traffic between LA and Anaheim

[debdebdebby13]

We are planning a trip that will be late May into early June. We are going to fly into LAX and then we want to visit Universal/Hollywood the first couple of days and then we'll go to Disney after that.

I've heard LA traffic is always bad, realistically how bad is it?

Is it worthwhile to get a separate room for a couple of nights in LA/Hollywood then get a another room in Anaheim when we get there or is it plausible to drive to Hollywood and back for two days. Would we waste way too much time in the car??

 

[cirquelovers]

I think a lot of it depends on what time of day you plan on traveling the freeways. If you plan on going during "rush hour" which is a lot longer than an hour both ways then it might be wiser.

We have stayed up by Universal and found that to be less stressful. Of course we stayed by Disneyland one year and I enjoyed just being able to get up and go in the morning to the park.

I am not a regular but it has taken us from 1 1/2 hours to almost 4 one time. It really depends on what is going on. The four hour trip was what should have been at the end of traffic time but we didn't know something was going on at the Hollywood Bowl and that really snarled traffic for us.

I hope a local can give you some better idea of how long it will take. This was just our experience.

 

[rachelc14]

It's so hard to say. My shop is in Huntington Beach, CA and we have LA Kings season tickets. Some nights we can get to Downtown LA in 45 minutes, sometimes 1.5 hours. (We leave at 6pm to make it there by 7:30, we miss the face off at 7:35 about 2/3 of the time!)

The traffic around Downtown LA is almost always bad, so just use that as a guideline. And even around Hollywood. And just hope for the better. It really is that bad, but there are days where you can zip in and out and as a 36-year So Cal native, I'm still shocked when I can get to LA in half an hour.

LA to Anaheim isn't that bad, but there are a few things that will make it take forever and that is traffic which can break out anytime outside of the normal times and construction. When doing your trip plans, check the averages for a few days before and you'll get an idea of what drive times will be:

traffic411 . com (remove the spaces) - you can click on LA and OC. The freeway you need the most would be the 5. I could route you other ways heading from LA to Disneyland, that's theeee best route.

Have fun!!!

 

[OTVSP]

Let's see.....sitting out by the pool with a nice cold drink or sitting in traffic?

You are going to pay for a hotel either way so my vote is to get a room near both places and stay close. Why waste vacation hours sitting in traffic?

Like others have said...it can take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 hours to make that journey depending on time of day and if there is an accident or not. LA traffic sucks and is unpredictable.

 

[woody73]

. . . .my vote is to get a room near both places and stay close. Why waste vacation hours sitting in traffic?

That's my vote too.

Woody