We would like some more information for our California trip. We are coming in on a Tuesday afternoon, around 3:30, and will either go look at a beach, farmer's market, or both and then driving down to Costa Mesa to our hotel. Then on down to San Diego for 3 nights. Our question is, should we go back to LA the long way by going into the San Bernadino valley and mountains towards Big Bear Lake or go directly back to LA? We didn't know if you could go to the lake, the mountains, and still get back to a hotel by the LA airport all in one day. Our other choice is to go directly back to LA and do more touristy stuff. One thing we were thinking about is a comedy club. If someone could recommend a good one and tell us the lowest age for someone to get in. Our youngest is and 18 year old boy and we are also bringing along a 20 year old son too. My husband didn't know what the traffic would be like on the weekend for either going towards the mountains or driving in LA. We will have all day Sunday and Monday to go around LA also, but we are leaving Tuesday. Thanks for any and all suggestions or advice.

Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear are about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours from San Diego. They are about two hours from LAX.
Lake Arrowhead is west of Big Bear thus closer to LA.
If you take that route there is a comedy club in Ontario which is less than an hour from LAX and Lake Arrowhead.

"2 to 2 and 1/2 hours from San Diego. They are about two hours from LAX."

that is on a good day - could also be twice as long.

The day that you come into LAX, drive 3 miles south to Manhattan Beach, and park at the base of the pier. Great slice of CA beach life, maybe have a light dinner there. Then back to the 405 Freeway to Costa Mesa for your hotel.

The Comedy and Magic Club in next door Hermosa Beach, has Jay Leno there every Sunday night. 18 year olds are allowed.

http://www.comedyandmagicclub.info/

Getting from the Inland Empire (San Bernardino) area to the LA area is a drive. I am mid-way between San Diego and Arrowhead. It takes me about 90 minutes to get to San Diego from here and about 90 minutes to get to Arrowhead. Then, allow at least an hour to get down off the mountain before starting the trak into LA. We have some pretty bad traffic coming in from the Las Vegas / River areas almost all day on Sundays. All the people who tied up the freeways going that way on Friday nights are coming home. If you want to do it on Sunday, I'd say forget it.

PS - Although you'd think by the map that Ontario to LA is only an hour, that is only true if you are driving it at 2 am. The same drive anytime from 6 am to 10 am on weekdays would be over 2 hours. Also, you are coming into LAX at 3:30 on Tuesday. Again, on the map LAX to Costa Mesa isn't bad. But remember, all those commuters who live in Orange and Riverside county will be driving back home at the same time you want to drive the same direction. You may want to delay your trip to Costa Mesa until the traffic dies down, after 8 pm.