Nevermind :) Disneyland, visiting USC and driving in LA

[gethane]

Nevermind, I figured out something on the visit USC site I hadn't seen sooner.

We will be at DLH Sunday May 23 - Tuesday May 24. My oldest daughter wants to visit USC. The only tour times are Monday at 9 am or Monday at 1pm. The USC program is 3 hours. My husband will be staying at DLH with our two young children, 4 and 6. DL is open at 9 on Monday, DCA at 10.

My questions:

Should I:
Drive to USC during morning rush hour, to get to the 9 am USC tour/program
OR
Drive back from USC during afternoon rush hour after the afternoon program finishes at 4.

I assume taking a cab each way would be very cost prohibitive since it's 35 miles?

So basically. Is it better for us all to go into DL for 2.5 hours Monday morning and do the afternoon USC tour, or for my dh to hang at the hotel with the younguns' (Koi, waterfalls, boats, pool) in the morning while my daughter and I tour, then all head to the parks (either DL or DCA) in the afternoon?

Help! my dh usually drives in high traffic situations (though I can do it, and we have a GPS -- unless it gets stolen again anyway). Google shows an alternate route to avoid I-5 since everyone says it is AWFUL.

(It is a short trip. We're also touring UC San Diego on Saturday May 22, and UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday May 25, hence us being bookended into the 3 day short trip)

 

[DLR29]

Hopefully, I can help. I'm a high school senior and I will be attending USC next year.

I was recently in Anaheim because my brother had a basketball tournament. He and my mom went to DLR for a day while my dad and I went and did an "admitted students" kinda tour thing, also beginning at 9. We all stayed right across the street from DLR so our driving times should be pretty relevant to your situation, especially because this was just this past Monday. We left around 7ish just to be safe. We took the 5 to the 91 to the 110 which goes straight into L.A. It only took us about an hour so we were really early for the tour.

We overestimated the amount of traffic that we would encounter. Granted, we did use the carpool lane, which helped a ton! So based on my experience, I would definitely recommend the morning option. Plus, it's a relaxing morning for the others, let them sleep in and get up at their own pace.

EDIT: Oops, I didn't see the "nevermind". Anyway, if your DD has any questions about applying to USC, I'd be happy to try and answer them.

 

[gethane]

thank you! that is really helpful! We decided though, instead of doing the MW tour where you meet a department, to only do the TTH tour where you just meet admissions folks and have a campus tour. It's at 2:30 so we can spend the morning at disneyland before going. Then we'll head to our tour at Santa Barbara for the next day.

Thanks so much though! I'll let her know of your offer, so she may pm you, especially after our tour, with questions

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think that an easier way to get to USC would be to take the 5-north to the 91-west to the 110-north would be a faster route. Taking the 57 is a roundabout way of getting there.

Look at the map below... The blue route is what I think DLR29 took (the 57 doesn't go to the 110, but it does go to the 10). The red route is more direct.

 

[MAH4546]

I think that an easier way to get to USC would be to take the 5-north to the 91-west to the 110-north would be a faster route. Taking the 57 is a roundabout way of getting there.

Look at the map below... The blue route is what I think DLR29 took (the 57 doesn't go to the 110, but it does go to the 10). The red route is more direct.

I don't know who in the world is crazy enough to take the blue route. The five cuts diagnoally right through there and is the theoretically quickest route.

However, the red route on that map is 100% carpool lanes, and even during rush hour it can be as quick as 30-35 minutes.

 

[DLR29]

I think that an easier way to get to USC would be to take the 5-north to the 91-west to the 110-north would be a faster route. Taking the 57 is a roundabout way of getting there.

Look at the map below... The blue route is what I think DLR29 took (the 57 doesn't go to the 110, but it does go to the 10). The red route is more direct.

Oops, ya you're right Mary Jo. I mixed up my freeways. We did take the red route and it was very quick.

 

[gethane]

excellent to know. We will still be going from anaheim to USC so this is very helpful info! (thankfully, I won't be driving it though!)

 

[tom-from-anaheim]

Wow! I want to know how to make a beautiful map like that... The red route is definitely the way to go and getting off the 5 freeway at the 91 is perfect because you will see the traffic just backing up right ahead of where you get off.

The only think I might suggest, since I drive this often is going up to the 105 on the 710 because there is a carpool to carpool lane that really makes a difference (plus, it's the offramp that they used in the Movie SPEED where they jumped the bus over it - although it complete now so you won't get to do that...).

Also, get out of the area of USC by 6 or 7 at the latest. VERY bad area around it. Take the 10 West to LaBrea (unless it's between 4:30pm and 6pm) and go North to Pinks Hot Dog Stand. That's really a cool place.

Then, leave for Santa Barbara after about 7:30pm.

I hope that helps!

 

[gethane]

Unfortunately, it is going to be between 4:30-6:00 probably. The tour is scheduled for 2:30-4:00 so realistically we won't be getting on the road again until 4:30 . Any tips for making it out and up to SB at that time?

 

[Judy from Boise]

Also, get out of the area of USC by 6 or 7 at the latest. VERY bad area around it.
I hope that helps!

I'm glad you said it. In the early 80's I was attending LAC/USC med center school of nursing, so we went to a lot of dental fraternity parties on greek row at USC, walking back to your car at night it was a "gee I am in Watts after dark" moment. And I tramped the streets of Boyle Heights at all hours! Glad we were on the medical school campus in nice safe East LA!

 

[MAH4546]

Also, get out of the area of USC by 6 or 7 at the latest. VERY bad area around it. Take the 10 West to LaBrea (unless it's between 4:30pm and 6pm) and go North to Pinks Hot Dog Stand. That's really a cool place.

Please. The area is perfectly safe. 6 or 7 at the latest? Are you kidding me? A lot of graduate classes are still in session! There are actually some good places to catch dinner on Figeroa right off USC's campus.

As a non-local I wouldn't hang out past 10-11, but there's nothing to do there anyway unless you're a college student. Still perfectly safe with common sense.

 

[Judy from Boise]

good point my experiences were quite late after parties!
The scariest for me was walking alone about 10:30 from the collesium to someone's front yard where I had parked my car for $10 bucks. I actually left Bruce Springsteen opening night of the born to run tour, to make my 11:00 shift at LA County. What a dedicated nurse

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I think that an easier way to get to USC would be to take the 5-north to the 91-west to the 110-north would be a faster route. Taking the 57 is a roundabout way of getting there.

Look at the map below... The blue route is what I think DLR29 took (the 57 doesn't go to the 110, but it does go to the 10). The red route is more direct.

Wow! I want to know how to make a beautiful map like that... The red route is definitely the way to go and getting off the 5 freeway at the 91 is perfect because you will see the traffic just backing up right ahead of where you get off.

The only think I might suggest, since I drive this often is going up to the 105 on the 710 because there is a carpool to carpool lane that really makes a difference (plus, it's the offramp that they used in the Movie SPEED where they jumped the bus over it - although it complete now so you won't get to do that...).

I hope that helps!

Okay, I added your route to the map.

 

[gethane]

That map truly is a work of art.