Disneyland to San Francisco?

[Buzz's Buddy]

We are planning our first trip to DL and California next June.

We had initially planned to also visit San Diego but are now considering San Francisco. Could someone please give me a realistic idea about how long it takes to get from Disneyland to SF?

Thanks in advance!

 

[lark]

We are planning our first trip to DL and California next June.

We had initially planned to also visit San Diego but are now considering San Francisco. Could someone please give me a realistic idea about how long it takes to get from Disneyland to SF?

Thanks in advance!

The hardest part should be getting through L.A. Once you get north of the L.A. metropolis area, it should be 4 to 5 hours of reasonably smooth sailing, depending on how fast you drive. In normal conditions, I would think somewhere around 5.5 to 6.5 hours total should be a good guess.

 

[CalGal]

I agree with lark, assuming you are traveling I5 and not making stops. If you want more of the California experience, add about 1 1/2 hours and go 101 one direction, or add another couple hours still and spend some time one hwy 1. I5 is fast and boring. Hwy 101 takes you along the coast for a spell, and through rolling hills for much of the way.

San Diego, on the other hand, is around 1 1/2 - 2 hours south of DL if you don't travel during the heaviest traffic periods.

 

[Vanvmom]

We live just south of Sacramento and the drive from home from DL (once you come down the hill outside of the Grapevine on I-5) it takes about 5 hours to get home (with a gas stop and a quick pit stop). The drive from DL to the foot of the Grapevine is normally under 2 hours (unless you hit traffic). The cut off on I-5 to head to SF instead of Sac. (through Tracey) is about 50 miles south of our house, so based on our experiences, I would guess your drive once outside of LA should take about 6-7 hours (depending on how fast you drive).

 

[Vanvmom]

The hardest part should be getting through L.A. Once you get north of the L.A. metropolis area, it should be 4 to 5 hours of reasonably smooth sailing, depending on how fast you drive. In normal conditions, I would think somewhere around 5.5 to 6.5 hours total should be a good guess.

I usually drive I-5 with the flow of traffic (meaning faster than the speed limit) and the fastest we've ever gotten from Northern Ca to DL is between 7 and 8 hours. This was driving between the hours of 3 am and 11 am. The longest it has taken us was 12 hours (all drive time thanks to heavy traffic not pit stops) and this was between the hours of 2pm and 2am.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Thanks for the help!

We've never been further west than Pittsburgh, so we're really looking forward to our trip to California next year. I wish we could spend several weeks out there, but it looks like we'll probably only have 7 to 10 days.

Soooo many things to see and do....so little time!

 

[challada]

Driving to/from San Francisco is going to eat at least 2 of your days...we have done the drive several times (NOT down 101 which is where my parents actually live, but we go over to the highway to make it faster) and can tell you it is NOT only 5 hours....we usually leave San Fran in the morning (ie 8-9 am) and with a stop for gas and a stop for lunch, end up in LA right in time for afternoon traffic (yes, traffic jams start somewhere around 3 pm there)...it then usually takes an additional hour or two to crawl through LA traffic to DL. Leaving DL, you will crawl through the LA traffic as well (again, add that hour or two) unless you decide to leave at something like 2 am. and then add the actual highway time up. Therefore, you will lose one day in driving up, one day in driving back. I don't know how many of you there are in your group, but you might be better served by hopping on one of the commuter flights up to SF from LA and getting that extra time to play around in SF (definitely a city to see if you have never been there...have a bowl of chowder at Fisherman's Wharf for me!).

 

[disneychrista]

Realistically I would plan for 7.5 - 8 hours. We live about 2 hours north of SF and it takes between 9 - 10 hours.

 

[CalGal]

Again, I think the determining factor is traffic, how long and often you stop, and the route you take. Mapquest specifies a travel time of under 6 hours from SF to DL via I5, and close to 7 hours via 101. The I5 distance is just over 400 miles, but most of this is at top speed limits, but this doesn't fully account for stops and traffic.. Add stops for lunch, gas, potty breaks, energy release, etc., and you can expect some of the times indicated here. Add LA and bay area traffic, it's longer still. Add coming upon the GrapeVine and finding its been closed due to a toxic spill...

I've made it from LA to the SF Peninsula in around 6 hours with a rest stop plus a restroom and a gift shop break at Harris Ranch. Even though the peninsula is 30-40 minutes south of SF, it's not much further in time away from DL.

 

[disneychrista]

*****ula

Looks like you ,might have misspelled peninsula the second time.

 

[CalGal]

oops. I don't find the "embarassed" in the smiles list. I do wish these posts had spell check!

 

[boosmom96]

I would highly recommend you take the time and drive up Highway 1. If you could swing it, I would spend a night in Monterey to split the drive. (It's probably about 2-3 hours from Monterey to SF.) It is a wonderful way to get a feeling for the amazing scope of our state's coastline. The difference between the southern and northern coast is breathtaking. If you are renting a car I would look into the option of dropping it off in SF and flying out of here. This would save you some time.
If you want to drive I-5, I would suggest you leave Anaheim around noon. This way you'll miss the LA rush and should hit the outskirts of the Bay Area around 6:30 pm. (Taking into account a gas/potty break and fast food.) At this time the majority of traffic is heading east on 580 (the route you would take off of I-5) and you'll be heading west. You would probably hit some traffic on the Bay Bridge, but it most likely would not be gridlock. It is hard to predict more precisely. Things like Giants home games, festivals or parades can create gridlock at the oddest time.
If you do plan on flying out of the Bay Area, I suggest you take a look at the airports in Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJO). We just came back from DL and it was $100 per person cheaper to fly out of Oakland, however we are flying to Orlando on Nov and SFO is cheaper and has a direct flight. Oakland and San Jose are much easier airports to navigate, SFO can be a nightmare!!
Good luch deciding. I am sure you will have a great time in the Bay Area, whichever way you decide to get here!!

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

I love the idea of flying into LA and flying home from SF!

The problem is that we are using frequent flier miles on USAirways and I'm not sure I can fly into one airport and leave from another. Anyone have experience with this?

Incidentally, there will be 4 of us traveling. Myself, DW, DD14 and DS8.

 

[boosmom96]

I've done it, but never on Frequent flyer miles. I would call the airline directly and check it out. It would give you more time!

 

[disneydenisel]

We just drove back from Newport Coast to San Jose on Thursday. Unlucky us, we left the area at 11AM, thinking that this would be a good time to leave. It usually takes us 6 hours to get home (388 miles). Well, there was that big rig accident at 4AM that closed I-5 in both directions for most of the day. We had driven 43 miles and 90 minutes out of town when the flashing signs said that I-5 North was closed at Castaic until 5PM. We had to quickly decide what to do, so we took 101 North all the way home. It is a pretty drive, passing through the coastal towns on the Pacific Coast Highway. You can see the ocean for a good part of the drive, which is nice. BUT, on a day like Thursday, with everyone being re-routed, it took us 9 hours to get to San Jose, and we only stopped once for gas and a potty break.

So, on a good day, 6 hours to San Jose (add another hour to San Francisco, assuming you are driving during non-commute hours). On a bad day, add 3 hours on top of that.

I vowed to save my money and fly next time. It was not a fun drive.

 

[boosmom96]

We just drove back from Newport Coast to San Jose on Thursday. Unlucky us, we left the area at 11AM, thinking that this would be a good time to leave. It usually takes us 6 hours to get home (388 miles). Well, there was that big rig accident at 4AM that closed I-5 in both directions for most of the day. We had driven 43 miles and 90 minutes out of town when the flashing signs said that I-5 North was closed at Castaic until 5PM. We had to quickly decide what to do, so we took 101 North all the way home. It is a pretty drive, passing through the coastal towns on the Pacific Coast Highway. You can see the ocean for a good part of the drive, which is nice. BUT, on a day like Thursday, with everyone being re-routed, it took us 9 hours to get to San Jose, and we only stopped once for gas and a potty break.

So, on a good day, 6 hours to San Jose (add another hour to San Francisco, assuming you are driving during non-commute hours). On a bad day, add 3 hours on top of that.

I vowed to save my money and fly next time. It was not a fun drive.

I'm so sorry you got caught in that!! We got home late Wednesday (we flew) and I felt so bad for everyone driving on Thursday when I heard about that. 101 is nice, but not with that kind of traffic!!
I hope you had a good time in DL, though.

 

[disneydenisel]

I'm so sorry you got caught in that!! We got home late Wednesday (we flew) and I felt so bad for everyone driving on Thursday when I heard about that. 101 is nice, but not with that kind of traffic!!
I hope you had a good time in DL, though.

My special needs daughter refused to go to DL, so we went to the beaches and Legoland instead. I would have preferred DL, but it just wasn't meant to be this time around. We'll be at WDW in November, and we're staying onsite, so we will be surrounded by the magic. But I did feel sad driving by DL twice and not being able to stop and visit. Without kids, I would have certainly gone, and if I was stuck in traffic by myself, I would have just turned around and gone to DL!!

 

[disneefamily]

Disneedad Says............................................ I never thought I would ever say this, but stay in SoCal and do San Diego. Drive time will kill ya.

Nor Cal has so much to offer you need a week just to be a tourist!

1. In San Francisco you must do, Golden Gate park and the museums there, cable cars and Fishermans wharf. And see where Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers escaped from ALCATRAZ.

2. A couple hours south is Monterrey/Carmel, with 17 mile drive, the Aquarium, and Pebble Beach.

3. Barely an hour away is the wine country. Go to Sonoma, Rutherford, Kenwood etc... the best wines on earth. We only go to Napa for auto parts!

4. Muir Woods is less than an hour away.

5. This is an amusement thread, so.......Six Flags in Vallejo is about an hour away.

6. And this doesn't include, Bodega Bay, Jack London Square, Berkley, Half Moon Bay, San Jose, Marin County, nor longer trips to Sacramento, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Mount Shasta, etc...

 

[disneychrista]

We only go to Napa for auto parts!

 

[boosmom96]

3. Barely an hour away is the wine country. Go to Sonoma, Rutherford, Kenwood etc... the best wines on earth. We only go to Napa for auto parts!

I grew up in Sonoma County and boy are you right!! Add Healdsburg, Geyserville to the list!!

You left off the Mendocino Coast!!!