Best Time to Drive from Costa Mesa to Vista

Right now (6:48 pm PDT): about 54 minutes via I-5 South and SR-73 South, usually 56 at this time.

Only 64% 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 Vista 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	53	54	55	54	55	55	56	57	57	57	56	55	54	54	54	53	53
Tue	53	54	56	54	55	56	56	56	56	55	57	58	55	56	54	55	53
Wed	53	55	58	54	56	57	57	58	56	59	60	59	56	55	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	54	55	58	58	56	57	60	63	61	56	56	55	56	53
Fri	54	55	56	55	55	63	68	73	81	85	83	85	75	65	60	55	53
Sat	53	53	53	56	66	75	77	76	81	68	68	85	74	66	56	54	53
Sun	53	53	53	54	55	63	72	70	69	69	67	64	58	55	55	55	53

About this drive

On weekdays the 60-mile drive from Costa Mesa to Vista (via I-5 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 53 minutes and up to 85 minutes, when leaving around 2 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 10:30 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 61 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4 pm on Saturdays (85 minutes).

About 59 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.6 miles surface streets (2 to 5 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 Vista 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 Vista?

On weekdays, leave before 10:30 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 53 minutes then, versus up to 85 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 60-mile drive usually takes 53 to 85 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 61 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Costa Mesa to Vista?

Leaving around 2 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 85 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · I-5 South in San Diego (17 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (15 miles) · SR-78 East in San Diego (4 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

Vista 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	53	54	55	54	55	55	56	57	57	57	56	55	54	54	54	53	53
Tue	53	54	56	54	55	56	56	56	56	55	57	58	55	56	54	55	53
Wed	53	55	58	54	56	57	57	58	56	59	60	59	56	55	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	54	55	58	58	56	57	60	63	61	56	56	55	56	53
Fri	54	55	56	55	55	63	68	73	81	85	83	85	75	65	60	55	53
Sat	53	53	53	56	66	75	77	76	81	68	68	85	74	66	56	54	53
Sun	53	53	53	54	55	63	72	70	69	69	67	64	58	55	55	55	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	54	55	54	55	55	56	57	57	57	56	55	54	54	54	53	53
Tue	53	54	56	54	55	56	56	56	56	55	57	58	55	56	54	55	53
Wed	53	55	58	54	56	57	57	58	56	59	60	59	56	55	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	54	55	58	58	56	57	60	63	61	56	56	55	56	53
Fri	54	55	56	55	55	63	68	73	81	85	83	85	75	65	60	55	53
Sat	53	53	53	56	66	75	77	76	81	68	68	85	74	66	56	54	53
Sun	53	53	53	54	55	63	72	70	69	69	67	64	58	55	55	55	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	53	54	55	54	55	55	56	57	57	57	56	55	54	54	54	53	53
Tue	53	54	56	54	55	56	56	56	56	55	57	58	55	56	54	55	53
Wed	53	55	58	54	56	57	57	58	56	59	60	59	56	55	55	54	53
Thu	53	55	57	54	55	58	58	56	57	60	63	61	56	56	55	56	53
Fri	54	55	56	55	55	63	68	73	81	85	83	85	75	65	60	55	53
Sat	53	53	53	56	66	75	77	76	81	68	68	85	74	66	56	54	53
Sun	53	53	53	54	55	63	72	70	69	69	67	64	58	55	55	55	53