Best Time to Drive from Goleta to Santa Monica

Right now (5:20 pm PST): about 137 minutes via US-101 South, usually 120 at this time.

Only 26% 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 Goleta to Santa Monica 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	103	104	105	107	107	107	109	111	110	112	127	133	130	110	104	104	104
Tue	103	104	106	107	107	107	107	108	110	111	122	132	125	111	105	104	104
Wed	103	104	105	107	109	107	108	109	110	111	123	131	124	109	105	104	104
Thu	103	104	105	108	108	107	108	109	110	110	123	136	133	114	107	105	104
Fri	104	104	104	107	108	109	112	115	116	120	126	137	128	111	106	104	103
Sat	103	103	103	104	104	105	108	111	111	109	114	111	108	106	105	105	104
Sun	103	103	103	103	104	105	108	113	121	123	119	114	111	107	106	105	103

About this drive

On weekdays the 93-mile drive from Goleta to Santa Monica (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 103 minutes and up to 137 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 2:30 pm or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 111 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (124 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 43 miles surface streets (59 to 67 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Goleta to downtown Santa Monica 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 Goleta to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 2:30 pm or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 103 minutes then, versus up to 137 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Goleta to Santa Monica?

The 93-mile drive usually takes 103 to 137 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 111 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Goleta to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 4 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 137 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (17 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Goleta to Oxnard · Goleta to Valencia

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	104	105	107	107	107	109	111	110	112	127	133	130	110	104	104	104
Tue	103	104	106	107	107	107	107	108	110	111	122	132	125	111	105	104	104
Wed	103	104	105	107	109	107	108	109	110	111	123	131	124	109	105	104	104
Thu	103	104	105	108	108	107	108	109	110	110	123	136	133	114	107	105	104
Fri	104	104	104	107	108	109	112	115	116	120	126	137	128	111	106	104	103
Sat	103	103	103	104	104	105	108	111	111	109	114	111	108	106	105	105	104
Sun	103	103	103	103	104	105	108	113	121	123	119	114	111	107	106	105	103

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	104	105	107	107	107	109	111	110	112	127	133	130	110	104	104	104
Tue	103	104	106	107	107	107	107	108	110	111	122	132	125	111	105	104	104
Wed	103	104	105	107	109	107	108	109	110	111	123	131	124	109	105	104	104
Thu	103	104	105	108	108	107	108	109	110	110	123	136	133	114	107	105	104
Fri	104	104	104	107	108	109	112	115	116	120	126	137	128	111	106	104	103
Sat	103	103	103	104	104	105	108	111	111	109	114	111	108	106	105	105	104
Sun	103	103	103	103	104	105	108	113	121	123	119	114	111	107	106	105	103

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	103	104	105	107	107	107	109	111	110	112	127	133	130	110	104	104	104
Tue	103	104	106	107	107	107	107	108	110	111	122	132	125	111	105	104	104
Wed	103	104	105	107	109	107	108	109	110	111	123	131	124	109	105	104	104
Thu	103	104	105	108	108	107	108	109	110	110	123	136	133	114	107	105	104
Fri	104	104	104	107	108	109	112	115	116	120	126	137	128	111	106	104	103
Sat	103	103	103	104	104	105	108	111	111	109	114	111	108	106	105	105	104
Sun	103	103	103	103	104	105	108	113	121	123	119	114	111	107	106	105	103