Help for July visit

[Kiwianna]

I know we are visiting at a really busy time, but 30% off airfares is not to be sneezed at, especially when the flights can be taken in our (New Zealand) school holidays.
Sometime in the first two weeks in July, we plan to make separate trips between Anaheim and San Diego and Anaheim to Universal studios.
Are there any days when it would be absolute madness to even consider being on the roads?
I am thinking that around your 4th of July would be a time when many people travel.
Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Huff]

July 4th falls on a Wednesday. Because few will have a long weekend off work this year travel should be much lighter than if it fell on any other day. Traffic heading to beach areas will be very high on July 4th. SeaWorld and vicinity will be crowded because of 4th of July fireworks show at the park. Other days of the week should not be bad except for rush hour mornings 7am-9am and evenings 4pm-6pm monday thru friday.

Los Angeles metro area traffic can be unpredictable on any given day. There are numerous freeways to take to get around so check traffic using local radio, TV or google maps on internet.

 

[Kiwianna]

Thank you, Huff. Your reply is most helpful.

 

[helenb]

Comic Con is happening in San Diego July 11-15. DO NOT go anywhere near downtown San Diego during this time. Before or after is OK. The entire downtown area is packed to the gills with people during Comic Con and you won't be able to go anywhere, plus the hotel rooms are exorbitantly priced.

That being said, last year I was at Disneyland just before going to Comic Cono, and while it was busy, it wasn't outrageous. Very reasonable in terms of crowds, especially if we took an afternoon break and came back in the evenings.

 

[Travelingdad]

I know we are visiting at a really busy time, but 30% off airfares is not to be sneezed at, especially when the flights can be taken in our (New Zealand) school holidays.
Sometime in the first two weeks in July, we plan to make separate trips between Anaheim and San Diego and Anaheim to Universal studios.
Are there any days when it would be absolute madness to even consider being on the roads?
I am thinking that around your 4th of July would be a time when many people travel.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Having lived in LA area for years I can say that you will find traffic extremely bad and consistent any day of the year, especially if you are not used to stop and go. It's just part of the norm there. Travel to San Diego and back is not usually bad but. Best advise is to be patient and plan plenty of time. Also realize there are really no freeway that don't have traffic so keep route simple.

 

[Camonkeygirl]

The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are not that busy on July 4th, as they do not have fireworks.

I would plan on bringing patience with you as July is a busy time of year for all of the amusement parks.

Key traffic times seem to be 7 - 9ish am and 4 - 7 pm in San Diego and LA.

 

[llump41]

If you are in San Diego July 4th, just stay away from the beaches. Crowded is an understatement.

 

[kymom99]

I am going to be in DL July 10-13th. We are heading to San Diego the 13th-20th. I was looking at doing a segway tour downtown, so I guess, from the advise here, that I won't plan that for the weekend. I was originally looking at Saturday because I didn't want to do the zoo or any of the busier attractions on the weekend. Also, that is my son's 13th bday and I wanted to do something really cool that day. Maybe I will do the bike tour in LaJolla. Would that be a safe bet?

 

[Camonkeygirl]

The Safari Park is usually not as busy as some of the other attractions during the summer, but it is hotter than along the coast. A bonus could be that they have a segway tour that they offer. My husband did this tour a couple of months ago, and loved it.