Best Time to Drive from Solvang to Santa Monica

Right now (12:51 am PST): about 143 minutes via US-101 South.

Only 17% 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 Solvang to Santa Monica 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	140	141	142	147	147	145	147	149	150	160	171	173	158	144	141	141	140
Tue	140	141	142	148	148	144	146	147	148	156	168	172	160	147	141	141	141
Wed	140	141	141	149	151	146	149	149	150	156	166	173	156	146	142	141	140
Thu	140	142	142	147	147	145	147	150	148	155	170	179	167	150	142	141	140
Fri	140	141	142	146	148	148	151	155	156	162	174	177	159	149	144	141	140
Sat	140	140	140	140	141	143	147	148	146	147	148	147	144	142	142	141	140
Sun	140	140	140	140	141	144	149	156	160	159	153	150	146	143	142	141	140

About this drive

On weekdays the 118-mile drive from Solvang to Santa Monica (via US-101 South) usually takes as little as 140 minutes and up to 179 minutes, when leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 2 pm or after 5:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 151 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1:30 pm on Sundays (161 minutes).

About 47 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 71 miles surface streets (99 to 114 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Solvang to downtown Santa Monica 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 Solvang to Santa Monica?

On weekdays, leave before 2 pm or after 5:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 140 minutes then, versus up to 179 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Solvang to Santa Monica?

The 118-mile drive usually takes 140 to 179 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 151 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Solvang to Santa Monica?

Leaving around 4 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 179 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

US-101 South in Los Angeles (18 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow

More drives

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	141	142	147	147	145	147	149	150	160	171	173	158	144	141	141	140
Tue	140	141	142	148	148	144	146	147	148	156	168	172	160	147	141	141	141
Wed	140	141	141	149	151	146	149	149	150	156	166	173	156	146	142	141	140
Thu	140	142	142	147	147	145	147	150	148	155	170	179	167	150	142	141	140
Fri	140	141	142	146	148	148	151	155	156	162	174	177	159	149	144	141	140
Sat	140	140	140	140	141	143	147	148	146	147	148	147	144	142	142	141	140
Sun	140	140	140	140	141	144	149	156	160	159	153	150	146	143	142	141	140

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	141	142	147	147	145	147	149	150	160	171	173	158	144	141	141	140
Tue	140	141	142	148	148	144	146	147	148	156	168	172	160	147	141	141	141
Wed	140	141	141	149	151	146	149	149	150	156	166	173	156	146	142	141	140
Thu	140	142	142	147	147	145	147	150	148	155	170	179	167	150	142	141	140
Fri	140	141	142	146	148	148	151	155	156	162	174	177	159	149	144	141	140
Sat	140	140	140	140	141	143	147	148	146	147	148	147	144	142	142	141	140
Sun	140	140	140	140	141	144	149	156	160	159	153	150	146	143	142	141	140

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	140	141	142	147	147	145	147	149	150	160	171	173	158	144	141	141	140
Tue	140	141	142	148	148	144	146	147	148	156	168	172	160	147	141	141	141
Wed	140	141	141	149	151	146	149	149	150	156	166	173	156	146	142	141	140
Thu	140	142	142	147	147	145	147	150	148	155	170	179	167	150	142	141	140
Fri	140	141	142	146	148	148	151	155	156	162	174	177	159	149	144	141	140
Sat	140	140	140	140	141	143	147	148	146	147	148	147	144	142	142	141	140
Sun	140	140	140	140	141	144	149	156	160	159	153	150	146	143	142	141	140