How far is actual drive time to Portland (San Diego, Redding: living in, airport)

[grapico]

Anybody know? I am a pretty fast driver and go around 78 or so on the interstate if it's 70 and don't need long breaks driving except to get some gas. I don't want what google maps or something says, my actual drive time is usually a good bit shorter than their estimates esp over long distances. So how fast do quick road trip people take getting to Portland from once you get on I-5. Not talking about getting out of the city. There is another thread which discusses Portland as a perk to living in SF, along with Las Vegas and San Diego(I have no doubts on those) ...

[skyao]

i drove it once 5-6 years ago and i remember it being a 10-12 hour drive. We stopped in Ashland,Oregon for one night to break up the trip.

[rkwalton]

You can make it in a day. The time I did it though I cut over to spend a night in the Redwoods and then connected back to the 5 in Oregon.

A friend of mine just did the drive this week and she set off around 9am and got to Portland around 9pm that evening. Therefore, she made it in around 12 hours. I have no idea how long her stops were and other stuff like that though.

Have a nice drive!

[Hemlock140]

I have made the drive from Seattle to the Bay Area many times over the last 20 years, and it's always been around 14 hours. I have also made many trips to Portland, and it's 3-3.5 hours depending on traffic. That means the answer to your question is about 11-11.5 hours.

With your apparent practice of speeding, you might shave off 1/2 hour but lose about 20 minutes of that waiting for the Oregon State Patrol to write your ticket. Watch out for the bottom of the grade coming down from Grant's Pass, they like to sit out of sight there and nab people.

[Chimérique]

We did it in 12 hours with 2 people driving, stopping only for gas, HATED IT!

It's too far without over-nighting. Not enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and stop in Redding or Yreka, CA; or Ashland or Medford, OR for a full rest.

It's really a 13-14 hour drive including several short stops and a longer 30/45min stop, which you need, and when you stop the time goes by faster than you think.

There is a climb too, from Redding CA to over the Border. Which can require chains at times with snow.

It's a pretty drive through the whole trip. You don't go through any big cities or metros the whole trip as you bypass the Sacto Metro.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

We did it in 12 hours with 2 people driving, stopping only for gas, HATED IT!

It's too far without over-nighting. Not enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and stop in Redding or Yreka, CA; or Ashland or Medford, OR for a full rest.

It's really a 13-14 hour drive including several short stops and a longer 30/45min stop, which you need, and when you stop the time goes by faster than you think.

There is a climb too, from Redding CA to over the Border. Which can require chains at times with snow.

It's a pretty drive through the whole trip. You don't go through any big cities or metros the whole trip as you bypass the Sacto Metro.

Everything about this post is dead on! It's long without the stop and if there is snow going through the mountains, it creeps along. The climb is steeper than the grapevine.

[peninsular]

I've done this drive about half a dozen times. Shortest time was 9.5 hours from the airport (PDX) to the Embarcadero. That was a Sunday so I didn't hit the commute traffic. There are a couple things to remember - hitting traffic can easily add to your time and level of frustration, avoid at all costs. And don't underestimate the mountains and their unpredictible weather, I was almost snowed in a couple of times, once near Shasta lake, once near Weed.

[pch1013]

I did this during the last week of December. It took 12 hours, including a 1-hour lunch break. I was going about 70 in Oregon and 75 in CA. Fortunately, it was sunny and there was no snow on the roads at all.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I have made the drive from Seattle to the Bay Area many times over the last 20 years, and it's always been around 14 hours. I have also made many trips to Portland, and it's 3-3.5 hours depending on traffic. That means the answer to your question is about 11-11.5 hours.

With your apparent practice of speeding, you might shave off 1/2 hour but lose about 20 minutes of that waiting for the Oregon State Patrol to write your ticket. Watch out for the bottom of the grade coming down from Grant's Pass, they like to sit out of sight there and nab people.

Eh I usually stay with the flow of traffic which tends to be 5-8 mph over the speed limit, at least in CA, and you will still get passed by many people. Is the speed limit on i-5 in Oregon slower or are the cops sticklers there?
Chimerique, that sucks, but I have pretty good driving stamina. I regularly drive Chicago to Florida by myself and it's like 14-15 hours. If I can go ahead and push it in a day of driving sub 14ish hours I generally go ahead and get there, then sleep in the next day. With 2 people it's no biggie, to me at least. My ex gf couldn't stand to be in the car more than 4 hours or so.
I'm planing a west coast trip b/c my current gf has never been and trying to plan out days, and of course for that thread also.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Hemlock140

I have made the drive from Seattle to the Bay Area many times over the last 20 years, and it's always been around 14 hours. I have also made many trips to Portland, and it's 3-3.5 hours depending on traffic. That means the answer to your question is about 11-11.5 hours.

I agree with this.