We live in the Bay Area by San Mateo. We usually leave Thur/friday around 5:30 am get to Disney by 11:30 am. We take 101 to 152 to I5. Have never gotten traffic anywhere but have gotten really bad fog. We also leave sometimes Thursday after picking up daughter from school at like 1 or 2 pm we get there around 8:30 pm depending on traffic.

 

[countofmc]

Thanks folks. I didn't realize Mondays have gotten so crazy in the parks! On our last day we tend to go in the parks in the morning and leave for the Bay Area around 2pm. So I think Monday would be a bad idea in terms of park crowds AND we are probably going to hit the beginning of LA traffic and the tailend of Bay Area traffic.

So I'm leaning Friday-Sunday. If we leave around 2 pm on Sunday, how is the LA traffic at that time and also the I-5 traffic heading north?

 

[ParkHopper1]

If we leave around 2 pm on Sunday, how is the LA traffic at that time and also the I-5 traffic heading north?

Traffic will be heavier Sunday afternoon evening heading northbound but will be moving at a good pace.

152 Heading into Gilroy however will get backed up Sunday night trying to get to 101 if you take that route.