Heard that the traffic in SanDiego in summer can be brutal. We will be staying in La jolla. Can anyone recommend routes or times of day that should be avoided? We would like to visit the zoo, seaworld and animal park.
Are any days of the week better than others, or is it best to leave la jolla early AM or later? Any back routes?
All responses greatly appreciated.

coming to and from the beach areas during summer can be pretty intense, traffic-wise. Use your common sense, and you'll be OK. If you're in La Jolla during the week, you'll be fine after 9-9:30 and before 3:30-4. Traffic along Interstate 5 is horrible in the area around those times. You'll most likely use the 5 to get to the zoo and to connect to sea world (off I-8). The Wild Animal Park is off I-15 waaaayyy north. If you leave in the morning, traffic will be bad getting to the 15, but once you get there, the traffic will be going the other direction. On the weekends, your best bet is to leave early and come home either after sun down or well before. And if you get stuck, roll down the windows, blast your stereo and relax. San Diego is a laid-back city...if you can't beat 'em, might as well join 'em.

to get to sea World, it would be much more interesting, and about the same travelling time to take the surface streets from La Jolla through Mission Beach. For the others, just avoid the common rush hours 7 to 8:30 am and 3:30 to 5 pm.

to say it is brutal is rather exagerated to me. as mentioned, just avoid rush hour if you can and even if you can't, i doubt you'd be REALLY bad traffic more then 10-15 minutes. coming off of i-5 into la jolla can be backed up because there is only one entrance that way. but, as mentioned, you can take the surface streets through pacific beach. i wouldn't worry about it at all. great city, have fun.

I live in La Jolla and the traffic is not nearly as bad as other parts in the city. The worst traffic is north of SD before the 5/805 intersection and at I-15 North of Miramar Rd during rush hour. Going north on I-15 is not bad in the morning as is going south on I-15 in the afternoon rush hour (reverse commutes). the 5/805 is always bad at rush hours. South of downtown on 5 or 805 is also bad. Avoid Fridays. Sea World-Piece of cake. Go La Jolla Blvd to Mission Blvd (Right), Left on Grand then Right on Ingraham to Sea World or if you don't want to drive through Pas=cific Beach Go up the Soledad Mt (ask anyone from wherever you are) go down La Jolla Scenic -Turns into La Jolla Mesa (awesome views). Left on Turquoise, Right on Ingraham to Sea World. To the ZOO go 5 south to Pershing Drive (left). Left at the light to Florida Canyon pass the Navy Hospital, you'll see signs to the Zoo but you should turn left on Zoo Way. This is a backway-most people take 163 S. Getting in and out of La Jolla is easy, I don't know waht people are thinking here-I do this everyday. The main roads are Ardath Road accessed only from 5 north, 52 east from 805 which turns into Ardath Rd then into Toeery Pines Rd, Torrey Pines Rd accessible from La Jolla Village Dr or La Jolla Shores from N Torrey Pines Rd by UCSD Campus. There are ways from PB and other complicated backways but you won't need them. Getting into LJ seems to be the worst on weekends or friday evenings.

Have driven in San Diego doing tourist things during summer for over 30 years. Other than being stuck on the freeway during rush hour I have never considered it a problem