Driving from LAX on our own.

[wallyeva123]

A rental car will cost as much as a hired car. How bad is the traffic really and are we nuts to do this? We don't have park tickets the day we arrive so we thought we'd go to the academy of motion pictures museum.

 

[DisSurfer878]

Not crazy at all. We don't live far from LAX and drive to Disney all the time even during rush hour.

 

[DLgal]

It's not crazy. People really overstate how "crazy" driving around LA is. It's fine. Rent the car. You will appreciate the freedom.

 

[LAX]

Prepare yourself mentally for gridlocks during rush hours (if you are not accustomed to traffic) and budget plenty of travel time between destinations.

LAX

 

[Vala]

It is not that bad, as long as you are prepared for gridlocks and long ones at that.

The first year I came my friends insisted on driving me everywhere saying traffic would be too much for me to deal with. It really wasn't that much worse than rush hour traffic in a large German city.

 

[Tigger's ally]

If you can live through rush hour in Atlanta, you can do LA.

 

[Encanto23]

When I compared prices for our trip last month, the hired car was the cheapest way to go. Once I added in the parking fees, gas $ and the car seat charges, it tipped the scale and became a no brainer. We went with Lansky and it was incredibly reliable and convenient.

 

[Iceman93]

It all depends on what traffic you're used to driving in. LA isn't, in my opinion, any worse than any other large city. In fact, in some ways it's better because the roads are in generally good condition and there's very good signage to help you out. Added to that, the drive from LAX to Disneyland is virtually all on freeways so you don't have to deal too much with surface streets.

 

[gelatoni fan]

Traffic can be stop & go for like an hour during certain times of day but I don't think it's really that much worse than other big cities in the US. In some parts of LA, some of the freeway on-ramps are short and when freeways merge, you may often have to switch multiple lanes in traffic which can confuse some first time visitors. Additionally, it may take you longer than you expect to pick up a rental car at LAX because you have to wait for the shuttle of the specific company that you rented from.

I sometimes rent a car at LAX, do something for a day and then drive down to Disneyland area where I return the car. I recommend eating dinner in LA and then driving down after traffic has died down if you plan to visit the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum.

 

[wabbott]

From LAX, drive down the coast along California 1, around Palos Verdes and Long Beach to about Huntington Beach, and then turn back north to Anaheim. If you're going to be gridlocked in traffic, where better on Planet Earth than looking out over the Pacific Ocean. We've mad this drive a couple of times, and it is spectacular. We'll be back next year.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Waze is your friend and works really well in So Cal. Agree that the fear of getting stuck in traffic here is WAY overblown!
Flying into LAX OTOH - THAT I would avoid! It's like a punch to the face once you get to the curb. LGB and SNA are a joy, and not even by comparison.

 

[Lumpy1106]

From LAX, drive down the coast along California 1, around Palos Verdes and Long Beach to about Huntington Beach, and then turn back north to Anaheim. If you're going to be gridlocked in traffic, where better on Planet Earth than looking out over the Pacific Ocean. We've mad this drive a couple of times, and it is spectacular. We'll be back next year.

Well that is the scenic route. I would revise to say you'll want to detour and take the 110 South to the Vincent Thomas bridge into downtown Long Beach. Continue on Ocean to 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, then pick up PCH on the other side - DO NOT take PCH through Terminal Island (especially at night, unless you are looking for a seedy stripper club, then by all means, you'll find it there).

 

[ParkHopper1]

Just use Waze and will tell you in real time quickest way to go

 

[longboard55]

Well that is the scenic route. I would revise to say you'll want to detour and take the 110 South to the Vincent Thomas bridge into downtown Long Beach. Continue on Ocean to 2nd Street in Belmont Shore, then pick up PCH on the other side - DO NOT take PCH through Terminal Island (especially at night, unless you are looking for a seedy stripper club, then by all means, you'll find it there).

too much time, I would do the 105 east (car pool lane) to the 605 south to the 91 east to 5 south

 

[Gypsybear]

Well, being from Texas, I actually PREFER to drive in SoCal. The roads are in MUCH better condition, and people are more polite, comparatively speaking. Of course, take that with a grain of salt, as I used to live in Thousand Oaks, and drove to Burbank M-F. And yes, I've driven in SoCal as recently as last month, and stick with what everyone has said. The traffic situation is way overblown, imo.

 

[PirateBrigade]

It's not... bad, per se, but I hate the rental car procedure at LAX, it's so antiquated.

Question -- are you planning to park your car full of luggage in Los Angeles? Make sure you stick to secured garages and keep your important stuff on you.

 

[Lesley Wake]

A rental car will cost as much as a hired car. How bad is the traffic really and are we nuts to do this? We don't have park tickets the day we arrive so we thought we'd go to the academy of motion pictures museum.

I live here and drive downtown every day. It can be annoying in gridlock, which really extends from 7am-11am, 2pm-7pm. There will be pockets of free flowing and then suddenly stop (usually near a freeway interchange or change in number of lanes).

I've heard good things about Academy museum but haven't been yet. It is out of the way from the route from LAX - Anaheim, and pushes you into the heavy gridlock areas around Hollywood/DTLA. So be careful of timing or just pack patience. There is still a considerable amount of construction on the I-5 (been expanding from 3 lanes to 5 each way, but not all portions have been changed so it goes 3 lanes - 4 lanes - 3 lanes - 5 lanes - 3 lanes - 5 lanes, which is aggravating); if you go to the Academy museum you will prob end up taking that route down to Anaheim.

And definitely Waze is a great help.

 

[midnight star]

too much time, I would do the 105 east (car pool lane) to the 605 south to the 91 east to 5 south

THIS!
Check on waze or Google before going but generally this is the shortest route mileage-wise from LAX to Anaheim.

 

[Lumpy1106]

too much time, I would do the 105 east (car pool lane) to the 605 south to the 91 east to 5 south

That's not very scenic.

 

[wabbott]

That's not very scenic.

Indeeed. With me, the journey itself is often the attraction, and I plan accordingly. Those of us who live east of the Rockies don't often get to see Malibu, La Jolla, Big Sur, Huntington Beach, the Golden Gate, or Palos Verdes. Freeway traffic you can see all over the US.