Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to Encinitas

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 92 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 69 at this time.

Only 22% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Costa Mesa to Encinitas by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	63	60	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	57
Tue	57	59	66	66	61	61	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	58	57	57	57
Wed	56	58	67	65	60	60	60	60	59	60	61	61	59	59	58	57	57
Thu	57	58	66	64	61	61	61	60	60	61	63	62	59	59	58	58	56
Fri	57	59	60	59	59	62	66	69	74	74	75	79	71	64	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	57	58	65	70	73	74	72	69	69	72	64	61	58	58	56
Sun	57	57	57	57	58	60	65	64	63	65	63	61	60	59	59	60	57

About this drive

On weekdays the 64-mile drive from Costa Mesa to Encinitas (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 56 minutes and up to 79 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 5 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 62 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (75 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Costa Mesa to central Encinitas along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Costa Mesa to Encinitas?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 56 minutes then, versus up to 79 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Costa Mesa to Encinitas?

The 64-mile drive usually takes 56 to 79 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 62 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to Encinitas?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 79 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (25 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (18 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (15 miles) · SR-55 North in Orange County (3 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · San Diego traffic right now · San Diego traffic tomorrow

More drives

Encinitas to Costa Mesa (return trip) · Costa Mesa to Los Angeles · Costa Mesa to Anaheim · Costa Mesa to Riverside · Costa Mesa to Santa Ana · Costa Mesa to Irvine · Costa Mesa to San Bernardino · Costa Mesa to Fontana · Costa Mesa to Moreno Valley · Costa Mesa to Glendale · Costa Mesa to Santa Clarita · Costa Mesa to Oceanside

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	63	60	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	57
Tue	57	59	66	66	61	61	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	58	57	57	57
Wed	56	58	67	65	60	60	60	60	59	60	61	61	59	59	58	57	57
Thu	57	58	66	64	61	61	61	60	60	61	63	62	59	59	58	58	56
Fri	57	59	60	59	59	62	66	69	74	74	75	79	71	64	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	57	58	65	70	73	74	72	69	69	72	64	61	58	58	56
Sun	57	57	57	57	58	60	65	64	63	65	63	61	60	59	59	60	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	63	60	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	57
Tue	57	59	66	66	61	61	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	58	57	57	57
Wed	56	58	67	65	60	60	60	60	59	60	61	61	59	59	58	57	57
Thu	57	58	66	64	61	61	61	60	60	61	63	62	59	59	58	58	56
Fri	57	59	60	59	59	62	66	69	74	74	75	79	71	64	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	57	58	65	70	73	74	72	69	69	72	64	61	58	58	56
Sun	57	57	57	57	58	60	65	64	63	65	63	61	60	59	59	60	57

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	56	58	63	60	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	58	58	57	57	57
Tue	57	59	66	66	61	61	60	60	59	59	60	60	59	58	57	57	57
Wed	56	58	67	65	60	60	60	60	59	60	61	61	59	59	58	57	57
Thu	57	58	66	64	61	61	61	60	60	61	63	62	59	59	58	58	56
Fri	57	59	60	59	59	62	66	69	74	74	75	79	71	64	61	58	57
Sat	57	57	57	58	65	70	73	74	72	69	69	72	64	61	58	58	56
Sun	57	57	57	57	58	60	65	64	63	65	63	61	60	59	59	60	57