Best Time to Drive from La Mesa to Anaheim

Right now (6:20 pm PDT): about 124 minutes via I-5 North, usually 97 at this time.

Only 65% 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 La Mesa to Anaheim 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	87	89	97	102	99	96	97	99	98	100	105	112	107	95	91	89	88
Tue	87	89	97	109	107	100	97	98	98	102	111	121	117	102	92	89	88
Wed	87	90	97	110	107	100	98	99	98	103	113	124	121	104	93	89	88
Thu	87	89	96	108	107	100	99	99	99	102	115	122	123	105	93	90	88
Fri	87	90	94	97	98	98	98	101	106	113	120	120	108	99	95	90	87
Sat	87	88	88	89	94	99	105	105	105	103	101	101	97	95	93	90	87
Sun	87	88	88	89	90	96	105	107	109	107	105	102	100	97	93	90	87

About this drive

On weekdays the 100-mile drive from La Mesa to Anaheim (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 87 minutes and up to 124 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 100 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (109 minutes).

About 97 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 2 miles surface streets (2 to 3 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central La Mesa to Disneyland 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 La Mesa to Anaheim?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 87 minutes then, versus up to 124 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Mesa to Anaheim?

The 100-mile drive usually takes 87 to 124 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 100 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Mesa to Anaheim?

Leaving around 4 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 124 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (40 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (40 miles) · I-805 North in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 West in San Diego (8 miles)

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

More drives

La Mesa to San Diego · La Mesa to Santa Monica · La Mesa to Chula Vista · La Mesa to Oceanside · La Mesa to Escondido · La Mesa to Carlsbad · La Mesa to Temecula · La Mesa to Murrieta · La Mesa to Vista · La Mesa to Mission Viejo · La Mesa to San Marcos · La Mesa to Menifee

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	97	102	99	96	97	99	98	100	105	112	107	95	91	89	88
Tue	87	89	97	109	107	100	97	98	98	102	111	121	117	102	92	89	88
Wed	87	90	97	110	107	100	98	99	98	103	113	124	121	104	93	89	88
Thu	87	89	96	108	107	100	99	99	99	102	115	122	123	105	93	90	88
Fri	87	90	94	97	98	98	98	101	106	113	120	120	108	99	95	90	87
Sat	87	88	88	89	94	99	105	105	105	103	101	101	97	95	93	90	87
Sun	87	88	88	89	90	96	105	107	109	107	105	102	100	97	93	90	87

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	97	102	99	96	97	99	98	100	105	112	107	95	91	89	88
Tue	87	89	97	109	107	100	97	98	98	102	111	121	117	102	92	89	88
Wed	87	90	97	110	107	100	98	99	98	103	113	124	121	104	93	89	88
Thu	87	89	96	108	107	100	99	99	99	102	115	122	123	105	93	90	88
Fri	87	90	94	97	98	98	98	101	106	113	120	120	108	99	95	90	87
Sat	87	88	88	89	94	99	105	105	105	103	101	101	97	95	93	90	87
Sun	87	88	88	89	90	96	105	107	109	107	105	102	100	97	93	90	87

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	87	89	97	102	99	96	97	99	98	100	105	112	107	95	91	89	88
Tue	87	89	97	109	107	100	97	98	98	102	111	121	117	102	92	89	88
Wed	87	90	97	110	107	100	98	99	98	103	113	124	121	104	93	89	88
Thu	87	89	96	108	107	100	99	99	99	102	115	122	123	105	93	90	88
Fri	87	90	94	97	98	98	98	101	106	113	120	120	108	99	95	90	87
Sat	87	88	88	89	94	99	105	105	105	103	101	101	97	95	93	90	87
Sun	87	88	88	89	90	96	105	107	109	107	105	102	100	97	93	90	87