I will be finishing up at Stanford on a late Friday afternoon and then driving to Monterey. About when does Friday afternoon rush hour begin/taper off and which route is the best to deal with it? Or should I just wait until later in the evening? Thank you.

Friday afternoon/evening is always the worst of the week, imo, probably starting around 3:30 until 7 p.m. If you have another person in the car, you could use the diamond lane -- same thing if you have HOV stickers on a hybrid.

If you don't have someone to carpool with and no allowable hybrid, kick back and wait until traffic quiets down. Although it's not as miserable a rush hour as it is in L.A.

Just take the 101 down to the 156 west (around Watsonville). The 156 west turns into Hwy 1. Making decent time, it'll take you about 1 1/2 hours.

From Stanford to the south part of San Jose is miserable during any rush hour and worse on Friday. I would wait out the traffic -- leave Palo Alto after 7:00 (8:00 would be even better).

I agree with the others - if you can't get away by 3 (or possibly 4) have dinner and Palo Alto and just head south later in the evening. I have a slightly different route in mind though - Hwy 280 south/85 south/101 south/156 west/1 south. Hwy 280 is a nicer highway than 101 along the peninsula, but you still link up with 101 south of San Jose. And to avoid possible confusion, Hwy 156 is further south than the turn off to Watsonville - I mention this specifically because there is a Hwy 152 that goes to Watsonville and it is easy to mix up the numbers.

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Not to mention that 152 is a horrible horrible road.

Agree with november_moon's suggestion of 280/85/101/156/1.

You could leave as late as 3:30pm and get on 85 before 4pm. That's absolutely the latest you can leave without hitting traffic.

Hwy 156 is very short, only 7 miles but the exit would be easy to miss in the dark, so if you start out late, make certain you are keeping track of where you are so you can get on 156.

If you see "Crazy Horse Canyon Road", you are getting close to 156. This is an especially curvy part of 101, so your attention will be focused on the driving.

You'll do fine! Monterey is a great place to visit!

I have to disagree with you sf - Hwy 152 is a fabulous road. I love to drive over Mt. Madonna. I wouldn't send the uninitiated over it, of course, but for those who love a good curvy mountain road, it is lots of fun.

Thank you guys for explaining the 156 and 152 differential -- to the OP, that is really important to remember.

I happened to make that seriously stupid mistake two weeks ago -- I was driving up to Berkeley to pick up my son and bring him back down to Monterey -- took the correct route heading north, took the 152 by accident back down, because it was night time and I made a mental goof, thinking it was the 156. Taking it during the day isn't so bad (I've done it before), but at night in the dark, I was sweating bullets.

I agree with november_moon that the 152 is picturesque, but again, because it is not easy to navigate, at night you see nothing at all to make it worth your while unless the plan was to go to Watsonville, Capitola or Santa Cruz.

But for Monterey, at night, no.

I just realized the part I always hated was going east on 152 between Gilroy and 5. I don't think I've ever gone the other way (152 to Monterey) -- we always go south on 101 to 156.

LOL sf. Yeah, that part of the road has a different character. Pacheco pass isn't my favorite either - I wouldn't go so far as to call it horrible, but it can be a bit unnerving with the trucks.

You don't like Pacheco Pass?

I love it! Makes me feel like I'm participating in the Olympics - in the Giant Slalom or the Bobsled - Wheeeeee!

Question. I'll be driving SFO to Monterey the end of April. Freetrip.com has me taking 280, 85 and then 17 twenty one miles south to Rt 1 and 1 into Monterey. Would I be better off taking 85, 101 and then 156 west to Rt 1 rather than 17?

Absolutely!

Highway 17 is a winding road that is not for the faint hearted.

Going the way you're headed, you're on another bobsled ride, except that you're going uphill as well.

It's especially bad when it rains and April is still rainy season for us.

Another vote for taking the 101/156 route instead of Hwy 17 - unless you are stoping in Santa Cruz or Capitola along the way, it doesn't make sense to go over 17.

Thankyou, I appreciate it.

ronk

Thank you for your help (have been out of town or would have replied earlier).