The I-5 Drive

[kmsandrbs]

If there's an exit you like to stop at other than listed or just want to see where you're favorite items are check out:


The I-5 Guide to Food & Services (http://drivei5.com)


Happy Trails!

Wow. Guess they just really like this scenic drive :D

[Scalper10]

Cool thread!

For me (also in the East Bay Concord,Clayton)

Windmills (Altamont) Though lately I have been taking Marsh Creek to Vasco

Pea Soup Andersons hour & ½ into the drive

Harris Ranch Coalinga Halfway there Gas,snack bathroom break

Grapevine Home stretch

Magic Mountain stop at Lyons Ave In N Out Burger not as cool since there are some local.

The Citadel mall TRAFFIC!!!

Knotts 10 minutes!

Harbor Check in Lets go!

[stitchlvr]

Boy, I sure could have used this thread a week ago! We were looking for an In N Out just yesterday. Oh well, I'll just print out the info for the next trip.

[McKmouse]

Wow. Guess they just really like this scenic drive :D


I know, it's just sooooooo beautiful! :fez:

[capst]

I guess you can say that a good landmark for either direction would be Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. One of the first things you pass coming down the grapevine, or before you get to it if you're going north. LOL! :p :~D

But just before that (if you are traveling Southbound) on your left you'll find the L.A. County Jail complex on your left. Mostly invisible from the road. 10,000 inmates, no waiting. Working there now while I type this, but I'd rather be at DL. LOL!

[phoenixfire2k5]

But just before that (if you are traveling Southbound) on your left you'll find the L.A. County Jail complex on your left. Mostly invisible from the road. 10,000 inmates, no waiting. Working there now while I type this, but I'd rather be at DL. LOL!

Hmm, can't picture it.

Maybe its just me, maybe I'm just evil.

But maybe they should put a maximum security prison right next to Magic Mountain. No one can escape or get out, but every day they have to be forced to listen to people, families having fun on the rollercoasters. Enjoying their freedom. That, would be sheer torture. :~D :p

At least for me it would. A lesson to those not to break the law.

[BigAlH]

We live near Sacramento and we take our trailer down (me, wife, 2 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog all in truck :D ). After doing a straight shot several years ago we decided to break the trip up. We hit the (formerly KOA) Lost Hills RV park and stay a day there before going down. A nice cool swim really helps. This lets us take our time going down for any number of stops we need. It's just over 1/2 way to Anaheim.

We also do this on the way back to avoid the straight shot. At under $40 for a night it's been well worth it for us. We don't arrive completely dead...

-al

[LOYL2DZNY]

i think it's called the "citadel" shopping mall. that's when i know we're pretty close. i live in the SF bay area, so it's only about a 5-6 hour drive (depending on who's driving).

[Shortiemetoo]

Originally Posted by McKmouse
We live in Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek area: We usually go I-580 to I-5 to the I-210 to Hwy 57.

Where does this end up McKmouse???
Do you re-enter I-5 down near disneyland???
thanks!

[McKmouse]

Originally Posted by McKmouse
We live in Pleasant Hill/Walnut Creek area: We usually go I-580 to I-5 to the I-210 to Hwy 57.

Where does this end up McKmouse???
Do you re-enter I-5 down near disneyland???
thanks!


Hey there Shortie,

You can get off the 57 in a couple of places, depending on which end of Disney you want to end up at.

Here'e a link to a map from Mapquest – you'll see the 57, 5 and Disney Way. You can cut over on Ball Rd. or Katella.

Map of 57 & 5 near Disneyland (http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?pan=e&ovi=1&mapdata=OE4WNszgW9x9pn9aZ4r19VcBx7T6f8vTTxDlN3ZdOH xuUcabiId1xFa%2bipraDj2D65F4MdmrzzIPp4%2fmRvAn4j6o %2b%2b95YhRcSGo%2bnityzdAQEzhIyT9C3pw0NBCrlc7JmHkU n%2fVQuiIT5hkgT7q%2fPL02kHXyJ%2fmmqL98RV%2b6kCEAVL gE4ZETbxJt1SVOIHtn%2fa67FUGF8EVctaUZO3WBVuvZhCiQ10 RA9majlxM%2frQ59HyQmMN8PL%2fJfaE6YMIkAYA%2fn6QaUA8 TTxcHiQiBiaMUUmK%2biHZaOB%2b%2fnVTwmOxBkkfpwKHcD%2 bFLnbvKRK1ZVA4VzzFaX62W%2baaERkPSu2NvngLudALlMfJ2K 87y7a1%2fjRvMp4vDVJuwozqJ1tmygzy2klaFoYtb5GtTnKhtm IvkM6SG1nfUBXeQhJ7tzAQqAn%2fX0UiGZBsv9itV%2b%2f26S D6swAZ5bnVcPikq7LYci7A%3d%3d)

Zoom in or out to see more.

Hope this helps!!

:D

[with_5]

Halfway for us is Santa Nella. We usually stop there for the night on our way down. The next stop for us is either Laval Rd or Rye Canyon Rd. It all depends on how the kids are doing. We end up doing basically the same thing on the return trip unless we are going to stop in Sacramento.

[Shortiemetoo]

Hey there Shortie,

You can get off the 57 in a couple of places, depending on which end of Disney you want to end up at.

Here'e a link to a map from Mapquest – you'll see the 57, 5 and Disney Way. You can cut over on Ball Rd. or Katella.



Thank you so much!!! I was talking to my son in law and daughter today and I think we are going to try that!!!
Thanks again!!!!

[McKmouse]

Thank you so much!!! I was talking to my son in law and daughter today and I think we are going to try that!!!
Thanks again!!!!

gotta just love the back door in...

hope it all works out well. take a city/street map with you as you never know where there may be a traffic jam. :)

Leaving in 1 day plaus 19 hrs.... :D

[yeartolate]

Harris Ranch Coalinga Halfway there Gas,snack bathroom break



If you are talking Harris Ranch --- what type of gas are you refering to? :D

[disneymeimei]

This thread has been great! We have been faithful to the 101 south to 5 to DL for the last six years or so. From all we have read, we more than likely will go the I5 route with the "shortcuts" mentioned. The sooner we can get to DL the better...

Thanks to all of you who posted route alternatives...

MeiMei

[kimc0486]

I'm from Seattle and have never done the drive, but I have taken Amtrak down. Has anyone ever done that? I loved it and hated it at the same time. Nice sights, slooooow speed though. Almost two days on the train!!!

[Lekta]

Ouch 2 days!?! That would kill us! We want to spend out entire time off in the Park area, which is why we sometimes take a plane down. 1.5 hours = 3 hrs round trip. 16 hr drive = 32 hrs roundtrip. I hate losing a whole day! But we absolutely love to head off in the car knowing that we will arrive at DL in less then a day! The drive back, a different story all together.

[BigAlH]

You can get off the 57 in a couple of places, depending on which end of Disney you want to end up at.


How is 57 if you are pulling an RV?

Our RV park is in Orange so I was planning on taking 405 to avoid I-5 in East LA.

-al

[phoenixfire2k5]

Unfortunately, you cannot get to the 5 north from the 57 south. There is no interchange. You can only go south on the 5 fwy from the 57 south. If you're heading south on the 57, take the last exit from the freeway which is Chapman. From there, you may either take Chapman to Harbor, or hop on the 5 north from there.

[McKmouse]

Unfortunately, you cannot get to the 5 north from the 57 south. There is no interchange. You can only go south on the 5 fwy from the 57 south. If you're heading south on the 57, take the last exit from the freeway which is Chapman. From there, you may either take Chapman to Harbor, or hop on the 5 north from there.

Correct – which is why I cut over before getting all the way to the 5. You can also cut over on Ball Rd. or Katella. The Chapman exit is a very good exit to cut over on and have gone that route several times. I mentioned the other 2 because most are familiar with those street names. Either way, I suggest making sure you have a street map handy in case you get "discombobulated". :D

[oregontraveler]

WOW, so many options. For me: driving from Eugene, but making 2 stops along the way, Marysville & San Luis Obispo (drive-in nights) I also have relatives in Marina Del Rey & Dana Point, so I'm not going straight into DLR. But thanks for the info.

[McKmouse]

How is 57 if you are pulling an RV?

Our RV park is in Orange so I was planning on taking 405 to avoid I-5 in East LA.

-al

The 57(Orange Fwy) is pretty good, has a couple of hills, but nothing too bad. I don't see any reasons you shouldn't pulling an RV unless you're pulling it with a Pinto. :) Follow the 210 and then look for the sign "Pamona" in which the 210 turns into the 57. I believe it has at least 3 lanes, 4 in some areas I think. phoenixfire2k5 will know for sure.

I just find that this route works out well when you arrive at busy traffic hours heading into LA. The 405 can be a nightmare and everytime I've hit it it was stop & go pretty much the whole way.

Please note that I always travel with street maps in case I get in a jam because sometimes you just have to take an alternate route. :D

[richas]

We drive down from Santa Cruz -- takes about 7 hours with a couple stops. Usually, we stop at Casa De Fruta in the AM and at a Taco Bell near Buttonwillow for lunch. When we come home, we go from 5 to 46 and over to 101 at Paso Robles and thru Salinas to 1. Sometimes we stop at the same Taco Bell on 5 on the way home. Funny how these little habits develop over time.

[BigAlH]

The 57(Orange Fwy) is pretty good, has a couple of hills, but nothing too bad. I don't see any reasons you shouldn't pulling an RV unless you're pulling it with a Pinto. :)

I've got a 1-ton Dodge with the new '04 diesel so hills aren't a problem. :D

I added a stop in my MapPoint program on 57 and it routed us as follows:


I-5 to I-210 [Foothill Fwy]
Road name changes to SR-57 [Orange Fwy]
<<some road name changes // local roads>>
back on SR-57


We will be heading down around 12-1 pm on Saturday the 16th. Would this be better than the 405?

I think I took this route home once from Orange many years ago and it seemed much better than I-5 the whole way.

-al

[Pat-n-Eil]

When we drive we usually leave about 4:00 am.. then we get to the Apricot Tree about 7:00 am and we gas up at the Chevron and head over for breakfast.

I think Magic Mountain and The Citadel are the other two landmarks we get excited about seeing.