Am planning to drive from LAX to Palm Springs this Friday night (after 8:30PM) or on Saturday morning around 8AM. Will be leaving Palm Springs (Desert Shadows) between 5PM and 7 PM on Saturday evening to return to Manhattan Beach.

Mapquest says to take the 105, the 605, and then I10 east. That sorta doesn't look right to me, but I guess the 91 through Corona wouldn't be any better, what do you think? Any advice on avoiding traffic tieups would be appreciated.

The 91 is prone to very heavy traffic congestion.

the Mapquest route is a better bet.

I drive from Manhattan beach to the Claremont/Ontarion area every few weeks, and that's the route I always take.

Just went to Palm Desert last week from Manhattan Beach. Took the 105 to the 605, then down to the 91 east, the 60 to the 10 and off at Cook. It took 2 hours, but left on a Friday morning after commuter traffic.

After 8:30 PM on a Friday evening, you should have a 2- to 2 1/2-hour drive on either route, as the worst of Rush Hour will be over. Having said that, the traffic through east LA county on the 10 can be nightmarish. The construction at the 91-60 interchange is a potential problem on the 91 too.

The 105 to the 605 to the 10 is the least complicated-sounding of the possible routes (the other being 105 to the 605 to the 91 to the 60 to the 10), but at that time it's six-on-one-hand, half-a-dozen-on-the-other. I'd be a bit leery about doing the mountain pass drive on the 60 at night, but other than that....

I Agree the 105-605-10 is the least bad.

I will add my agreement to the 105-605-10 route. I would avoid the 91 freeway, I have seen it bad late at night, early Saturday morning especially through the Santa Ana Canyon. The other option would be to take the 405 North and just take the 10 east all the way to Palm Springs. But the 405 is another freeway to avoid and you never know how the 10 will be through East LA.

If you want to avoid the 10 as long as possible, you can actually hop the 60 from the 605 and drive that all the way to the 10 merger. That still involves the spin through the mountains (spectacular and exciting during the day!), but might avoid the worst of the eastern LA county traffic.

Do be aware though of the on-going Caltrans project at the juntion of the 60 and 57. It is not slated to be completed until 2007, I believe. I had to go past there two weeks ago and it was still going full force on a Monday morning in Diamond Bar, completre with lane closures. Depending on what they are doing at the time, it could create some heavy traffics and hefty delays. The 60 is a route that is heavily-travelled by semis, and when you add a lane closure to the mix it becomes an unbearable nightmare.

On your way home, stop at Bert & Rocky's Ice Cream in Upland. (Exit Mountain, go north, turn right on Foothill...then about 1/2mi on right).

FABULOUS! Try the Cream Chees Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!

Based on the report of the Caltrans work at the 60 and 57, I would stay with the original route discussed, 105-605-10. You shouldn't really have too much trouble with traffic since you are traveling in the evenings (or early Sat morning). However, this is LA so you never know. You may get a bit of traffic heading east on Friday since some people will still be heading to the Colorado River to take advantage of the warm weather. Shouldn't be bad.

tracy-Thanks for the tip on the ice cream. I go to Upland frequently and it is probably "not a good thing" that I know about Bert & Rocky's. The flavor you mentioned sounds like it would be my favorite.

There's another Bert & Rocky's Ice Cream in the leafy college town of Claremont! North on the Indian Hill Blvd offramp from the 10 Frwy, until reaching the "Village" area. B&R is on Yale Ave...

Thanks for all of the routing input from everybody. Good to know that I have some excellent ice cream options, too.

I was hoping to hear some positive comments about the 91 because it LOOKS like a straight shot. But, last year I came from I15 just south of Corona to catch a flight out of LGB. 91 was awful the whole way but I made my flight.

I guess I will just take the mapquest route and do it on Saturday morning. I'm looking for bail out options from the 10 going east. Route 71 connects 10 to 60 beyond the Diamond Bar "nightmare". But my map (MapPoint 2002) does not show that it is a freeway all the way. Oh, I guess I will just try it and find out.

I would appreciate a recommendation of a good, authentic, Japanese restaraunt in the South Bay.

I meant that I'll just try taking mapquest route the whole way and quit looking for options.

O Sho, on Sepulveda Blvd. in Mahnattan Beach is our favorite Japanese restaurant.
Let us know which Freeways you ended up taking.

japanese for sushi or other japanese dishes?

O Sho? Where on Sepulveda is that Nancy? I can even see the writing of the sign in my head, but can't remember where it is.

I agree that the 91 is terrible. I have to do that drive out to the 15 next Friday, and I'm just happy my friend is sending me her fastrack pass!

I would just stick with the route 105-605-10. I do use the 60 myself alot but if there is construction, I would avoid that. You wouldn't accomplish anything by using the 71 to connect the 60 to the 10. First you would have to go through the Diamond Bar mess and next of all your map is right, the 71 is not freeway all the way. Saturday morning you should not have any problem on the 10 east and in fact I really don't think it would be that bad on Friday night after 8:30.

I don't think you will hear much positive about the 91. I live in Inland San Diego county and am a sales rep that travels all over Southern California. The 91 would be often be convenient for me to get home but if I had to name the one freeway I would avoid, it would be the 91 especially in the Corona area (even the fast track backs up). My next choice would probably be the 405. The good thing about the 10 east is once you are on it, it's just a straight shot to Palm Springs. If it was me, I would probably head on out there Friday night, just so you wouldn't have to drive both out and back on the same day. I do a lot of trips like that and it can be very tiring.

Sorry wasn't clear, I meant to say my 2nd choice for a freeway to avoid is the 405 especially around LAX.

Definitely am looking for a Japanese restaraunt, one that a homesick salaryman from Tokyo (or his boss) might visit. A sushi place would be the next best thing. So O-sho des, arrigato gozaimasu.

I found the address for O Sho and saw that there is a Holiday Inn Express across the street. MapPoint shows Italy's Little Kitchen restaurant would be a couple of doors down (at 921).

Am flying from D.C. today and got up too early, so I've decided to stay in MB. In fact, I booked a room at the Holiday Inn Express tonight and will use PC points to pay for it. It's a plan: land at 8:16, jump in a Budget car, check in, go across the street for dinner at O Sho at around 9PM, then a drive down to the pier maybe, and over to the Alano Club in Hermosa. Head out to PSP in the morning (maybe via 91!) and back that night (definitely 10-605-).

O-Sho Restaurant
913 N. Sepulveda Blvd Manhattan Beach
Japanese
(310) 372-6156

O! And many thanks for all the help. 91, 60, 10, 605, 105, hike! Mountain north, right on Foothill, 4 furlongs.

Good luck with the 91. I have seen it be bad on Saturday morning but you should be OK. Have a good trip.