commute from Manhattan Beach to downtown LA
 

Just returned from a weekend in and around LA (thanks to all of you who gave helpful advice on my earlier post, before it was deleted), and we fell in love with the Manhattan/Hermosa Beach area.<BR><BR>I'm sure there must be plenty of people who live around there and commute to downtown. My husband would be doing this. Is it reasonable? (Currently our commute is 40 mins. on a good day, 50+ mins. on a normal to bad day.) How early would he have to leave to avoid the main rush?<BR><BR>Thanks, Angelinos!

CG, I'm glad your trip was a success! I also love the Manhattan/Hermosa Beach area. I lived there for years but I don't now so can't answer your question completely, but I believe there is a metro rail line that goes from Manhattan Beach to downtown. Good luck!

Driving at peak times probably around an hour if alone, depends on where in MB/HB and where in Downtown LA, and on route selected (anything but the 405). The express bus from the north end of MB takes around 50 min., 65-70 from downtown HB, to Union Station. The train takes about the same running time, with park-and-ride, a change of trains and related additional waiting thrown in. When to leave in order to beat the main rush hour in LA? Maybe 5-5:30AM, convenient if your husband's a stockbroker. <BR><BR>I grew up in MB and still think of it as home, although frankly we couldn't possibly afford to live there nowadays. Commuting to downtown LA has always been miserable from the beach towns, which is probably one of the reasons they're so attractive.

It's not a pleasant commute and can get really bad during the summer months when the beach area gets busy. The housing prices in the beach area are crazy. Add that to a long commute and you'll be moving back out of Southern California in no time.

It's not all that bad. What you could do, if your husband will work directly downtown, is to hop off the freeway and drive on the side streets. Fig and Flower go as far as Torrance, you could buy a Thomas Guide and figure it out. Your drive shouldn't be more than an hour as long as you carpool - use that diamond lane!!

Thanks, angeleno! My hubby will be working on the west side of downtown (Wilshire and Flower). We will definitely be renting on a short-term lease so we can move if it's too bad. Not that we could afford to buy anything in MB anyway...<BR><BR>Thanks everyone for your help - we like to hear the bad and the good!