Best Time to Drive from San Clemente to Huntington Beach

Right now (6:03 pm PDT): about 38 minutes via SR-73 North and I-5 North, usually 36 at this time.

Only 63% 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 San Clemente to Huntington 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	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	35
Tue	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Wed	35	36	36	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	37	35
Thu	35	36	36	36	37	36	37	37	37	37	36	37	36	36	36	36	35
Fri	35	36	36	36	36	37	37	37	38	38	39	38	37	36	36	36	36
Sat	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	40	41	39	39	38	38	37	36	36	35
Sun	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	38	38	39	40	40	39	38	36	36	35

About this drive

On weekdays the 34-mile drive from San Clemente to Huntington Beach (via SR-73 North and I-5 North) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 39 minutes, when leaving around 3 pm on Fridays. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 37 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 3:30 pm on Sundays (41 minutes).

About 24 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 10 miles surface streets (14 to 15 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Clemente to central Huntington 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 San Clemente to Huntington Beach?

On weekdays, leave early in the morning or late in the evening. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 39 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Clemente to Huntington Beach?

The 34-mile drive usually takes 35 to 39 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 37 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Clemente to Huntington Beach?

Leaving around 3 pm on Fridays is usually slowest, about 39 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-73 North in Orange County (13 miles) · I-5 North in Orange County (11 miles)

Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Huntington Beach to San Clemente (return trip) · San Clemente to Los Angeles · San Clemente to San Diego · San Clemente to Santa Monica · San Clemente to Long Beach · San Clemente to Anaheim · San Clemente to Riverside · San Clemente to Santa Ana · San Clemente to Chula Vista · San Clemente to Irvine · San Clemente to San Bernardino · San Clemente to Santa Barbara

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	35
Tue	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Wed	35	36	36	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	37	35
Thu	35	36	36	36	37	36	37	37	37	37	36	37	36	36	36	36	35
Fri	35	36	36	36	36	37	37	37	38	38	39	38	37	36	36	36	36
Sat	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	40	41	39	39	38	38	37	36	36	35
Sun	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	38	38	39	40	40	39	38	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	35
Tue	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Wed	35	36	36	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	37	35
Thu	35	36	36	36	37	36	37	37	37	37	36	37	36	36	36	36	35
Fri	35	36	36	36	36	37	37	37	38	38	39	38	37	36	36	36	36
Sat	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	40	41	39	39	38	38	37	36	36	35
Sun	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	38	38	39	40	40	39	38	36	36	35

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	35	35	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36	36	35
Tue	35	36	36	36	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	37	36	36	36	36	36
Wed	35	36	36	36	37	38	38	37	38	37	37	37	36	36	36	37	35
Thu	35	36	36	36	37	36	37	37	37	37	36	37	36	36	36	36	35
Fri	35	36	36	36	36	37	37	37	38	38	39	38	37	36	36	36	36
Sat	35	36	36	36	36	36	38	40	41	39	39	38	38	37	36	36	35
Sun	35	36	36	36	36	36	36	38	38	39	40	40	39	38	36	36	35