Driving to SanDiego for the Day

[Littleprincess2010]

Sooooooo, we (my husband and I) are trying to decide if we are able to drive down to San Diego and go to the Safari Park for the day.

It looks like its a 2 hour drive there and back, so 4 hours of total driving which would give us about 6 hours in the park.

Would you do it? Would you skip it? Why or why not?

TIA

 

[CrazyDuck]

I wouldn't try and do both in 1 day. I'd drive to San Diego for a day at Sea World... But I'd make sure it was on a weekend or holiday so that I wouldn't have to navigate through any commuter traffic!

 

[skiingfast]

Sooooooo, we (my husband and I) are trying to decide if we are able to drive down to San Diego and go to the Safari Park for the day.

It looks like its a 2 hour drive there and back, so 4 hours of total driving which would give us about 6 hours in the park.

Would you do it? Would you skip it? Why or why not?

TIA

I wouldn't even question doing it. If it looks like something you want to do then great, go do it. The Safari park wich was the SD wild animal park is great and I'm sure you should have a good time.

I'm not sure it will take that long for drive there. You just go south on I-5 from anaheim and then east on CA78. It's almost all freeway, but it does depend on traffic. I really think it is going to be more like 3 hours driving and 7 hours seeing the park.

 

[Funball]

Oh no crazy duck has been here!!!

 

[Littleprincess2010]

I wouldn't try and do both in 1 day. I'd drive to San Diego for a day at Sea World... But I'd make sure it was on a weekend or holiday so that I wouldn't have to navigate through any commuter traffic!

Sorry, I type too fast sometimes, lol. I meant that we would be doing just San Diego that day. Its our Non-Disney day.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

I wouldn't even question doing it. If it looks like something you want to do then great, go do it. The Safari park wich was the SD wild animal park is great and I'm sure you should have a good time.

I'm not sure it will take that long for drive there. You just go south on I-5 from anaheim and then east on CA78. It's almost all freeway, but it does depend on traffic. I really think it is going to be more like 3 hours driving and 7 hours seeing the park.

Thank you!! My husband is from South Africa so we both want to go see the Lions (and Tigers and Bears "Oh My!!"). Good to know that the drive is a little shorter, that helps in the decision making

 

[DisneyMomma81]

What about driving down the night before after you've spent the day at ?DLR? check into your hotel in the San Diego area late at night and then spend then next day in San Diego and drive back up to Anaheim that evening.

 

[HydroGuy]

Thank you!! My husband is from South Africa so we both want to go see the Lions (and Tigers and Bears "Oh My!!"). Good to know that the drive is a little shorter, that helps in the decision making

Shorter in distance maybe but shorter in time is questionable. The traffic situation in SoCal is highly unpredictable. One would think that traffic jams on Saturday or Sunday or late at night would be uncommon. However, they are common. If you drive it in a day be prepared for traffic. It may take significanlty longer than you think.

 

[lilpooh108]

Saturday/Sunday mornings to SD on the I-5 is slow slow slow until about noon.

If you plan on driving down on a Weekend day, make sure you leave really early. There's tons of traffic b/c unless you plan on going on the 15, there's really only one way to get down there.

On a weekday, it is actually faster if you skip rush hour/communter hours.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I would recommend doing it. I live about 15 minutes south of LAX off the 405, and when we have family visit us we often go to San Diego for the day to visit the attractions down there. I would think nothing of going down to the Safari for the day & driving home.

 

[Littleprincess2010]

Thanks for all the imput, our free day is a Tuesday so we'd be stuck with communter traffic . If the Safari park opens at 9 how would you plan it? What times would be best to drive down and drive back later?

 

[dizneedoll]

I live about 10 min from the wild animal park (I'm not calling it the new name, I don't like it) and the drive will be about one hour 30 min without traffic. Saturdays are traffic nightmares on the 5. I've been stuck twice in the last couple of months and it was some of the worst traffic ever. Never have a problem on Sundays. If you're going on a Tuesday there is a carpool lane but only about half of the way. You could try leaving at like 5am (lol). Coming back I'd wait till about 6pm and you should be ok. It's a nice park, I don't know that I would personally drive that far just to do it. I live 10 min and I don't want to do it. It can get really hot and it's sort of a hassle walking the park, lots of hills and I don't think the safari ride is that great. The San Diego Zoo is better and it's maybe another 30 min south, then if you went there you could have dinner downtown then head back. Or Sea World as PP mentioned.

 

[lilpooh108]

I live about 10 min from the wild animal park (I'm not calling it the new name, I don't like it) and the drive will be about one hour 30 min without traffic. Saturdays are traffic nightmares on the 5. I've been stuck twice in the last couple of months and it was some of the worst traffic ever. Never have a problem on Sundays. If you're going on a Tuesday there is a carpool lane but only about half of the way. You could try leaving at like 5am (lol). Coming back I'd wait till about 6pm and you should be ok. It's a nice park, I don't know that I would personally drive that far just to do it. I live 10 min and I don't want to do it. It can get really hot and it's sort of a hassle walking the park, lots of hills and I don't think the safari ride is that great. The San Diego Zoo is better and it's maybe another 30 min south, then if you went there you could have dinner downtown then head back. Or Sea World as PP mentioned.

ditto. the wild animal park is just ok. San Diego Zoo is awesome, and plus it's fun since it's closer to downtown SD.

If you go on a weekday, you'd miss traffic if you leave OC about 9:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. if you go on a weekend, leave by 8.

 

[ardenandjacksmom]

We were in San Diego for a weekend in January (not connected to a DLR trip)--if you aren't renting a car already, I wouldn't advise going to the expense of renting/dealing with traffic to go to San Diego just for the 'Wild Animal Park.' Of course you should know that this is coming from someone who prefers to be in total 'Disney Immersion Mode' though--when I'm on property that is how I devote all of my trip.

The one thing that might change my answer would be if you were spending your weekdays at DLR (less crowded time) and then tacking on an entire weekend in San Diego. Also I agree with the others who suggest San Diego Zoo, I also really liked Coronado Island and there are some great restaurants too!

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

 

[JaxsonsMom]

Thank you!! My husband is from South Africa so we both want to go see the Lions (and Tigers and Bears "Oh My!!"). Good to know that the drive is a little shorter, that helps in the decision making

Just be warned, the WAP (yes I am a local) does have the best view of lions, but since you bring it up there are no bears and really not a good view of tigers. I would make sure you look over what each park has and doesn't. The WAP is an amazing park, but not a normal zoo.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I didn't care for the San Diego Zoo ~ too big and hilly! I like what we have here in UT *Hogle Zoo* better.....

 

[blackjackdelta]

Shorter in distance maybe but shorter in time is questionable. The traffic situation in SoCal is highly unpredictable. One would think that traffic jams on Saturday or Sunday or late at night would be uncommon. However, they are common. If you drive it in a day be prepared for traffic. It may take significanlty longer than you think.

I have to go along with Hydroguy here. The traffic is very unpredictable. We spent two + hours just going from LA to Anaheim on 5 at 1400 in the afternoon this last August, the year before it was 45 minutes. We always hit the freeways very early or late if we take a day trip while we are there.

Jack