Best Time to Drive from Hollywood to Lake Forest

Right now (6:53 pm PST): about 78 minutes via I-5 South, usually 64 at this time.

Only 31% 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 Hollywood to Lake Forest 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	48	57	71	70	59	55	57	57	60	59	74	84	83	73	59	53	50
Tue	47	57	78	77	62	56	56	57	57	62	77	92	90	77	66	55	49
Wed	47	56	78	76	63	56	57	56	57	60	66	79	77	66	60	55	49
Thu	47	55	75	75	62	58	60	60	62	64	81	88	89	77	64	54	50
Fri	47	55	67	66	60	57	57	59	64	73	83	84	82	77	63	56	50
Sat	48	49	51	52	55	56	59	59	61	64	63	62	61	59	56	55	52
Sun	48	49	48	49	51	55	56	59	60	61	61	60	60	58	59	57	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 53-mile drive from Hollywood to Lake Forest (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 47 minutes and up to 97 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 59 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (64 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (7 to 10 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Hollywood to central Lake Forest 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 Hollywood to Lake Forest?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 47 minutes then, versus up to 97 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Hollywood to Lake Forest?

The 53-mile drive usually takes 47 to 97 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 59 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Hollywood to Lake Forest?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 97 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (24 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (8 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (1.5 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Lake Forest to Hollywood (return trip) · Hollywood to Los Angeles · Hollywood to Santa Monica · Hollywood to Pasadena · Hollywood to Long Beach · Hollywood to West Covina · Hollywood to Santa Clarita · Hollywood to Van Nuys · Hollywood to Torrance · Hollywood to El Monte · Hollywood to Downey · Hollywood to Whittier

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	57	71	70	59	55	57	57	60	59	74	84	83	73	59	53	50
Tue	47	57	78	77	62	56	56	57	57	62	77	92	90	77	66	55	49
Wed	47	56	78	76	63	56	57	56	57	60	66	79	77	66	60	55	49
Thu	47	55	75	75	62	58	60	60	62	64	81	88	89	77	64	54	50
Fri	47	55	67	66	60	57	57	59	64	73	83	84	82	77	63	56	50
Sat	48	49	51	52	55	56	59	59	61	64	63	62	61	59	56	55	52
Sun	48	49	48	49	51	55	56	59	60	61	61	60	60	58	59	57	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	57	71	70	59	55	57	57	60	59	74	84	83	73	59	53	50
Tue	47	57	78	77	62	56	56	57	57	62	77	92	90	77	66	55	49
Wed	47	56	78	76	63	56	57	56	57	60	66	79	77	66	60	55	49
Thu	47	55	75	75	62	58	60	60	62	64	81	88	89	77	64	54	50
Fri	47	55	67	66	60	57	57	59	64	73	83	84	82	77	63	56	50
Sat	48	49	51	52	55	56	59	59	61	64	63	62	61	59	56	55	52
Sun	48	49	48	49	51	55	56	59	60	61	61	60	60	58	59	57	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	57	71	70	59	55	57	57	60	59	74	84	83	73	59	53	50
Tue	47	57	78	77	62	56	56	57	57	62	77	92	90	77	66	55	49
Wed	47	56	78	76	63	56	57	56	57	60	66	79	77	66	60	55	49
Thu	47	55	75	75	62	58	60	60	62	64	81	88	89	77	64	54	50
Fri	47	55	67	66	60	57	57	59	64	73	83	84	82	77	63	56	50
Sat	48	49	51	52	55	56	59	59	61	64	63	62	61	59	56	55	52
Sun	48	49	48	49	51	55	56	59	60	61	61	60	60	58	59	57	51