How long from Ventura to DLR?

[AnneUCSB]

We are from the Bay Area and will be down in Ventura next week visiting my BFF. My boys (ages 4, 7, 9) are begging me to take them to DLR for a day while we are staying in Ventura. We do have AP's. However, DH is not coming with us so it'll be just me with the boys for the day. How long is the drive? What time should I plan to leave Ventura in the morning (traffic-wise)? Am I crazy?

 

[Tyggress]

Distance-wise, it really should only be an hour to an hour-and-a-half. It really will depend on when you leave and how much traffic you hit. In the morning, people living in Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, will be heading into LA via the 101 to go to work. The traffic moves in that direction. Unless you're going on a weekend day?

If you decide to go on a weekday, I would wait until 8 or so to leave, and hope most of the rush-hour traffic is already through...otherwise, an hour drive will be 2-3.

Good luck!

 

[AnneUCSB]

We are planning to go next Thursday. What if we left at 6:00am? Maybe we'd beat some of the morning traffic?

 

[Tyggress]

You might get stuck right in the middle of traffic. I don't live in Ventura (I'm down by San Diego), but I've driven through there often. If people need to get to LA for work between 7 and 8, I'm guessing 6 - 8 am would be the worst of the traffic for people to get there.

Maybe leave at 5:30 and be just ahead of all the traffic and never get stuck...or leave at 8 AFTER the traffic is gone. Again, I don't live there, but that's what I would go with.

ETA: I would also ask your BFF their thoughts, since they do live there.

 

[JeriLee]

I live in Newbury Park (top of Grade) and we leave at 5:30 am to be at DLR for an 8:00 a.m. Rope Drop - but we do stop for bagels on the way (Topanga Canyon exit - both Noah's and Western Bagels on the left).

Venture is a large area so I don't know how far you are from me, but figure 30 minutes to be safe. I take a convoluted route, but it has car pool lanes most of the way and fast freeways. I take 101 -> 105 -> 605 -> 91 -> 5 -> DLR

 

[KatieJoy]

2 hours. We are 1 1/2 hours north of Ventura, and with traffic it usually is about 3 1/2 hours from home to DLR.

 

[runvta]

I live in Ventura and if we leave by 5 am on a weekday morning we miss most of the traffic and make it in about 1 1/2 hours. Friday traffic is usually lighter than the rest of the weekdays.

 

[AnneUCSB]

Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'd need to leave by 5:00am-ish or not until after 8. Looks like it'll be an early morning for us.