Best Time to Drive from Laguna Beach to San Diego

Right now (6:17 pm PDT): about 69 minutes via I-5 South, usually 69 at this time.

Only 49% 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.

About this drive

On weekdays the 72-mile drive from Laguna Beach to San Diego (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 115 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 6 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 77 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (106 minutes).

About 62 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (13 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Laguna Beach to downtown San Diego 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 Laguna Beach to San Diego?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 115 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Laguna Beach to San Diego?

The 72-mile drive usually takes 67 to 115 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 77 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Laguna Beach to San Diego?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 115 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (46 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (13 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (3 miles)

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

More drives

San Diego to Laguna Beach (return trip) · Laguna Beach to Los Angeles

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