most scenic route from SD to DL

[KyMattDisney]

Hi there..we are splitting our June/July vacation between SD & DL......what is the best route (most scenic) to drive from SD to DL.......is the Pacific Coast Highway an option...this is our first trip to Southern CA and want to make the most of the trip.

 

[iceskatejen]

Basically you have 2 choices--the I-5 which goes up the coast most of the way and is the most direct route (though the traffic can be a nightmare) or the I-15 to the W91 to the sI-57 which is more of a mountain (not winding around, but you go up and down hills along the I-15) route. The traffic on the 91 is really bad in the mornings (it's fine if you wait to get on it around 10am or so). Or you can do the I-15 to the w60 to the S57. Also I'd wait until late morning to get on the 60. If the traffic isn't heavy it takes about 90 minutes to get from SD to DL on the I-5. The other routes would take longer, but the traffic might be easier to handle so long as you wait until late morning (don't take the I-15 in the late afternoon/evening on a weekday--there's a border patrol checkpoint just before you come into Temecula and it can take awhile to get through that, but then again, there's one on the I-5 too and I imagine traffic get's backed up there too.) Either drive is pretty, just depends on what you want to look at.

 

[msteddom]

You can take Pacific Coast Highway for certian portions of the drive, but I'm not sure I'd reccomend it. All of the traffic signals tend to back things up. I would take the I-5 the whole way up. One of the prettiest sections of beach is viewable off the 5 though Oceanside and Camp Pendleton.

Do not, do not, do not take the 15 to the 91. Every single time I have tried that route I have sat in traffic for an hour, plus the drive is not pretty at all, just a lot of near desert conditions along the 15.


Melissa

 

[iceskatejen]

Do not, do not, do not take the 15 to the 91. Every single time I have tried that route I have sat in traffic for an hour, plus the drive is not pretty at all, just a lot of near desert conditions along the 15.


Melissa

I guess it depends on your definition of pretty. I happen to think that the desert/mountain area is pretty (and geographically more interesting that most of the coastline you can see from the I-5). Plus most of the desert stuff is not between the SD/Anaheim area. Actually I'm looking at what you are refering to as "not pretty" right now (looking out my window) and to me it's stunningly gorgeous.