Thanksgiving traffic?

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by Veda815

We are planning to be in California thanksgiving week. We plan to spend Monday-Tuesday nights in San Francisco and Wednesday-Saturday nights in San Luis Obispo.

Are we making a big mistake traveling south from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo Wednesday afternoon? Initially I wanted to leave at 2 or 3, but am now thinking closer to noon. Is this still too late? I don't want to give up too much time in the city if I don't have to. I did some google searching and it seems like everyone is complaining about traffic headed north from LA to SF, but no one is talking about going south. I certainly expect some traffic and am okay with that; I just want to plan appropriately and avoid pulling over at midnight in tears and sleeping in the car.

EEks well don't take 5 beceause 580 will kill you. 101 shouldn't be horrific but beware ANY direction you go on Wednesday starting about 10am will suck the big one. No kidding. People are every which way. I have driven east, north and south all on different years on WEdnesday at about 11am and it was just headache city.

Good luck.

[paladinking]

choose other date , it is OK..

[brightviolet]

"Also, it's either "the 5" or "I-5", not "the I-5"."

What are you talking about? The entire Pacific NW calls it "the I-5".

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by brightviolet

"Also, it's either "the 5" or "I-5", not "the I-5"."

What are you talking about? The entire Pacific NW calls it "the I-5".

I've always found it interesting that some people put "the" before interstate names when talking about them. I'm used to just saying the number (e.g. "I'm on 80 heading east"), but I grew up in Ohio and lived in the Northeast (NY state, Boston) the rest of my life before coming to CA. I don't hear too many people here use "the" when speaking of freeways, but I find it interested when I do hear it.

[fizbin]

On the original topic, everyone is looking at this completely wrong. SF to SLO is not a trip to commute down horrid 101; rather these two cities are connected by one of the most beautiful stretches of highway on earth: Highway 1 down the coast. SF to Pacifica to Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz through Monterey and Carmel to Big Sur, Hearst Castle and on into SLO. Absolutely gorgeous, fun to drive, with little traffic except the short bit between Santa Cruz and Monterey. Five and a half hours according to Google. Lots to do if you have time, or do nothing but drive and eat. Either way, a very memorable day before Thanksgiving. Slow down, take it easy.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by HockeyMac18

I've always found it interesting that some people put "the" before interstate names when talking about them. I'm used to just saying the number (e.g. "I'm on 80 heading east"), but I grew up in Ohio and lived in the Northeast (NY state, Boston) the rest of my life before coming to CA. I don't hear too many people here use "the" when speaking of freeways, but I find it interested when I do hear it.

Nor Cal doesn't usually add the THE. So Cal tends too. British say "I'm going g to hospital" and Americans say "the hospital" same thing though.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Thanksgiving in California is the most god awful traffic jam, on the face of the earth. Especially norcal.

LA to SD might win the prize for worst T-Day parking lot. Down there, they call the freeway "The 5" or "The 405". On T-Day, they just say "****!" a lot.

CA really needs the Bullet Train for days like this.

[redwoodlvr]

To avoid traffic you have to leave on Monday or Tuesday, seriously. Or travel early morning, at dark thirty, on the day of Thanksgiving. Otherwise, budget extra time and avoid Wednesday at all costs, the day everyone knows without a doubt they're going to be the ones to beat the rush. haha.

One year it took me six hours to get from San Francisco to Davis. Granted there were accidents that compounded the situation and we literally didn't move for hours, not even crawling. Come to think of it, that was the experience that marked me not ever driving on Thanksgiving weekend ever again.