Best Time to Drive from Huntington Beach to La Jolla

Right now (5:49 pm PDT): about 92 minutes via I-5 South, usually 85 at this time.

Only 56% 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 Huntington Beach to La Jolla 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	83	85	93	88	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	85	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	86	97	96	89	89	87	87	87	87	89	90	86	85	84	84	83
Wed	83	85	97	95	88	88	87	88	87	90	93	95	87	85	84	83	83
Thu	83	86	98	93	88	89	88	86	87	89	93	93	86	85	84	84	82
Fri	83	85	88	85	86	90	96	99	103	110	110	109	99	90	87	84	82
Sat	83	83	83	86	95	102	104	104	103	97	97	101	90	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	94	90	90	93	88	88	86	85	86	85	82

About this drive

On weekdays the 86-mile drive from Huntington Beach to La Jolla (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 82 minutes and up to 111 minutes, when leaving around 1:30 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 90 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (105 minutes).

About 69 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 17 miles surface streets (22 to 29 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Huntington Beach to central La Jolla 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 Huntington Beach to La Jolla?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 5 pm. The drive usually takes about 82 minutes then, versus up to 111 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Huntington Beach to La Jolla?

The 86-mile drive usually takes 82 to 111 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 90 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Huntington Beach to La Jolla?

Leaving around 1:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 111 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (35 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (19 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (11 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (2 miles) · SR-1 South in Orange County (2 miles)

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

More drives

Huntington Beach to Los Angeles · Huntington Beach to Santa Monica · Huntington Beach to West Covina · Huntington Beach to Burbank · Huntington Beach to Glendale · Huntington Beach to Santa Clarita · Huntington Beach to Van Nuys · Huntington Beach to LAX · Huntington Beach to Hollywood · Huntington Beach to Culver City · Huntington Beach to El Monte · Huntington Beach to Thousand Oaks

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	85	93	88	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	85	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	86	97	96	89	89	87	87	87	87	89	90	86	85	84	84	83
Wed	83	85	97	95	88	88	87	88	87	90	93	95	87	85	84	83	83
Thu	83	86	98	93	88	89	88	86	87	89	93	93	86	85	84	84	82
Fri	83	85	88	85	86	90	96	99	103	110	110	109	99	90	87	84	82
Sat	83	83	83	86	95	102	104	104	103	97	97	101	90	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	94	90	90	93	88	88	86	85	86	85	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	85	93	88	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	85	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	86	97	96	89	89	87	87	87	87	89	90	86	85	84	84	83
Wed	83	85	97	95	88	88	87	88	87	90	93	95	87	85	84	83	83
Thu	83	86	98	93	88	89	88	86	87	89	93	93	86	85	84	84	82
Fri	83	85	88	85	86	90	96	99	103	110	110	109	99	90	87	84	82
Sat	83	83	83	86	95	102	104	104	103	97	97	101	90	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	94	90	90	93	88	88	86	85	86	85	82

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	83	85	93	88	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	86	85	84	83	83	83
Tue	83	86	97	96	89	89	87	87	87	87	89	90	86	85	84	84	83
Wed	83	85	97	95	88	88	87	88	87	90	93	95	87	85	84	83	83
Thu	83	86	98	93	88	89	88	86	87	89	93	93	86	85	84	84	82
Fri	83	85	88	85	86	90	96	99	103	110	110	109	99	90	87	84	82
Sat	83	83	83	86	95	102	104	104	103	97	97	101	90	86	84	84	83
Sun	83	83	83	83	84	87	94	90	90	93	88	88	86	85	86	85	82