I am planning a trip for 3 couples to California and it appears that LAX is the closest and most economical airport to fly in and out of (we are coming from the east coast, but not from the same areas.).

We want to rent either one large or 2 cars to go north and do some wine region exploring. I have heard horror stories about traffic in LA and thought I would ask for any tips about car rental agencies and how difficult it is to get in and out of LAX.

Our number one rule for this trip is NOT to be in a rush.

Thanks for any advice.

It depends very much on the time of day and the day of the week.

We would expect to arrive anytime between 12 Noon and 4 (approximately) on a Tuesday and then leave anytime on a Sunday.

When you say north, do you mean Santa Barbara for wine tasting? As far as your arrival time frame, traffic wouldn't be too bad between noon and 2-2:30. After that it most likely will be heavy. Very easy to get in and out of LAX and if it's later in the day then realize that you will be in heavy traffic and don't stress over it. I drive in LA all the time for work and you just have to be prepared to deal with the traffic and get there when you get there.

A Tuesday is more likely to be a little lighter than other days but there really is no guarantee of that. If you are coming back from the Santa Barbara area on a Sunday in warmer months, traffic could be heavy as people return home. When is your trip?

Do your best to arrive at 12 noon, not 4pm! You should have no problem at all getting on the 405 north for a fairly quick freeway ride northbound out of LA as long as you're into your rental car by 2:30pm. Returning on Sunday shouldn't be a problem...that's the day to probably take the "scenic" coastal route 1 back down through Malibu and back to LAX. Avis has the easiest car return location, right at the entrance to LAX.

Which wine region are you wanting to visit? The most famous wine region in CA is Napa north of San Francisco.
Check to see the prices flying to SFO or Oakland. Renting car(s) away from the airport is somewhat cheaper.
There is also a shuttle bus that goes to Los Angeles Union Staion from LAX. Take a Pacific Surfliner train to Santa Barbara and rent a car from there.

Agree that arriving earlier than 4 will be best. But, really, don't stress about LA traffic. "It is what it is", as they say.

Don't rent a car from FOX. They are notoriously shady.

However, have you looked at flying in and out of Santa Barbara? It's a very small airport, and doesn't have a lot of options, though it could be worth the extra airfare (if any) to fly there directly.

All of the car rental agencies are off site, with shuttle buses that will take you to the rental agency. They are relatively close to the airport, and easy to leave from that area (generally around Airport Blvd. or West Century). Head west from the rental and either just get on the 405 going north, or drive north for a while on Sepulveda, which runs parallel to the 405.

In the days when I had to rent a car while having my car serviced, I used Budget. I also use Budget when I fly to the Bay area and need a car to get around. Not expensive, and have not had trouble with any of the cars. I've also used Thrifty and Dollar . . . both decent, although I did have an incident with one (Thrifty I think). . . picked it up at SFO and it broke down. Had to get another car and picked it up in SF and they wanted to charge me extra for the SF pick up. Needless to say, they didn't get away with that.

The later on Tuesday the heavier the northbound 405 traffic.
Sunday should present no problems.
As others have posted, it is what it is . It is not as much fun as speeding along at seventy but it is not the end of the world.
You will also be able to use the carpool lane and that really helps.

There is no magical way to get from LAX to the north of the city without traffic, it is what it is, I agree.

I've flown into Burbank when going to Santa Barbara, that's a lot better, and car rentals were a lot cheaper there than LAX, also. Various airlines fly into Burbank, some major ones from the east coast do, as that's where I live now. Southwest does, for example. Jetblue does from JFK.

Just a few pointers.

As pointed out, you are eligible for the car pool (HOV) lane. If you decide to use it, be sure to start moving to the right around Sunset Blvd. or Getty Center Drive. You need to be in one of the right 2 lanes to make the transition to the 101. There are no car pool lanes after that.

If you want to stop somewhere for a bite to eat and/or a potty break, there are of course many places along the 101. A couple that are easy for off/on and are about half way:

IHOP at Kanan Road in Agoura (pronounced Ah goo rah). South of the freeway.

Denny's at Wendy drive in Thousand Oaks. North of the freeway.

Tune to KNX 1070 AM for traffic reports every 10 minutes on the fives, e.g. 3:05, 3:15 etc.

IHOP and Denny's are local exotic restaurants, only for locals.
I thought it was ahh-grr-rah.
KNX 1040 is good.But by the time you hear the warnings you are usually screwed.

I want to apologize for buying into the notion (as did others) that you are thinking of leaving from the airport to go to Santa Barbara forthwith. You did not say that, and I recommend against it. Instead, stay the night in a hotel on the west side of the LA area, unwind, have a nice dinner, and start your sightseeing the next morning. This does not necessarily mean heading to Santa Barbara. You may want to see some of the LA sights first.

logandog is right about the KNX warnings. But at least you will know why you are standing still.

We do this trip several times each year and expect to be in heavy traffic when leaving LAX.

I think you can find better options than IHOP or Denny's, by just keeping your eyes open as you head north.

I rented a car from Midway on West Century and had a great experience with them. No line either picking up or returning the car, and it is right at the entrance to LAX as well.

http://www.midwaycarrental.com/locat...s_airport.aspx

They are known to many as a place to rent luxury or exotic cars, but they also rent "ordinary" cars. Mine was a 2015 Corolla that had only 500 miles on it when I picked it up!

If you can get a flight that arrives in mid morning and your heading north you could be in good shape. Just make sure you dont have to stop for breaks until you clear Sherman Oaks.

Or mid afternoon. If not get a flight that arrives after 6pm and plan

I've gotten from San Diego to Van Nuys in 90 minutes during mid afternoon. Just don't drive in the morning, lunch time or beginning at 3:30. In other words, during the rush hours.

Thank you, everyone. Good suggestions and I will definitely keep these in mind. Well, except for the Denny's recommendation.

"KNX 1040 is good. But by the time you hear the warnings you are usually screwed."

FYI…KNX is 1070 (traffic on the 5s).

Sorry, you are correct. If you dial 1040 you really will be screwed!