Drive from Vegas to LA/Costa Mesa

[calena]

Anything to see on the drive from LA/Costa Mesa? Stops on the way to make it more interesting or a detour to see some natural scenery etc? Thanks all. Deb

 

[MAGICFOR2]

If you are driving from Vegas to LA, there really is not much to see - although at Stateline, there is a great roller coaster, and a pretty lucky Casino Make sure you have water with you and that everyone has gone potty. Even when you get to LA, you may get stuck in traffic for a LOOOOONG time. Try to get there before 3:00pm. Have a great trip!

 

[Zoemakes5]

The last two times we've gone to SoCal, for my brother's wedding in July last year and to DL/Palm Springs in November, we flew in and out of Vegas because it literally cost us $800 less than flying in and out of any of the LA area airports (including the difference in price from the flight and rental car.)
I have to agree with Magic, there's really not much to see along the way. We got in at 1am and stayed at the border. Primm and Jean both have hotels. There's various rides and an outlet mall.
There's long stretches of that road that are pretty desolate. Nothing for miles and miles. We actually had to pull off the interstate and let the boys pee on the side of the road!
In Barstow, theres another outlet mall, and there's a nice in and out burger (I love in and out burgers!) and various sit down and fast food restaurants.
If AT ALL possible, refrain from driving towards LA on Sunday, frankly any time on Sunday, and from driving towards Vegas on Friday (though if you leave early in the day it isn't too terribly bad). You will start to get back ups going into LA a good two hours out (two hours being pre-congestion time) and going out of LA it will be a grid lock much of the way to Vegas. When we flew to Vegas last time, it was a Friday and as I mentioned it was 1am. When we drove to the border we saw the cars lined up still at 2am (which is about when we got all our stuff and made it to the border.) Both times I drove back to Vegas on Sunday and you would not believe the traffic I saw going back in to LA.
Good news, on a typical day avoiding rush hour, it should only take you about 4-4.5 hours of drive time.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

(I love in and out burgers!) Oh Yeah! Maybe someday they will have In-N-Out at Disney

 

[calena]

what are in and out burgers? Deb

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I don't know the roads enough to give exact locations, but they are all over the state of California. Order a double-double animal style - bring your appetite!

 

[MateasMom]

Do you shop There are LOTS of outlet malls along the way. Do you shop GAP you'll be so happy then LOL. The outlet mall in Lenwood (just south of Barstow....where In and Out is!) has a GAP and Old Navy outlet (the mall facing the freeway....not the run down mall). If you go to the mall office and show your AAA card (or pay like $2 without AAA) they'll give you coupon books which include a 25-30% off coupon for GAP and Old Navy That strip mall is tiny, but has a few other worthwhile stops (Guess, Tommy, Reebock/Rockport). Clean bathrooms too.

At state line there's another outlet mall. Much bigger then the Lenwood one (though we *ALWAYS* do Lenwood since I love GAP and that 30% off coupon!). It's got a food court (though IMO nothing good) and is connected to one of the casinos. The plus about this one....Pottery Barn outlet! I think it's the only one on the west coast. It's listed as William Sonoma, but also carries PB and Holds Everything merch.

Anyways. Those are my big stops on the way to Vegas LOL.

 

[tracys2cents]

When are you doing this drive? They keep having warnings all over the news that the 15 freeway is closed in both directions on certain days. Well, not CLOSED, but two and three hour delays.

 

[calena]

We drive from Vegas to LA on Friday, October 27. We drive from LA on either Tuesday, October 31 or Wednesday November 1 to Las Vegas.
Deb

Is there a website to find the freeway closures/delays?

 

[tracys2cents]

I think the delays are 9pm Fridays to 5am Mondays both directions....they usually mention "Cajon Pass" and "Devore Exit" so if you do a search maybe you can double-check.

I recently left LV on a Friday at 2pm and had no traffic problems. However, I would leave around 9am if I were going to San Diego, you don't want to hit the Riverside area (where the 10 and 15 freeways meet) anytime between 7am to 10am or 3:30pm to 7:30pm because it's always a mess.

Pay attention to those hours on the return trip as well. Drive carefully, some people can be kinda crazy on the Vegas to L.A. route, passing on the right, zig zagging, speeding, etc. Cars usually travel in "packs", try to drop back out of the pack whenever possible.

 

[woody73]

Just back from four nights in L.V.

Construction on Interstate 15 is Fridays through Sundays.

Woody