Best Time to Drive from Huntington Beach to San Clemente

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 42 minutes via SR-73 South and I-5 South, usually 39 at this time.

Only 45% 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 San Clemente 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	39	39	39	39	40	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	39	39
Tue	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	39	39	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	39	39	38
Thu	38	39	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	38	39	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	39	39	39	39	38	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	39	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Huntington Beach to San Clemente (via SR-73 South and I-5 South) usually takes as little as 38 minutes and up to 41 minutes, when leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Saturdays (41 minutes).

About 22 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 13 miles surface streets (19 to 20 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 San Clemente 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 San Clemente?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 38 minutes then, versus up to 41 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Huntington Beach to San Clemente?

The 36-mile drive usually takes 38 to 41 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Huntington Beach to San Clemente?

Leaving around 9 am on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 41 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-73 South in Orange County (11 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (10 miles) · SR-1 South in Orange County (2 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

San Clemente to Huntington Beach (return trip) · 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	39	40	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	39	39
Tue	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	39	39	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	39	39	38
Thu	38	39	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	38	39	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	39	39	39	39	38	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	39	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	39	40	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	39	39
Tue	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	39	39	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	39	39	38
Thu	38	39	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	38	39	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	39	39	39	39	38	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	39	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	38

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	39	39	39	39	40	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	39	39
Tue	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	39	38
Wed	39	39	39	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	40	40	41	40	39	39	38
Thu	38	39	39	39	40	39	39	40	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	38
Fri	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	40	39	38	39	39
Sat	39	39	39	39	39	40	40	40	41	40	40	39	39	39	39	38	38
Sun	39	39	39	39	39	39	40	39	40	40	39	39	39	39	39	39	38