Southern California SoCal Traffic Question for Locals

[APB513]

I will be visiting DLR at the end of this month. I am planning a one day trip to Universal Studios Hollywood on Friday, February 1st.

I was thinking of leaving DLR at 8:00 am so that I can arrive at USH by 9:30 am.

Is that reasonable?

Mapquest suggests I take I-5 N to the 101 N and that the trip should take 49 minutes. Is this the best route to take?

Factoring in morning rush hour traffic, how long can I realistically expect the drive to take?

Thanks!

 

[danaesacto]

Not a local- but this looks like one of those things where leaving at 8 puts you in the middle of commuter traffic. for someone local: Up here if we left just 40 minutes later we would get there at the same time but would just be sitting in traffic less- is it that way down there too?

I'm glad you asked this question because we are planning to go to Warner Bros on our way home from DL and I was just looking at the maps and times

 

[Bsb1012]

L.A. has commuter traffic all day long! 1 1/2-2 hours to get from Universal to Disneyland or vice versa should be suffice. But on any given day it could take longer or shorter. It's a living nightmare...what you see on the news about L.A. traffic is not an exaggeration! I live in Northern CA, but I'm in Southern CA up to ten times a year, I know that traffic quite well.

 

[APB513]

Thanks danaesacto and Bsb1012!

 

[StageTek]

I was thinking of leaving DLR at 8:00 am so that I can arrive at USH by 9:30 am.

Is that reasonable?

Yes. You would most likely reach USH at 9:30 if you left at 8:30. Your return trip will likely take over 90 minutes if you leave anytime between 4:30 and 7PM. The 5 to the 101 is the only way to drive.

 

[hreshtag]

It should take around 50 minutes - 1 hour. Considering traffic, it might take anywhere from 1.5 hours to 2 hours, but I wouldn't say that you're too off. If possible, you can check out traffic right before you leave online, and that might help you. If you leave slightly earlier or later, you might have a bit of a better chance at staying away from traffic also (like 7:30 or 8:30). Honestly, it depends on the day. 1.5 hours seems fairly reasonable (and I'm a local, btw).

 

[Plaid Princess]

L.A. has commuter traffic all day long! 1 1/2-2 hours to get from Universal to Disneyland or vice versa should be suffice. But on any given day it could take longer or shorter. It's a living nightmare...what you see on the news about L.A. traffic is not an exaggeration! I live in Northern CA, but I'm in Southern CA up to ten times a year, I know that traffic quite well.

Actually, quite a lot of it is exaggerated. If you're driving in the middle of the day or at night you mostly won't have traffic to deal with.

But leaving at 8:00am will put you smack in the middle of the rush hour commute when you get into LA. Leave at 7:30 or 10:00 and save the trouble. But yes, about 60 min is a fair guess with minimal traffic. Take a friend and use the Carpool lanes... they make a big difference.

Also a local, btw.