LAX to Palm Springs...fastest by car?
Mar 14th, 2004, 03:35 AM
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LAX to Palm Springs...fastest by car?
Hi everyone,
Mr. L and I will be traveling on Thursday with my 90 year old Mom to Palm Springs for a birthday celebration/family reunion. Since we are beginning the day in Dayton, OH, and flying on United thru ORD, this will be a very long day for a fragile little lady. We need some advice for the fastest route from LAX to Palm Springs at around 1:30 in the afternoon, by car. Any other tips to make the trip a little easier would be much appreciated. Thanks so much. ll2u
Mar 14th, 2004, 09:41 AM
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105 E to 605 N to 10 E. You should be ahead of the traffic, so it will take you about 2 hours. Stopping at Hadleys Orchard for a date shake and a bag of pistachios is a good break. Look for it around Cabazon, about 20 minutes before you hit Palm Springs.
Mar 14th, 2004, 09:57 AM
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here-today has given you a good route.
You can also take Route 60 (heading eastward), which is not as far north as Interstate 10.
Get a good map of the LA freeway system, if you don't have one already.
Get out of the the LA area as soon as possible to avoid rush hour traffic. Round about Pomona, you can drive off the freeway and get a cup of coffee, stretch your legs, etc. Lots of coffee shops all along the way. This will be about half way for you.
You can also take Route 60 (heading eastward), which is not as far north as Interstate 10.
Get a good map of the LA freeway system, if you don't have one already.
Get out of the the LA area as soon as possible to avoid rush hour traffic. Round about Pomona, you can drive off the freeway and get a cup of coffee, stretch your legs, etc. Lots of coffee shops all along the way. This will be about half way for you.
Mar 14th, 2004, 10:13 AM
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Thank you for the route advice. And the half-way snack stop sounds like an excellent idea, we were hoping to be able to find a place to stretch a little and just breath some non-airplane air for a bit.
ll2u
Mar 14th, 2004, 10:54 AM
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The reason I suggested the 10 instead of the 60 is that they will be hitting the 57/60 debacle about the time it starts to load up. Scooting up a few miles to the 10 will avoid that mess and get them out of LA county befrore things get hectic. As someone who was forced to sit in that mess everyday for the past few years, I can say without a doubt they want to avoid it. There is a major CalTrans project going on in the Diamond Bar area, right at the 57/60 juncture. It could add possibly an hour to their trip, especially if there is an accident, which there seems to be all of the time since they started the project.
And I wouldn't stop in Pomona--I'd keep going until I was out of the area, maybe at least to the 15, about 10 or so miles further. The freeways will be filling up while you are streching your legs. A large number of people work in LA and live in the Inland Empire, and they all seem to start driving home around 3 pm.
And I wouldn't stop in Pomona--I'd keep going until I was out of the area, maybe at least to the 15, about 10 or so miles further. The freeways will be filling up while you are streching your legs. A large number of people work in LA and live in the Inland Empire, and they all seem to start driving home around 3 pm.
Mar 14th, 2004, 10:57 AM
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I've done quite a lot of travelling with "little old ladies" and a couple of "little old men" in my family, so I can appreciate your situation.
This is what I usually do: advice the airlines ahead of time of the need for a wheelchair. Wheelchairs have been lifesavers for me on a number of occasions.
In addition, with a wheelchair person you don't have to stand in the normal lines, you get whisked to the front. Sometimes, an attendant will also help wheel the elderly person to the gate, or you can do that yourself and just leave the wheelchair with the personnel at the gate.
Wheelchair people get to board first too.
Take advantage of all these perks to cut down on the elderly person's fatigue.
I would also ask for a wheelchair at O'Hare even tho it's the halfway point for you. If you have several hours to wait between flights, a wheelchair will really come in handy.
On arrival, you need a wheelchair also. I usually have one person stay with the elderly person while I go and get the rental car. Then I drive the rental car back to the arrivals area to pick up the elderly person (return the wheelchair to the redcap at curbside) and his/her escort plus the luggage. This way, the elderly person is not riding the rental car bus to the rental area, etc. Again, another way to cut down on fatigue.
ON the LA freeways, I personally find the 60 easier to drive than the 10, which seems to be very congested no matter what time of day it is. Pomona or further east will get you out of the really bad part of LA rush hour traffic.
Hope this helps and have a safe trip!
This is what I usually do: advice the airlines ahead of time of the need for a wheelchair. Wheelchairs have been lifesavers for me on a number of occasions.
In addition, with a wheelchair person you don't have to stand in the normal lines, you get whisked to the front. Sometimes, an attendant will also help wheel the elderly person to the gate, or you can do that yourself and just leave the wheelchair with the personnel at the gate.
Wheelchair people get to board first too.
Take advantage of all these perks to cut down on the elderly person's fatigue.
I would also ask for a wheelchair at O'Hare even tho it's the halfway point for you. If you have several hours to wait between flights, a wheelchair will really come in handy.
On arrival, you need a wheelchair also. I usually have one person stay with the elderly person while I go and get the rental car. Then I drive the rental car back to the arrivals area to pick up the elderly person (return the wheelchair to the redcap at curbside) and his/her escort plus the luggage. This way, the elderly person is not riding the rental car bus to the rental area, etc. Again, another way to cut down on fatigue.
ON the LA freeways, I personally find the 60 easier to drive than the 10, which seems to be very congested no matter what time of day it is. Pomona or further east will get you out of the really bad part of LA rush hour traffic.
Hope this helps and have a safe trip!
Mar 14th, 2004, 03:03 PM
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Thanks easytraveler for the wheelchair tips. I have requested wheelchair assistance at all three airports. One of our concerns is that our layover in ORD is only 45 minutes, so i will be holding my breath until we are on the LAX flight. One issue that makes all of this a little more interesting is my Mom has agoraphobia, and rarely leaves the house, so a long travel day will be very stressful. But this party we are going to is in her honor, and she will be living in southern California from now on. So the trip must be made one way or another. Any positive energy you could send will be most welcome. ll2u
Mar 15th, 2004, 04:48 PM
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Linda---I don't understand why you aren't just connecting at LAX to palm Springs? It's a 32 minute flight and sometimes infinitely less nerve wracking than driving.
Otherwise,I would take the 105 to the 605N to the 10E. The other routes would work too.
PSL
Otherwise,I would take the 105 to the 605N to the 10E. The other routes would work too.
PSL
Mar 15th, 2004, 05:32 PM
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Hi, Linda!
I'll certainly try to send you as much positive energy as possible!
On the 45 minutes at O'Hare, advise the airline of the short time you have for the connecting flight. Then, instead of a wheelchair, ask for one of those golfcart like small cars. They can have one meet you once you arrive, put your entire family on the cart, and whisk you to the connecting gate.
When you leave Dayton, check with the airline that they will have the golfcart waiting for you at the other end. Even remind the stewardess during flight. The airlines are enormously helpful during situations like this. Don't hesitate to keep reminding them. You do not want to arrive at the other end with no cart!
I'm certain this has already occurred to you, but does her doctor have something to calm her agoraphobia during flight? Have her sit on the aisle, as far away from the windows as possible. Also have something for her to do during flight. Old people are very much like young kids. Keep them occupied!
Have a safe flight!
I'll certainly try to send you as much positive energy as possible!
On the 45 minutes at O'Hare, advise the airline of the short time you have for the connecting flight. Then, instead of a wheelchair, ask for one of those golfcart like small cars. They can have one meet you once you arrive, put your entire family on the cart, and whisk you to the connecting gate.
When you leave Dayton, check with the airline that they will have the golfcart waiting for you at the other end. Even remind the stewardess during flight. The airlines are enormously helpful during situations like this. Don't hesitate to keep reminding them. You do not want to arrive at the other end with no cart!
I'm certain this has already occurred to you, but does her doctor have something to calm her agoraphobia during flight? Have her sit on the aisle, as far away from the windows as possible. Also have something for her to do during flight. Old people are very much like young kids. Keep them occupied!
Have a safe flight!
Mar 15th, 2004, 06:41 PM
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Thanks for the info on the cart, easytraveler. I guess I didn't realize that you could request that thing, just thought some people got lucky! Will definitely take your advice on this. Mom's doc didn't prescribe anything additional for this trip, she is taking a large selection of heart and blood pressure meds, so maybe that is the reason. I plan to keep her as engaged as possible with cribbage (her favorite game) snacks and conversation. Yes, having flown with my granddaughter many times and Mom several times, it is a similar situation. The reason we didn't book a connecting flight to PS is we need a rental car for the weekend, and we saved about $300 by doing it this way, considering the difference in airfare and rental car fees. Mr. L and I are leaving for Kauai out of LAX on Monday, so this worked better for us. Thanks for all of your help...7 days to Kauai....
