I'm driving from Monterey to Hollywood the week of October 12. Once I get down to Cambria, is it faster to push on to San Luis Obispo and pick up the 101 or should I take 46 East over to 5 south? Time is my main factor.

Take the 101

I have had to do this drive way too many times in the past 20 years for business. This way will take you a little more than five hours (although I have been known to do it in less, but I don't recommend driving at my speed).

Fastest way:
Get to the 68 east out of Monterey (you have to take the north Highway 1 for less than a mile to transition to 68 East.

In about 20 minutes you will see East Blanco Road.
Get off - turn right
At some point the road turns a little to the left and becomes Sanborn. Sanborn runs you into 101 South. Go 101 South.

In about 90 miles you have a decision - To take off more time, take the 46 east (it will take about one hour to reach the 5 south). Here is my caveat. This is the James Death "Death" Highway. I don't take that route anymore because it is two lanes and people are always trying to pass slow trucks, and I have seen too many near miss collisions for me to take that way anymore. I'm like a cat who has already had eight lives on that road.

If you take the 46, transition to the 5 South, which will take you over the Grapevine and in about 2 hours (or 120 miles or so later)you will hit the 170 south (aka The Hollywood Freeway).

If you don't take the 46, just continue on 101 South which eventually will hit the 170 (traffic on the 101 in Santa Barbara or the San Fernando Valley can kill your time immensely).

The 46 short cut will save you almost an hour.

SR 46 to I-5 can be quicker unless traffic is really heavy with trucks or RVs. But it is a dangerous road, ya really gotta stay alert for idots coming the other way.

If you want to drive the hwy along Big Sur, do it today (Monday) only! There's is a storm forecast to hit tomorrow.

I like Hwy 101 and I think 5 is only faster if you get to it before you reach Cambria.

Thanks to all for the quick replies. I've decided to skip 46 and continue down the coast. Just found out I'm leaving Thursday morning so the storm should be gone by then

Casablues, if you’re still reading this you may want to rethink your drive into Cambria.

“Once I get down to Cambria, is it faster to push on to San Luis Obispo and pick up the 101 or should I take 46 East over to 5 south?”

It sounds like you are planning on driving Big Sur Hiway 1 from Monterey to Cambria.

After big storms like the one we are expecting, parts of Hiway 1 in that area may get washed out, blocked by heavy boulders, etc. Once you are on it, you may have a long turn back.

Moi? I would follow maittaitom and get over to the 101.

More valuable information from maitaitom:

"(traffic on the 101 in Santa Barbara or the San Fernando Valley can kill your time immensely)."

I drove from SLO County through SB, Ventura and Oxnard every other day for about 7 years. The traffic in those three areas during a week day can come to a halt, then stop, go, for the entire distance during the morning and between 3 and 4:30 in the afternoon.

When it's good it's not so good, when it's bad, it's BAD!

If you're in a hurry that day, 46 to the 5 may be the best. Weather is cool in the valley and no fog yet.

Thanks to all for your advice. 2 days after the Pacific rainstorm, I drove from Monterey to Hollywood in 7 hours plus an hour for lunch. Highway 1 was a great drive and fortunately the road had been cleaned off (could see the piles of mud and stones at the roadside). We were delayed only 10 minutes while road crews continued the cleanup. We made 4 or 5 stops along the way to take in the view and get some pix. The best stop was a Vista Point just below the last hairpin turns on Highway 1, where we saw a large colony of elephant seals in the water and on the beach only 30 yards away.

We didn't hit any real traffic until we got close to LA, around 3pm on Highway 101. The 101 was jammed at all hours it seemed.

Glad you enjoyed the trek down and didn't hit that horrible rain!

Yeah, the 101 does not put me in my "happy place". Last weekend I thought it would be easier to take the 405 to the 101 to the 210 to get to the Rose Bowl. HUGE mistake! Should have taken the 10 to the 110. Of course, the way one actually goes is always the WRONG way!