Best Time to Drive from La Mesa to Mission Viejo

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 71 minutes via I-5 North, usually 75 at this time.

Only 51% 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 Mission Viejo 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	66	67	71	80	77	73	72	72	71	71	74	81	80	70	69	69	68
Tue	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	72	71	72	80	88	86	76	69	69	67
Wed	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	73	72	73	82	91	91	78	70	69	67
Thu	66	67	71	83	82	75	73	73	72	74	84	91	94	79	71	70	67
Fri	66	68	70	75	73	72	73	75	78	83	90	90	80	72	71	70	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	69	74	79	80	78	76	75	74	72	70	70	70	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	72	80	82	83	81	77	76	74	70	71	70	66

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from La Mesa to Mission Viejo (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 66 minutes and up to 94 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 73 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12:30 pm on Sundays (83 minutes).

About 75 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 1.5 miles surface streets (1 to 2 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central La Mesa to central Mission Viejo 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 Mission Viejo?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 6:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 66 minutes then, versus up to 94 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from La Mesa to Mission Viejo?

The 77-mile drive usually takes 66 to 94 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 73 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from La Mesa to Mission Viejo?

Leaving around 5 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 94 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in San Diego (40 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (17 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

Mission Viejo to La Mesa (return trip) · 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 San Marcos · La Mesa to Anaheim

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	67	71	80	77	73	72	72	71	71	74	81	80	70	69	69	68
Tue	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	72	71	72	80	88	86	76	69	69	67
Wed	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	73	72	73	82	91	91	78	70	69	67
Thu	66	67	71	83	82	75	73	73	72	74	84	91	94	79	71	70	67
Fri	66	68	70	75	73	72	73	75	78	83	90	90	80	72	71	70	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	69	74	79	80	78	76	75	74	72	70	70	70	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	72	80	82	83	81	77	76	74	70	71	70	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	67	71	80	77	73	72	72	71	71	74	81	80	70	69	69	68
Tue	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	72	71	72	80	88	86	76	69	69	67
Wed	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	73	72	73	82	91	91	78	70	69	67
Thu	66	67	71	83	82	75	73	73	72	74	84	91	94	79	71	70	67
Fri	66	68	70	75	73	72	73	75	78	83	90	90	80	72	71	70	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	69	74	79	80	78	76	75	74	72	70	70	70	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	72	80	82	83	81	77	76	74	70	71	70	66

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	66	67	71	80	77	73	72	72	71	71	74	81	80	70	69	69	68
Tue	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	72	71	72	80	88	86	76	69	69	67
Wed	66	68	71	85	83	75	72	73	72	73	82	91	91	78	70	69	67
Thu	66	67	71	83	82	75	73	73	72	74	84	91	94	79	71	70	67
Fri	66	68	70	75	73	72	73	75	78	83	90	90	80	72	71	70	67
Sat	67	67	67	68	69	74	79	80	78	76	75	74	72	70	70	70	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	68	72	80	82	83	81	77	76	74	70	71	70	66