Best Time to Drive from Mission Viejo to La Mesa

Right now (3:21 pm PST): about 104 minutes via I-5 South, usually 80 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.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Mission Viejo to La Mesa 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	67	69	75	76	71	72	71	71	72	79	88	85	74	69	69	70	67
Tue	67	70	79	82	75	73	72	72	73	83	95	97	86	71	70	69	67
Wed	67	70	79	82	74	72	72	72	72	83	93	94	87	71	69	68	67
Thu	67	70	79	80	73	74	74	72	72	84	99	100	86	71	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	74	77	81	88	101	106	101	88	78	73	69	67
Sat	68	67	68	69	75	81	86	86	84	81	80	83	77	73	70	69	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	71	75	76	77	75	75	74	73	72	71	72	67

About this drive

On weekdays the 77-mile drive from Mission Viejo to La Mesa (via I-5 South) usually takes as little as 67 minutes and up to 106 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 76 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 10:30 am on Saturdays (86 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 Mission Viejo to central La Mesa 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 Mission Viejo to La Mesa?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 6 pm. The drive usually takes about 67 minutes then, versus up to 106 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 77-mile drive usually takes 67 to 106 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 76 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Mission Viejo to La Mesa?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 106 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-5 South in San Diego (37 miles) · I-5 South in Orange County (22 miles) · I-805 South in San Diego (10 miles) · I-8 East in San Diego (6 miles)

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

More drives

La Mesa to Mission Viejo (return trip) · Mission Viejo to Los Angeles · Mission Viejo to Santa Monica · Mission Viejo to Pasadena · Mission Viejo to Long Beach · Mission Viejo to West Covina · Mission Viejo to Burbank · Mission Viejo to Glendale · Mission Viejo to Van Nuys · Mission Viejo to Torrance · Mission Viejo to LAX · Mission Viejo to Hollywood

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	69	75	76	71	72	71	71	72	79	88	85	74	69	69	70	67
Tue	67	70	79	82	75	73	72	72	73	83	95	97	86	71	70	69	67
Wed	67	70	79	82	74	72	72	72	72	83	93	94	87	71	69	68	67
Thu	67	70	79	80	73	74	74	72	72	84	99	100	86	71	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	74	77	81	88	101	106	101	88	78	73	69	67
Sat	68	67	68	69	75	81	86	86	84	81	80	83	77	73	70	69	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	71	75	76	77	75	75	74	73	72	71	72	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	69	75	76	71	72	71	71	72	79	88	85	74	69	69	70	67
Tue	67	70	79	82	75	73	72	72	73	83	95	97	86	71	70	69	67
Wed	67	70	79	82	74	72	72	72	72	83	93	94	87	71	69	68	67
Thu	67	70	79	80	73	74	74	72	72	84	99	100	86	71	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	74	77	81	88	101	106	101	88	78	73	69	67
Sat	68	67	68	69	75	81	86	86	84	81	80	83	77	73	70	69	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	71	75	76	77	75	75	74	73	72	71	72	67

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	67	69	75	76	71	72	71	71	72	79	88	85	74	69	69	70	67
Tue	67	70	79	82	75	73	72	72	73	83	95	97	86	71	70	69	67
Wed	67	70	79	82	74	72	72	72	72	83	93	94	87	71	69	68	67
Thu	67	70	79	80	73	74	74	72	72	84	99	100	86	71	70	69	67
Fri	67	70	73	71	71	74	77	81	88	101	106	101	88	78	73	69	67
Sat	68	67	68	69	75	81	86	86	84	81	80	83	77	73	70	69	67
Sun	67	67	67	67	69	71	75	76	77	75	75	74	73	72	71	72	67