direction from LA to carmel
 

Hi, What's the best way to go from LA to Monterey/Carmel?
Is it:
1) 5N, 46W, 101N
2) Just take 101 N all the way?

Best....

What does that mean?? Fastest or most scenic??

Stu Dudley

What does best mean?

#3) 101N to CA-1 is the best if you have a full day to make the drive.

Otherwise I would say just take 101 North.

Has anyone drove on CA 46W before? will it really save me that much time?
(google map suggested taking it)

It might be 20 miles shorter but I-5 through the Central Valley is horrible.

Fastest way is 5N, 152W, 101S, 68W. Driven this route many times. Saves time because you can drive at higher speeds on 5 vs. 101. I tried 46W once but you're back on 101 - too slow.

JayZee - you've almost got it right, almost. It's I-5 N to 152 W to 156 (to Hollister)the highway merges with 101 S, to 156 Castroville to 1 South. We live in the Carmel-Pebble Beach area and make this trip frequently.

By the way, Liuma - your route would add 30 minutes to your trip.

You don't save much time on the 5N, and you do end up having to go over the grapevine (horrible almost any time of the year) and you spend most of the time with nothing to look at.

Can't take 101 all the way, since you have to take the Monterey Peninsula cut-off from the 101 at Salinas, but it is, by far, the best route from scenic to length of time.

<<You don't save much time on the 5N, and you do end up having to go over the grapevine (horrible almost any time of the year)>>

Sorry Surfergirl but your post is dead-wrong, especially on weekends.

I hate 5N -- but the only part of it I like is the grapevine!

As far as amount of time saved by taking 5 is concerned, it all depends on when you're going, and even then, it depends on "what's up" with the traffic. I've done the LA-SF drive so many times, I've lost count, and even when I'm in a rush, I still prefer 101.

I hate, hate, hate I-5 too but it is the fastest. Hook up your I-Pod, have your kids hooked up to their DVDs, hubby hooked up to his laptop and all is well.