how bad is traffic LA to ANaheim? Even at night?
 

I want to go to the LA, ANaheim area for about 7 days. We want to see Hollywood, Universal, LA, etc is traffic that bad really? What if we traveled at night or in the middle of the afternoon? Is there any good time?
Thanks
Ken

It really depends. At night it should be fine unless a Dodgers or Angels game has let out, than it can be bad.

Traffic is worst during the morning and evening commute time just like in any big city area. Unless you are alone you can use the carpool lane and that is usually helpful. If I were staying in the Anaheim area going into LA in the am I would wait until about 9am to leave and count on an hour or so to get there. The evening commute is bad from about 4pm til 7pm. Have a good trip, don't let the traffic scare you off, we drive in it daily!!

We were staying in Anaheim last year. My son drove up from San Diego to take us to dinner in LA. He picked us up mid-afternoon. It took over 2 hours to get to Beverly Hills. Traffic just crawled. I don't think this was an unusual situation. The people at our hotel told us it would take that long. But at least the drivers were polite. Everyone just stayed in their lane and crawled along. Where I live, you are constantly being cut off so someone can get one car length ahead. The return trip, around 10pm, took only about 40 minutes. But it was all worth it. We had a really great meal at Spago and got to shake hands with Wolfegang Puck.

Mary 2 go, when you say you drive it daily,if I left around 10 am, am I better off going from Anaheim to LA or the reverse? Also, how long might it take? About an hour?
Thanks so much
Ken

Katie H. Thanks for your reply. Also, like I asked Mary, should I consider staying near Hollywood, LA, or maybe even Santa Monica and on a couple of occasions traveling to Anaheim? Would this mean the traffic is in my favor rather than against me?
Thanks
Ken

By the way, if this is relevant, I will be going in February.
Ken

I stayed in Norwalk, halfway between LA and Anaheim and rented a car to drive around. Even on the weekend, traffic was frequently stop-and-go, particularly on the Santa Ana and Hollywood freeways. The 14-mile trip up to Sunset Blvd from the Norwalk Marriott took about and hour on a Sunday!

What will you be doing in Anaheim? If mainly Disneyland then consider staying in West LA/Santa Monica/Beverly Hills ("westside") and driving to Aneheim. Or, consider staying at the Disneyland Hotel or other Anaheim hotel for one or two nights then shifting to a westside of LA hotel for the remainder of your vacation.

Whatever you decide to do, DON'T take the 5 Fwy between the 605 and 91...one of the worst traffic-congested fwys in LA! Even though it appears the most direct route from LA to Anaheim, it will take you almost twice as long as alternate routes. Doesn't matter weekday, weekend, mid-day...it SUCKS!

Better to take the 605 to the 91 or vice-versa instead of the 5. And think about utilizing the 105 and 110 as they have carpool lanes. Out of curiosity, what's the fascination with Hollywood and Universal? Tacky tourist traps IMO.

Marty, thanks for the response. Was Norwalk nice, was it safe, which place did you stay at? Are you confined at night or is there a place to get out?
Thanks
Ken

Renee S, thanks for replying. You say stay in maybe West LA or Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, will you or others please inform as to which one you think is nice, safe, and has something to do at night w/o being out of the way for constant trips between Anaheim and Hollywood Beverly Hills area?
Thanks
Ken

If it is at all relevant, I am going with my three kids this February during NY school break. In the middle of February is that CA school break? Freeways more or less crowded or same difference?
Ken

Ken, it sounds as though you should split up your stay. Take the first two or three days in Anaheim, then move to Santa Monica for the end of the week. With three kids, that car commute is too much. And it is silly to pay downtown prices when you are gone all day. In Anaheim, look at the suites at the Hyatt Orange Count - they have one or two bedroom suites at reasonable prices, for a Hyatt.

I'm confused. Are you planning on occasional trips to Anaheim or will it be "constant trips" between Anaheim and West LA/Beverly Hills etc?

I think we need to know more about your itinerary to be helpful. What are you doing occasionally or constantly in Anaheim? Business? Pleasure?

If you need to make a daily trek to Anaheim but want to see other parts of LA then unfortunately you will just have to deal with traffic.

kendu, Norwalk was fine. Perfectly safe, but a fairly generic-looking working middle class suburb. Lots of Targets, fastfood places etc. There is great freeway access there (from the Norwalk Marriott, where I stayed) and a multiplex cinema. It's not far from any of the great nite spots if you're driving. In ideal traffic, West Hollywood, Los Feliz and Beverly Hills are about 15-20 minutes away.

I must chime in from your other thread. Look, you're taking your kids to California for spring break (BTW, February, as far as I know, is NOT spring break for LA-area schools)-- WHY oh WHY would you even consider spending the vacation out in some anonymous LA Generica "suburb" (or suburban city) in a chain hotel? Why spend ALL your time in a car looking for fun stuff to do?!

Decide on your itinerary, select what activities you MUST do, pick some things you would like to have within short distances of your final hotel site (nightlife, restaurants, etc.)-- I think you'll end up seeing that staying somewhere on LA's west side is much preferable to anything Anaheim-adjacent. And do you REALLY want to be driving any substantial distance on LA freeways at night? Traffic will still be relatively heavy. Consider that.

Listen to RJ - he makes perfect sense. You can't do 'day-trips' in LA. And we've also 'been there done that' in LA/ SoCal - but in several road trips and over many days.

Plan you itinerary FIRST. Then do it....go to Wallyworld, but plop yourself somewhere THERE and enjoy it! Then, drive to your NEXT place, find a great place right THERE and enjoy it, too. And so on. Sorry to sound so simplistic, but it IS. Or SHOULD be.

We've explored most of LA/Hollywood/Anaheim/SoCal - Orange County (love it!) but in several trips. Again, LA is waaay too spread out and traffic is too insane to take 'day trips.'

Hi, Kendu!

Ellen Griswold is right, right, right!

You want to pick a place near Disneyland - Dizzyland - there are tons of hotels, motels, resorts in the area to fit every budget. Stay there for the SOUTHERN LA attractions. You don't need to be as far away as Norwalk, La Mirada, Westminster, etc. etc. The closer you locate yourselves to the attractions, the better.

When you are dizzy enough and want to move on, you go to the NORTHERN LA area and pick an area. I would recommend Santa Monica, since downtown Santa Monica has an area where you can walk around at night, lots of shops and restaurants and this was one of your requirements.

Also good advice is to avoid that section of Interstate 5, the Golden State Freeway, absolutely a zoo to drive. It's one of the oldest freeways in LA and so one of the narrower ones.

Avoid the freeways, stay put, and HAVE FUN!

rjw et.al,
Thanks for all the advice. I am going to do two days of Disney with the kids and spend one night in Anaheim. I am leaning towards West Hollywood or Santa Monica for rest of trip. I will avoid 5 thanks to you guys. If the beach, however, has nothing to offer in February, am I better off in Beverly Hills or Santa Monica being there is also what to do at night. Or, are they both fine depending on hotel deal?
Thanks again
Ken