California - LAX to Temecula

In planning a January Business trip to Temecula ONT/SNA/SAN are all ridiculously expensive on non stops but LAX is not and I probably have a great chance of getting upgraded on the 5 hour transcon flight from ATL to LAX due to large business/first compartments. I will be arriving and departing mid day/mid week from LAX. How bad is the traffic from LAX-Temacula mid day?

In planning a January Business trip to Temecula ONT/SNA/SAN are all ridiculously expensive on non stops but LAX is not and I probably have a great chance of getting upgraded on the 5 hour transcon flight from ATL to LAX due to large business/first compartments. I will be arriving and departing mid day/mid week from LAX. How bad is the traffic from LAX-Temacula mid day?

If you can get past the Green River exit on the 91 (aka SR-91) before 3pm, you'll be fine.

After 3pm, you'll hit trouble on the 91 at the Green River exit all the way to I-15.

If you can, check into flying to SAN then driving up from there.

Yes, I live somewhere along this route and go to Temecula about once every two months to hit the casino.

Not the most fun commute to Riverside county
on a weekday afternoon.
Your looking at a 90 Mile trip each way.
Via Hwy CA91 to Interstate 15.

If you get in that weekday afternoon commute traffic.
IE. You get on the freeway at LAX after 2:30PM.
It could take almost 3 Hours to get to Temecula.
Going back to LAX wont be as bad if you avoid the morning commute
back into the city. I would allow 2 Hours back.

Stick with LAX. SNA wont buy you much off the commute.
You will need to use the toll roads and its still 65 miles each way.
Note:
This route is less stress at the airport and on the tollroad drive.
But is way more $$.

Flying into SNA is well... a PITA in terms of departure and arrival times.

If you can fly into SAN, you'll avoid the fun LA/OC/Riverside traffic.

You can also check flights into CLD (Carlsbad). United Express has about 6 LAX-CLD flights/day. There is an Avis counter for car rentals.

If the fare isn't too much higher I would fly into SAN (plenty of u/gs from ATL), ONT, or even PSP before I would choose LAX. Just too many possibilities for major delays and sitting in traffic for hours.

You can also check flights into CLD (Carlsbad). United Express has about 6 LAX-CLD flights/day. There is an Avis counter for car rentals.

Forgot about Carlsbad. This is the hot tip.
Carlsbad to Temecula is about 40 miles. Straight on CA-78.
Nice drive. No Stress. Worth the $$

Bag the 91, dudes. That road is killer 24/7/365!!! Add just a couple additional miles but make it up in speed and time by taking:

LAX to 105E to 605N to 60E to 15S to Temecula.

Bag the 91, dudes. That road is killer 24/7/365!!! Add just a couple additional miles but make it up in speed and time by taking:

LAX to 105E to 605N to 60E to 15S to Temecula.105E sounds about right, but then 605N to 60E & then 15S?? Might as well fly into ONT & take the 15S. Is the 91 really that bad?

The 91 has awful traffic just about any time. If you're in a rush, you can use the "Lexus lanes" (i.e. the 91 Express Lanes)...but without a FasTrak tag, you'll be charged a $20 fine plus the amount of the toll, plus a $25 or more processing fee from your rental car company if the cameras catch you. Fly into SAN or ONT if at all possible, as others have said.

Thought I'd check in with local experts now that the SR-74 (Ortega Hwy) construction is underway -- we are thinking about taking SR-74 on a late Wednesday morning (heading out 9:30 or 10 am from LAX area) in a couple of weeks.

Anyone know how bad SR-74 Eastbound is likely to be then?

If delays aren't bad, the nice views might make this route better than 91 or other possibilities.

If 74 is likely to be bad, is 91 likely to be any better?

Thanks for any advice,

R.

Thought I'd check in with local experts now that the SR-78 (Ortega Hwy) construction is underway -- we are thinking about taking SR-78 on a late Wednesday morning (heading out 9:30 or 10 am from LAX area) in a couple of weeks.

Anyone know how bad SR-78 Eastbound is likely to be then?

If delays aren't bad, the nice views might make this route better than 91 or other possibilities.

Hi rtom - I did a double take when reading your post...the 78 is further south in northern San Diego County and is not currently undergoing significant construction. A quick Google search reveals that you're looking for info on the 74.

I don't have a whit of experience with the 74. In Googling, however, I did find this website (http://www.theortegahighway.com/) with some info. There are also lots of websites with up-to-the-minute info (search Google on "Caltrans" with your routes or cities); the up-to-the-minute info is generally helpful in southern California since things can really vary.

Thanks Michelle -- yes, you're right, I initially (and wrongly) wrote SR-78 instead of SR-74.

Thanks for the advice -- we'll have internet access in LA, so I will check out various websites, such as sigalert.com and links on theortegahighway.com before we head out.

So far, though, I haven't found a site with real-time updates for SR-74 -- must not be one of the main thoroughfares (it is after all only a 2-lane road!).