Crazy?: Taking I-5 to I-10 in SoCal on a Weekday Late-Afternoon

This is a question for SoCalifornians (or others with significant experience there).

I'm going to drive from Redding, CA to Tombstone, AZ in 2 days -- drive, drive, drive (with a night spent in a motel).
Google Maps says the best way is to take 1-5 to LA then connect to I-10 via 210 (approximately).


I like the efficiency and non-stop-ness of going almost all the way via just 2 interstate freeways -- no traffic lights, no lane-blocking people on 2-lane highways, etc.
BUT: By the time I get to the LA area it will be 4-ish or even 5pm. (I'm not leaving the Redding area until after my Mom gets up to say good-bye -- it won't be an alpine start)

So...am I crazy to go through the greater-LA area at this time of day on a Thursday? Will I be hating life by the time I get through San Bernardino?
I should say that I don't mind heavy traffic moving at speed on urban freeways in general, I do fine with that. I just want to avoid the stop-and-go or crawling...

There are lots of alternatives -- including heading east from Redding and doing a long drive down US 395 & 95 in Nevada...but for drive, drive, drive days I really prefer Interstates.

Give it to me straight. And thanks.

Ugggh. I grew up in SoCal, and spent three years in LA, an experience that was directly responsible for my next move (to Anchorage). The thing about LA is you just never know when traffic will hit, but it is all but guaranteed that time of day. You’ll be fighting it from the time you hit the San Fernando Valley on the 5, until you finally make your way out the other end on the 10 somewhere in the Inland Empire. Personally I would do anything to avoid that entire area, particularly with the 395 being a much more scenic drive. Just watch for speed traps.

Mark, save yourself, take another route. If it were me, I’d take 95 or 395 down to I-10.

Think about this Mark might take a little stress out. Are you on a timeline there bud?

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Redding,+California/Tombstone,+Arizona+85638/@33.84069,-118.2854296,6.48z/data=!4m19!4m18!1m10!1m1!1s0x54d291d63b4a202f:0x1f3358ec7b360f57!2m2!1d-122.3916754!2d40.5865396!3m4!1m2!1d-116.8953849!2d34.8559275!3s0x80c462147b6948d5:0x2305956daca1f682!1m5!1m1!1s0x86d73bf34f9af3b9:0x9af6f593bb45fc15!2m2!1d-110.0675764!2d31.7128683!3e0


Personally I like the 95 south in AZ thru LHC and down to Quartzite. The 95 south in CA to Blythe was a slightly rougher rd, but was defiantly faster.

Best of luck as I will 2nd the traffic, google shows it faster but I doubt they will be in the seat next to you to suffer the traffic population.

Russ

Syma says Hi.


this is where I see the traffic.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Castaic,+CA/Banning,+CA/@34.2064882,-118.3114599,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c27f21eeacf02f:0x64844fe2ebc70e3e!2m2!1d-118.6256552!2d34.4890363!1m5!1m1!1s0x80db416da8a1ffc5:0x471d1bf688aa590a!2m2!1d-116.8764103!2d33.9255713

Mark, I drive these roads all of the time. If you choose to come down I-5, I would take the 210 cut off through San Fernando and not take I-5 direct to I-10. You would then stay on the 210 to the 57 south to the ten, or just stay on the 210 all the way until it dead ends into the 10 in San Bernardino. It is the same distance either way. The 210 WILL be stop and go all the way through Pasadena/Arcadia, etc. until the 57 between 3:30 & 6:30. might take an hour. The 10 WILL be slow for the first 10 miles or so from the 57 heading East at that time. I would think that from the time you take the 210 from the 5 until you are smooth driving on the 10 in Rancho Cucamonga will take 2 1/2-3 hrs to go 80 miles.

The 395 does not meet the 10. it dead ends on the 15 and then to the 10.

You could also take the 138 across to the 15 and then down to the 10. Longer, but less traffic at the times you are traveling.

cwd

Was it me: I-5 > 99 > CA58 > US395 > I-15 > I-10

The only 2 lane will be the stretch of 395 and a short stretch of CA58 from Boron to Kramer's Jct. I'd also plan on a thrombosis break near Keene.

Other than the light at Kramer's, the signals start at Adelanto. Can avoid some of that by taking Air Base Rd E to Old 66 S to I-15, but I honestly wouldn't expect that to gain you a lot other than being a nicer drive. CA18 from 395 to Victorville is now a disaster of signals.

When heading out to those parts I always avoid the LA megaopolis. I-5S to 46E to 99S. At Bakersfield go 58E to Barstow then 247S to Yucca Valley. Then 62E past 29 Palms and the cut through Joshua Tree NP to I-10. Not the fastest way, but there is no traffic and is very scenic. I use my annual pass so I don't have to pay cutting through Joshua Tree.

Some good suggestions out there for alternate routes but if you want to minimize the number of highways you drive then stick with your plan...just adjust your arrival time. I-5 south into LA area shouldn’t be a huge problem, heading north is another story. The 210E near Pasadena will be a parking lot beginning about 3:15 or so. (Note: there is a large construction project from Sunland to Pasadena that also causes grief.) So find a spot to take a nap, have a cup of coffee, and then drive it after 6:30 or 7:00 all the way to the I-10E. Not too far off your original 4:00/5:00 time slot. Just know that there could be individual pockets of stop & go anywhere in the greater LA area. Do you have SeriusXM? Tune into a comedy station!

Funny enough, when we drive to Prineville each year to visit the in-laws, I try to avoid the 97N in the afternoon coming into Bend. As soon as I cross the border I get spoiled!

Marc. Today, March 13, I basically did the trip your taking but from San Rafael, CA heading to Utah via Scottsdale. I just now got to San Bernardino where I’m spending the night. I went down 5 (or when in LA should I say “THE 5?”- - - Nah). I started up the Grapevine around sundown. Then took, as suggested, 210 and hit 10 around San Bernardino. I can’t help you with 4 or 5 pm in the evening, but I arrived in San Bernardino at 9:30 pm and I did not hit any significant traffic along that route. It was pretty much 70 all the way. Have a good trip! Ron

Safe journeys amigo!

Wow! Lots of great feedback and a great variety of route info -- thanks all!

I was aware that there are lots of route options (playing with scenarios on Google Maps) ...and I'd been shying away from the I-5, 210, I-10 all along. This "crazy" route moved to the "well, maybe..." category just because it's so clean and simple. And...3 years ago, Ted and I took that route (I believe) on our way from the i-5 corridor to a border crossing at Tecate. But we timed it to be there in the early-afternoon, so we didn't hit any really bad traffic. I won't have that option, not conveniently anyway.

I think cwdtmmrs's quantitative feedback on what it would mean to take that route at the time of day I'll be there convinced me. No.

I've taken the I-5, 58, Bakersfield, Barstow, Lucerne Valley, Yucca Valley route to 29 Palms twice last year (and back), and though a lot of it is 2-lane highway it's lightly traveled. And I think I'll take most of that this time. Except...at Barstow I'll continue east on I-40 to Needles...and then, maybe, on to Blythe as my 1-day drive. I know the sharp right-angle turn at Needles seems inefficient...but I think it's as good as any (for time). I already have a motel reservation in Blythe...just 800 miles from Redding.
We'll see.



Thanks again for the helpful input.

Travel safe and have fun out there.

Just an FYI, guys: This route I've asked for help with is the beginning of a much bigger cross-country road trip...and as this stretch covers mostly familiar ground (compared to what's coming further along) that's why I'm making this stretch a drive, drive, drive day and not by the most scenic route.



The route shown along the Deep South Gulf states is not exactly the route I'll take...but it might be. I have a friend in Savannah, GA and another in the Chesapeake, VA area -- and I've never been through Delaware.

Wow, quite the trip! Travel safe and have fun Mr.BC!

You'll enjoy the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and the remote (relatively for the East Coast) Demarva Peninsula. Be aware of an old paved road paralleling US 13 to the north of the town of Cape Charles running all the way up to Wallops Island/Chincoteague. It passes through some cool old harbor towns and fishing villages. Chincoteague/Assateague is a great place to spend some time birding and looking around at the beach--one of the few opportunities to actually see the Atlantic Ocean on your entire route!

Foy

Something totally different here. First, I-5 is a dismal drive, the scenery is sucks, the trucks a complete nightmare. What happens is the trucks are going 65-70, traffic is 80. The right lane bunches up behind the truck and the cars will cut you off to squeeze in. Once the truck has been passed, traffic opens and speeds up again until the next truck, about one mile ahead. Repeat for 300 miles. No thanks. I-10 East to Phoenix is the same, super frustrating, except add hills where it takes one truck 20 minutes to pass another, with 45 cars waiting behind it. I-10 East is THE major route the major route for all loaded trucks leaving LA or Long Beach, stay away from it. Figure out a route to get on I-40 East to Flagstaff, head down I-17 to Phoenix and to Tucson. The scenery is far, far better, far, far fewer trucks. Stop at Oatman, off of I-40, crazy "western" town, very touristy, but still, good for a laugh. Flag is a cool stop, check it out. Go through Sedona as you head South. It may take you a touch more time, but the lack of trucks, the scenery and the overall ability to relax is well worth it, not to mention you bypass ALL of the LA hassle, and there is no end to it.

Foy said:

You'll enjoy the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel and the remote (relatively for the East Coast) Demarva Peninsula....
Foy

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Thanks for the tips, Foy.
My original reason for going as far north as DE is because it's one of just 2 states I've never visited (AL is the other). So I'm glad to hear that it's worth visiting. My previous "visit" to MD barely counted -- just crossing that narrow isthmus between PA and WV...so it deserves a bit more attention, too.

Have a good trip marcBC

Russ

MarkBC said:

Thanks for the tips, Foy.
My original reason for going as far north as DE is because it's one of just 2 states I've never visited (AL is the other). So I'm glad to hear that it's worth visiting. My previous "visit" to MD barely counted -- just crossing that narrow isthmus between PA and WV...so it deserves a bit more attention, too.

Click to expand...

You're most welcome Mark.

I spent a work weekend at the family house on the Bay at the south end of the CBBT. There I remembered the First Landings State Park has a nice campground on the Bay about 3 miles east along US 60/Shore Drive from the last northbound exit before the CBBT toll booths. Dunno if it's open during your trip timeframe, but VA state parks do online bookings if I recall correctly. Superb breakfast spot at Citrus on West Great Neck Rd in the first block off of Shore Dr. The CBBT's cafe and gift shop at the First Island (called the South Island by the CBBT authority and nobody else) is closed/torn down but I believe the large parking area and observation deck is still open during the construction of the second tunnel connecting the First and Second Islands. A 30-45 minute stop there practically guarantees a close-up view of commercial, Navy, or both types of shipping as they pass between the two artificial islands only 1 mile apart from each other, over the Thimble Shoals Tunnel. On the Eastern Shore side, Kiptopeake State Park has a nice CG within a short walk of the former Kiptopeake to Little Creek ferry service docks, put out of business by the completion of the CBBT in 1964. A half-dozen WWI era freighters with hulls made of concrete were sunk to form a breakwater for the docks and they're still a curiosity 100 years later. The "Concrete Ships" are a short walk from the CG.

Have a good one!

Foy

Thanks for the additional info, Foy!