driving from LV to LA (Victorville, Hesperia: condo, hotel, home)

[fowler_966]

when is the best time of the day to do this? we will be partying all night in vegas and then driving the next day to la, so we dont really want to leave early in the morning. i know its a crazy time for traffic with school over and people on vacation and all that. so what would be a good time to leave and avoid horrible traffic? i still dont exactly know when "rush hours" are in so cal. i think its pretty much all the time

thanks!

[Charles]

What part of LA and what day of the week? I'd guess if you left by 9 you'd beat the majority of it.

[MIKEETC]

Originally Posted by fowler_966

when is the best time of the day to do this? we will be partying all night in vegas and then driving the next day to la, so we dont really want to leave early in the morning. i know its a crazy time for traffic with school over and people on vacation and all that. so what would be a good time to leave and avoid horrible traffic? i still dont exactly know when "rush hours" are in so cal. i think its pretty much all the time

thanks!

Heading southbound on the I-15 Monday through Friday, you will be in commuter traffic heading into the LA Metro area from the High Desert communities of Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, and Adelanto (to name a few). The congestion begins around Bear Valley Road but is not too severe, relatively speaking. It gets heavier as you get closer to the job centers in LA and OC so figure heading west to LA (on for example I-210, I-10, SR-60) and south to OC (on for example the I-15, SR-57, etc.) will be challenging.

What I have noticed in my experience is that the traffic lightens up around 10:00am-11:00am because by then everyone is at work. But then it picks up again around 12ish because of the lunch hour. My suggestion is to leave Las Vegas around 8:00am which will put you in LA in the period when it is lightest. Note that what I consider 'light' you might consider 'heavy' so bear that in mind.

If you come down on Saturday and Sunday, I'd guess that it would be lighter than usual with the natural slowdowns near shopping centers and so forth. Sunday night is heavy due to people heading back to the LA area from Las Vegas.

Your results may vary, though. Others may have better suggestions...

[bhcompy]

leave early. you leave after 2 or 3pm you'll probably be stuck in traffic all day

[fowler_966]

it will be a friday and we will be driving to our hotel in hollywood...does that change anything? we'd really rather not leave at 8 am but i guess we might have to :/

[ArnoldZ]

Much depends on what day od the week you will be leaving LV.

Monday - Wed noon to 2pm is my usual travel day and time to LA from LV. Traffic is a breeze even when you reach LA by 6:00 or 7:00 pm.

Thursdays and Fridays, business people would like to report back to office before their offices close for the week. And these two days are busiest for LA traffic all day! Expect more 18-wheelers delivering to supermarkets their weekend supplies.

Saturdays and Sundays are purse strings travelers who saved on hotel weekday rates and are returning to LA.

[strategery52]

I'd be more concerned about driving through the desert in the middle of the day. It's really brutal. I'd say leave either before 8am or after 3pm so most of your driving is done when the sun isn't directly overhead.

As for traffic, you'll be going against traffic once you enter LA so don't worry about it too much. Take the carpool lane if you have 2+ people with you. I think you need 3 people for the carpool on the 10. It'll be jammed from downtown into Hollywood for sure, but the rest should be a breeze. Be glad you're not making the drive on a Sunday afternoon!

[ArnoldZ]

Originally Posted by strategery52

I'd be more concerned about driving through the desert in the middle of the day. It's really brutal. ....

That's what the air-condorioner in your car is for.

[ShanetheMortgageMan]

Originally Posted by strategery52

I'd be more concerned about driving through the desert in the middle of the day. It's really brutal. I'd say leave either before 8am or after 3pm so most of your driving is done when the sun isn't directly overhead.

After 3 is when I always leave from Vegas... check out of the hotel, hit up a buffet, and drive home on a stomach you'll need to empty about the time you hit Baker or Barstow. By the time you roll into L.A. it'll be about 7PM and there won't be as much traffic. Sometimes we stay until about 4-5PM, the drive home usually averages about 90MPH on I-15 and can get home in about 3.5 hours. Watch those CHP's though.