Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach

Right now (6:24 pm PDT): about 66 minutes via I-5 South, usually 63 at this time.

Only 2% 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 50-mile drive from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 46 minutes and up to 80 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 58 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (62 minutes).

⇄ Reverse trip: Laguna Beach to Los Angeles

Freeway, about 43 miles: times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors. Surface streets, about 7 miles: 9 to 11 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 Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Laguna Beach 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 Los Angeles to Laguna Beach 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	46	54	66	68	58	53	54	55	57	59	66	73	75	65	55	49	47
Tue	46	56	73	75	61	55	55	56	57	60	68	76	79	69	58	51	47
Wed	46	56	71	74	63	56	56	57	58	62	70	76	80	69	58	51	48
Thu	46	55	71	72	62	57	58	58	60	62	71	77	80	70	60	52	48
Fri	47	54	63	63	58	56	57	58	61	68	75	78	77	72	60	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	53	54	56	57	59	62	62	62	61	58	53	52	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	51	53	55	56	58	59	58	56	54	53	53	49

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 Los Angeles to Laguna Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 80 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 50-mile drive usually takes 46 to 80 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 58 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 80 minutes.

Estimate this drive for any day and departure time →

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in Orange County (25 miles) · I-5 South in Los Angeles (13 miles) · SR-133 South in Orange County (3 miles) · US-101 South in Los Angeles (3 miles)

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

More drives

Laguna Beach to Los Angeles (return trip) · Los Angeles to Santa Monica · Los Angeles to Long Beach · Los Angeles to West Covina · Los Angeles to Burbank · Los Angeles to Glendale · Los Angeles to Santa Clarita · Los Angeles to Van Nuys · Los Angeles to Torrance · Los Angeles to Hollywood · Los Angeles to Culver City · Los Angeles to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	54	66	68	58	53	54	55	57	59	66	73	75	65	55	49	47
Tue	46	56	73	75	61	55	55	56	57	60	68	76	79	69	58	51	47
Wed	46	56	71	74	63	56	56	57	58	62	70	76	80	69	58	51	48
Thu	46	55	71	72	62	57	58	58	60	62	71	77	80	70	60	52	48
Fri	47	54	63	63	58	56	57	58	61	68	75	78	77	72	60	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	53	54	56	57	59	62	62	62	61	58	53	52	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	51	53	55	56	58	59	58	56	54	53	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	54	66	68	58	53	54	55	57	59	66	73	75	65	55	49	47
Tue	46	56	73	75	61	55	55	56	57	60	68	76	79	69	58	51	47
Wed	46	56	71	74	63	56	56	57	58	62	70	76	80	69	58	51	48
Thu	46	55	71	72	62	57	58	58	60	62	71	77	80	70	60	52	48
Fri	47	54	63	63	58	56	57	58	61	68	75	78	77	72	60	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	53	54	56	57	59	62	62	62	61	58	53	52	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	51	53	55	56	58	59	58	56	54	53	53	49

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	54	66	68	58	53	54	55	57	59	66	73	75	65	55	49	47
Tue	46	56	73	75	61	55	55	56	57	60	68	76	79	69	58	51	47
Wed	46	56	71	74	63	56	56	57	58	62	70	76	80	69	58	51	48
Thu	46	55	71	72	62	57	58	58	60	62	71	77	80	70	60	52	48
Fri	47	54	63	63	58	56	57	58	61	68	75	78	77	72	60	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	53	54	56	57	59	62	62	62	61	58	53	52	49
Sun	47	47	47	48	49	51	53	55	56	58	59	58	56	54	53	53	49