Best Time to Drive from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach

Right now (8:05 pm PDT): about 49 minutes via I-5 South, usually 50 at this time.

Only 28% 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 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	58	68	71	58	52	56	54	58	56	71	83	82	71	58	50	47
Tue	46	58	77	79	62	54	54	55	55	60	73	86	86	75	64	54	47
Wed	46	57	75	77	63	54	54	55	55	58	61	76	75	63	57	52	47
Thu	46	56	73	76	63	56	59	59	62	61	77	84	86	77	63	52	49
Fri	46	55	66	67	61	56	55	57	62	70	78	81	81	77	61	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	54	55	59	59	59	62	63	61	57	56	53	53	50
Sun	47	47	47	47	49	53	53	57	57	58	59	57	56	55	55	54	50

About this drive

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 90 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6 am or after 9 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Saturdays (63 minutes).

About 43 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (9 to 11 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from Downtown LA (City Hall) to central Laguna Beach 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 Los Angeles to Laguna Beach?

On weekdays, leave before 6 am or after 9 pm. The drive usually takes about 46 minutes then, versus up to 90 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 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Los Angeles to Laguna Beach?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

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	58	68	71	58	52	56	54	58	56	71	83	82	71	58	50	47
Tue	46	58	77	79	62	54	54	55	55	60	73	86	86	75	64	54	47
Wed	46	57	75	77	63	54	54	55	55	58	61	76	75	63	57	52	47
Thu	46	56	73	76	63	56	59	59	62	61	77	84	86	77	63	52	49
Fri	46	55	66	67	61	56	55	57	62	70	78	81	81	77	61	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	54	55	59	59	59	62	63	61	57	56	53	53	50
Sun	47	47	47	47	49	53	53	57	57	58	59	57	56	55	55	54	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	58	68	71	58	52	56	54	58	56	71	83	82	71	58	50	47
Tue	46	58	77	79	62	54	54	55	55	60	73	86	86	75	64	54	47
Wed	46	57	75	77	63	54	54	55	55	58	61	76	75	63	57	52	47
Thu	46	56	73	76	63	56	59	59	62	61	77	84	86	77	63	52	49
Fri	46	55	66	67	61	56	55	57	62	70	78	81	81	77	61	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	54	55	59	59	59	62	63	61	57	56	53	53	50
Sun	47	47	47	47	49	53	53	57	57	58	59	57	56	55	55	54	50

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	46	58	68	71	58	52	56	54	58	56	71	83	82	71	58	50	47
Tue	46	58	77	79	62	54	54	55	55	60	73	86	86	75	64	54	47
Wed	46	57	75	77	63	54	54	55	55	58	61	76	75	63	57	52	47
Thu	46	56	73	76	63	56	59	59	62	61	77	84	86	77	63	52	49
Fri	46	55	66	67	61	56	55	57	62	70	78	81	81	77	61	54	49
Sat	47	48	49	51	54	55	59	59	59	62	63	61	57	56	53	53	50
Sun	47	47	47	47	49	53	53	57	57	58	59	57	56	55	55	54	50