Bakersfield to San Diego recommendations (Long Beach, Riverside: rent, home, living)

[Clevelandgal]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this (open to suggestions). Yes I know how to use a GPS or mapquest but it does not account for traffic. I need to travel to Bakersfield for work. I am leaving on Sunday and taking the shortest route up 5 through LA-estimated travel time 3.5 hours, but I am told to expect at least another hour. Since it is Sunday there will be less traffic. Coming back I will be hitting a weekday PM rush hour in LA and OC. I am thinking it will be a living nightmare.

Someone suggested on my return trip I go east of Bakersfield on 58, take 395 south (a country road, but not crowded), then 15 south to 163. It is well over 50 miles farther and mapquests at almost 5 hours-which should be pretty accurate as the traffic won't be bad. Will the 5 south bound in LA and OC be bad enough to avoid and go way out of my way? Any other EASY ideas? I feel bad saying this, but I don't care about scenery and total miles, I just want to get home fastest.

[oddstray]

If it were me, I would wait a few hours until rush hour isn't a problem. I would get home later that way, but much less stressed-out.

We've driven the 58/395 route. It's pretty boring in stretches, pretty scenic in other stretches. Going through Adelanto, at any time of day, will make you want to tear your hair out due to stoplight after stoplight, none of which are synchronized. But eventually you'll get through there. If you're driving at rush hour, you'll be going through Riverside and that's pretty horrible. As bad as LA/OC. But again, eventually you'll get through there.

Is there any train or bus or any van shuttle you could take? Let someone else do the driving?

[Clevelandgal]

sadly it is just me driving. I would love to wait until after rush hour, but then I think I will be too tired.
I am thinking Bakersfield has to be the worst place to travel to from SD for work. Just a little too close to fly (plus where would you fly into?) . Hopefully the stoplight stretch is not too long. Ugh.

[moved]

You can fly from here to the Bakersfield airport (Meadows Field) and rent a car. United and US Airways fly there. It would be a lot faster, and you wouldn't spend all that time on the road. That's what I would do.

[Clevelandgal]

^ I will do/suggest that if I ever have to go again. Since my employer is sending me and its a new job I kind of went with the flow. Nice to know there is a direct flight, I am really suprised since Bakersfield seems so small and close to LA to get semi major flights. The next trip I have to go on is probably Long Beach, so that will be a little better.