Traffic Predict

Irvine to Temecula: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Irvine to Temecula is longest leaving around 4:30 pm: about 79 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9:30 am (61 minutes) or 9 pm (58 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12 pm (62 minutes); around 6 am it takes 57 minutes.

Day by day

Drive time by departure

Drive minutes from Irvine to Temecula by departure time, Thanksgiving week 2026
Leave5am6am7am8am9am10am11am12pm1pm2pm3pm4pm5pm6pm7pm8pm9pm
Tue Nov 245964626462626363656979838475666359
Wed Nov 255862606061626366677277787870646258
Thu Nov 265659575756575961636671737365616056
Fri Nov 275556565757585965727985817568646056
Sat Nov 285758585860677777747473696663636359
Sun Nov 295757585859616262626161616059606158

Minutes for the 63-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.

Irvine to Temecula on a normal day →

Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator

Questions

What is the worst time to drive from Irvine to Temecula for Thanksgiving?

On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Irvine to Temecula is longest leaving around 4:30 pm: about 79 minutes, about the same as a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9:30 am (61 minutes) or 9 pm (58 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 12 pm (62 minutes); around 6 am it takes 57 minutes.

How long does the drive from Irvine to Temecula take over Thanksgiving?

Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 7 am (62 minutes), slowest around 5 pm (84 minutes, about like a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 am (60 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (79 minutes, about like a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 9 am (56 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (74 minutes, 15 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 6:30 am (56 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (85 minutes, 10 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 6 am (58 minutes), slowest around 11:30 am (79 minutes, about like a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 6 am (57 minutes), slowest around 12 pm (62 minutes, about like a normal Sunday).