Route advice - San Francisco to Palm Desert [Archive] (2024)

Injured Again

2nd December 2016, 15:37

Next March (2017), I'll be attending my niece's wedding in San Francisco, then heading out to the Palm Desert area to take in the Indian Well's tennis tournament. We need to make that drive in one day so it's already six to seven hours, plus there will be three of us, plus all of our luggage that includes outdoor hiking gear for my wife and I for two weeks, plus formal wear and tennis accessories so we'll be in our SUV. The quickest route takes us from San Fran to LA before heading east to the Palm Desert area.

I've never done any of the iconic drives, like LA Crest, Ortega freeway, Mulholland drive, or any of the others. Does anyone have recommendations of a route that wouldn't be too far out of the way but will still give us a chance to enjoy at least one or more of these roads?

Thanks.

davedellaquila

2nd December 2016, 20:38

Injured Again

2nd December 2016, 21:45

Lots of GREAT roads between those 2 points, and you never have to touch a freeway. However, if you are limited on time, I'd recommend Highway 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) from Glendale/Pasadena to Crestline (overnight at the lake?) then 38 to 243. You won't be disappointed. Roadster highly recommended.

No roadster this time - there will be three of us and copious amounts of stuff so it's an SUV. We also have to make it to the Palm Desert area in one day because we have tickets for the Indian Wells tennis tournament the following morning.

So it looks like if we take I5 and 210, we can pick up Highway 2 all the way to where it connects with highway 138, and then we can take I15 and I210 back towards the Palm Desert? Is that the right way? This route adds about 90 minutes so it might be doable.

944play

2nd December 2016, 22:55

ajsmiata

3rd December 2016, 11:20

So it looks like if we take I5 and 210, we can pick up Highway 2 all the way to where it connects with highway 138, and then we can take I15 and I210 back towards the Palm Desert? Is that the right way? This route adds about 90 minutes so it might be doable.

Just check with the CHP or Caltrans websties if the 2 will be open just before your trip, possible rock slide road closures.

Rich Wilkman

3rd December 2016, 12:29

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd try the side-trips with the passengers and the potentially tight schedule. Triple that if one of the passengers was my wife as I'd have years to pay off messing up the trip. :)

Are all your passengers okay with the less-than-direct run? Never get car sick? Okay with possibly extended times between potty breaks? Willing to drag in to the hotel past dinner and still spend the weekend together?

Most of the side paths listed are ones where I'd simply ignore *every* internet map engine on how much time they add to your overall trip (or just double it). What matters is the day you're doing it and there can be pretty big variances between weekdays much less weekdays and weekends. A simple local event is all it can take to blow the timetable.

SF to Palm Desert, direct, I'd probably budget 7 or 8 hours. Pee breaks, food, minor stretch-the-legs and check the tie-downs stops, etc.

-Rich

SmokeyBear

3rd December 2016, 12:57

Unusualdesigner

3rd December 2016, 14:55

One piece of advice from somebody who does not live in the area but has experienced this drivning I-210 during peak traffic. Do not attempt I-210 eastbound between the hours of 2:30PM and 6:30PM. It can be stop and go for miles and miles. Instead I would suggest turning off I-5 onto SR 138 near the top of the Grapevine. This will take you through Lancaster & Palmdale (my GPS actually takes me around Palmdale) to I-15 which will then take you to I-210. Just a suggestion.

Good advice. I second that except that traffic through Palmdale and and through 138 -which is a two lane blacktop with lots of truck traffic-can be grueling. The E210 from The Valley to Pasadena is relatively fast flowing but East from Pasadena on can be as bad a parking lot as the I-405 is at that time.

Heck, traversing the Greater Los Angeles area anytime weekdays during daytime hours can be a long drawn out affair.

If you're coming down either CA-99 or I-5, taking CA-58 to CA-395 then south to I-15 and then south to the 210 would have the least amount of traffic while only adding 40 or 50 miles and gives you the chance of seeing some of CA's "High Desert".

Injured Again

6th December 2016, 13:26

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd try the side-trips with the passengers and the potentially tight schedule. Triple that if one of the passengers was my wife as I'd have years to pay off messing up the trip. :)

Are all your passengers okay with the less-than-direct run? Never get car sick? Okay with possibly extended times between potty breaks? Willing to drag in to the hotel past dinner and still spend the weekend together?

Most of the side paths listed are ones where I'd simply ignore *every* internet map engine on how much time they add to your overall trip (or just double it). What matters is the day you're doing it and there can be pretty big variances between weekdays much less weekdays and weekends. A simple local event is all it can take to blow the timetable.

SF to Palm Desert, direct, I'd probably budget 7 or 8 hours. Pee breaks, food, minor stretch-the-legs and check the tie-downs stops, etc.

-Rich

Yeah, this is kind of the gist of our conversation over the last week. We're not leaving the San Fran area until after lunch, and the following morning will be an early one so we'll bypass all of the fun roads for another time.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'll keep it in mind for the next time we're down that way, which won't be long.

SmokeyBear

6th December 2016, 14:40

Rich Wilkman

6th December 2016, 22:14

Passengers take all the fun out of a drive. :)

It will take you longer to clear the greater Bay Area if you are leaving "after lunch". Try to make that as close to 1315 as you can.

-Rich

Yeah, this is kind of the gist of our conversation over the last week. We're not leaving the San Fran area until after lunch, and the following morning will be an early one so we'll bypass all of the fun roads for another time.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'll keep it in mind for the next time we're down that way, which won't be long.

Injured Again

7th December 2016, 02:05

Passengers take all the fun out of a drive. :)

It will take you longer to clear the greater Bay Area if you are leaving "after lunch". Try to make that as close to 1315 as you can.

-Rich

Yeah, I'd be willing to arrive in the Palm Desert pretty late to drive some of those roads, but the wife and son aren't feeling it. That's okay - I'm determined to come back another time.

Thanks again for the info.