sparklegem

Just wondered if anyone could advise me as to the best way to get from Studio City to Vista, California (by San Diego). We recently moved to Southern California and I am not sure what the best combination of freeways is. Mapquest has me taking I-5 the whole way down. Is that the best route? I need to be in Vista at 5pm on a Saturday. Someone mentioned some bad traffic due to Del Mar Racing...

Bisbee

I would take the 5. You can also take the toll road off the 5 just past Irvine. Exit the 5 at Hwy 78 and that can take you into Vista or Palomar Airport Rd can do the same. There will be some traffic from Delmar, but I believe the races start earlier in the day.

Barbara

I agree, take the 5. However, there are often backups around San Juan Capistrano/San Clemente, then it opens up through Camp Pendleton, then it may be backed up again as you get into Oceanside. Stay in the right hand lane and just be patient until the exit for the 78 East.

J_Correa

Just piggy-backing onto this thread -

Is there a carpool lane on I5 through there? My husband and I are headed to San Diego in a few weeks, driving down from SJ and we will probably end up hitting commute traffic down there.

Barbara

J_Correa, the carpool lane ends at San Juan Capistrano-unfortunately. And I think there isn't one in the older sections of freeway through the city of Los Angeles.

xkenx

On a Saturday, your best route is the straight line. That is the 101 from Studio City through downtown to the 5 south. As you go through downtown LA, work your way over to the right, as you pick up the 5 south off to the right.

sparklegem

Thank you so much for all the great tips everyone!! I will take the five and switch to the toll road. I really appreciate the help!!

J_Correa

Thanks. Good to know we can have carpool at some sections at least My plan is to leave early and be going through LA in the early afternoon, but you know - best laid plans and all of that.

frank_and_beans

Get to the LA Basin by 1-1:30 pm or you will be sorry big time.

I leave the Bay Area by 6 am when I drive to San Diego.

I usually sail through LA hitting downtown about noon.

trippinkpj

Saturday afternoons can get messy. I'd leave Studio City no later than 1pm. You will probably have extra time, but you can alway hang by the coast (Carlsbad) or at a mall.

frank_and_beans

sorry to the OP...I was directing my comment to JCorrea.

easytraveler

If you plan on taking any of the toll roads in LA, make sure you have plenty of change. Sometimes on the LA tollroads, there's just a toll basket into which you have to dump the appropriate amount of coins before you can go on. There is no toll person.

If I plan on going on a toll road, I usually carry about $10 in coins.

Maybe the LA people can help you with the exact amount you'll need.

Barbara

sparklegem, if you take the 5, there isn't a Toll road to take. It's freeway all the way. On Saturdays, the backups are not rush-hour related, they're pretty much all day.

Bisbee

If you want to take the toll road (73), you'd need to make a short detour on the 55, then connect with the 73 in Costa Mesa. Here's a link with a map and toll fee info.

http://www.thetollroads.com/home/ima...p_marshall.pdf

nanabee

I agree with Barbara --

I would take the 5 South all the way to whatever exit you need for Vista.

I think the short-cut or 73 toll road is better used when on the 405.

sparklegem

I made it just fine. It was pretty grueling because of stopped traffic from Brubank through Anaheim. The rest of the was was ok. It took two hours and fourty five minutes to get to Vista and one hour and fourty minutes to drive from Vista to Santa Monica (at 9:30pm). Thanks for all the help!!

nanabee

thanks for your update.
just spoke to a friend who drove from los angeles to san diego on saturday and it took him over 4 hours!!