Best Time to Drive from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 65 minutes via I-5 North, usually 56 at this time.

Only 7% 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.

On weekdays the 51-mile drive from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles (via I-5 North) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 56 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 4:30 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Los Angeles to Laguna Beach

Freeway, about 45 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 6 miles: 7 to 8 minutes on weekdays, estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time (we don't have street sensors yet). Drive times are measured from central Laguna Beach to Downtown LA (City Hall) along the route shown. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles 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	48	55	60	62	57	54	54	54	55	57	62	63	63	57	50	48	46
Tue	47	57	64	65	60	56	55	55	55	57	63	66	67	60	52	48	47
Wed	48	57	64	66	61	56	55	55	56	59	65	68	68	61	53	49	47
Thu	48	57	64	64	60	57	56	55	56	58	63	67	66	60	53	49	47
Fri	47	54	57	57	55	56	57	58	60	64	69	69	69	63	53	50	47
Sat	46	48	48	50	52	55	57	57	59	59	59	60	59	56	53	51	47
Sun	46	47	47	48	49	52	55	55	57	56	56	55	55	54	54	53	47

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 Laguna Beach to Los Angeles?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles?

The 51-mile drive usually takes 46 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 56 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Laguna Beach to Los Angeles?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 North in Orange County (29 miles) · I-5 North in Los Angeles (11 miles) · SR-133 North in Orange County (4 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow · Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Los Angeles to Laguna Beach (return trip)

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	55	60	62	57	54	54	54	55	57	62	63	63	57	50	48	46
Tue	47	57	64	65	60	56	55	55	55	57	63	66	67	60	52	48	47
Wed	48	57	64	66	61	56	55	55	56	59	65	68	68	61	53	49	47
Thu	48	57	64	64	60	57	56	55	56	58	63	67	66	60	53	49	47
Fri	47	54	57	57	55	56	57	58	60	64	69	69	69	63	53	50	47
Sat	46	48	48	50	52	55	57	57	59	59	59	60	59	56	53	51	47
Sun	46	47	47	48	49	52	55	55	57	56	56	55	55	54	54	53	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	55	60	62	57	54	54	54	55	57	62	63	63	57	50	48	46
Tue	47	57	64	65	60	56	55	55	55	57	63	66	67	60	52	48	47
Wed	48	57	64	66	61	56	55	55	56	59	65	68	68	61	53	49	47
Thu	48	57	64	64	60	57	56	55	56	58	63	67	66	60	53	49	47
Fri	47	54	57	57	55	56	57	58	60	64	69	69	69	63	53	50	47
Sat	46	48	48	50	52	55	57	57	59	59	59	60	59	56	53	51	47
Sun	46	47	47	48	49	52	55	55	57	56	56	55	55	54	54	53	47

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	48	55	60	62	57	54	54	54	55	57	62	63	63	57	50	48	46
Tue	47	57	64	65	60	56	55	55	55	57	63	66	67	60	52	48	47
Wed	48	57	64	66	61	56	55	55	56	59	65	68	68	61	53	49	47
Thu	48	57	64	64	60	57	56	55	56	58	63	67	66	60	53	49	47
Fri	47	54	57	57	55	56	57	58	60	64	69	69	69	63	53	50	47
Sat	46	48	48	50	52	55	57	57	59	59	59	60	59	56	53	51	47
Sun	46	47	47	48	49	52	55	55	57	56	56	55	55	54	54	53	47