Which strategy will avoid rush hour traffic?

We%26#39;re traveling from San Diego to Anaheim on a weekday, after visiting the Zoo. The zoo closes at 5 pm, and we were going to go straight to Anaheim, but I just realized that%26#39;s probably the height of rush hour. But does the traffic get bad going north towards LA, or is it only bad going south? If we leave at 5 pm, will we hit a parking lot, or will it be okay? I%26#39;m wondering if it would do any good to have dinner in San Diego first, then head to Anaheim a couple of hours later. Would the traffic clear out by 7 pm? Or, alternatively, if we were done with the zoo early and left at, say, 3 pm, would we miss the worst of the traffic, or does rush hour start that early?

Note: I abhor rush hour. I loathe bad traffic. I realize we can%26#39;t avoid it completely, since all of Southern California has issues with it, but I%26#39;d like to have the least unpleasant experience possible. Plus, I%26#39;m making my husband drive. ;-)

Which strategy will avoid rush hour traffic?

The trip will not be bad the whole way. You never know however if there%26#39;s an accident or something. On a good day I would expect it to take 2hrs.I think leaving at 3 would be better than 5. The congestion starts about 20min north of the zoo at La Jolla Village Drive and continues thruough an area where 2 major freeways merge into 1. There are car pool lanes you can use for part of the way(2people in a car is a car pool). Then there can be traffic and you don%26#39;t really know why. If you have children with you I think they%26#39;d be hungry at 5 but (depending on ages)they might have trouble with the drive at that hour. any way I think 3, then 7 then braving it at 5. Good luck.

Which strategy will avoid rush hour traffic?

You are correct, 5PM would put you in the midst of rush hour traffic coming out of the downtown area, and you would get caught in the very stressful merge of Freeways 5 and 805 just south of Del Mar - and the northbound lanes actually stop at Del Mar, very, very frustrating. If it were me, I%26#39;d definitely enjoy dinner - perhaps at the wonderful Prado in Balboa Park - and wait until 7 and avoid most of the traffic - if you leave at 3, you%26#39;d miss the San Diego rush, but hit the LA rush hours. 7PM should allow you to miss most of both. Be forwarned though, if there%26#39;s an accident, it could take hours regardless.

Definitely wait and don%26#39;t leave at 5:00. Before I moved to San Diego I lived in Orange County and came here a lot. I learned never to leave San Diego heading north before 6:00 p.m. Have dinner and get on the road around 6:30.

Thank you so much, everyone! This definitely changes our plans, so I%26#39;m glad I asked beforehand. I really appreciate the advice.

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