My sister, who lives in LA near the Hollywood area, is getting married toward the end of September and we're trying to figure out the best way to get there. Normally, we wouldn't pull a fifth wheel anywhere near the LA area, let alone *through* LA, but we don't really have a lot of choices in this situation.

The closest RV park to where she lives...that either has sites large enough for us to get into and/or don't cost an arm and a leg...is Dockweiler RV Park at the end of I-105/Imperial Highway north of El Segundo (it actually has a Playa del Rey address). We've already made reservations for the 3 days we need to be there.

The weekend before the wedding, we will be south of Burns, OR attending the 100th anniversary celebration of the Malheur NWR where we volunteered one summer. My mapping program shows the shortest distance between the two points is traveling US-95 through Nevada, SR-360 at Tonopah Junction to US-6 and catching US-395 at Bishop, CA, then SR-14 > I-5 > I-405 > I-105.

Instead of traveling I-405, which puts us more or less through the heart of LA traffic, I'm wondering if, instead of getting on SR-14 north of Ridgecrest, we'd be better off (traffic-wise) continuing south on US-395 to I-15 and then traveling west on I-10 to I-605 to I-105? Or is it a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other?

It's about 790 miles the first way and about 840 miles the second route. I'd be willing to travel an extra 50 miles if it meant less traffic!

Any other route suggestions?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LindaH,

I would use the first route. Traffic will not be bad down the 14 and on the I-5/405 until you get down toward Sepulveda Pass near the Ventura Freeway. From then on over the pass it will be heavy, but you are quite close to the 105 by then.

The other route would take you through some of the heaviest traveled parts of LA for a much longer time.

The best advice I can give you is to make the trip mid-morning if at all possible. Traffic will be lightest then.

Thanks, Rif. With the first route, we'll stay at the Elks Lodge in either Lancaster or Palmdale the night before in preparation for our trip through the LA area.

Someone else on a Yahoo Group to which I belong suggested staying at the Elks Lodge in either Glendale or Pasadena (instead of Dockweiler). The Glendale lodge is out because the information in the Elks Guide I have says they lock the parking lot gates at night, which is never a good sign (!) plus the wedding is in the evening with a sit-down dinner afterwards, so I have no idea what time we'd get back to the RV. The Pasadena Elks Lodge might be OK...has anyone stayed there in a larger RV (the fifth wheel is 32' long and 14' wide when the two opposing slides are out)? The main thing that concerns me is a place to walk the dog. But it would mean not having to drive a long way through LA traffic, which could be a good thing!

quote:

Originally posted by LindaH:
The Glendale lodge is out because the information in the Elks Guide I have says they lock the parking lot gates at night

I decided to call the Glendale Elks Lodge to find out first hand about them locking the gate. According to the guy I spoke with, while the gate is closed, it is *not* locked. That makes staying at this lodge a lot more appealing considering the fact that it's closer to where we need to be and means we won't have to do so much traveling through LA area traffic.

Last winter we stayed in Acton, near Lancaster/Palmdale and drove over the Angeles Crest Highway into the LA area. We have a 36' 5ver and I didn't want anything to do with driving around the LA area proper. Loaded driving crazies! Good luck with whatever route you take.

John

We stayed at Dockweiler last year and it is a dynamite CG, RIGHT on the ocean with a great bike path that goes 5-10 miles in either direction.
As to the LA roads, a lane is a lane where ever you are - in Podunk or LA, just stay in yours and there's no problem. sometime slower, but no problem!
Enjoy the trip,
Fred

Hi,

We have traversed the LA area many times and find that, for us, the best time to go through LA is in the dead of night. We always stop outside of LA, no matter what direction we are heading. We have dinner take a nap or read or watch TV until around 10 PM. At that time we drive to and through LA. Usually we are well out of there by 1-2AM. We find a convenient strip mall, Wal-Mart, Elks club, etc. and pull in and go to sleep. In the morning we're ready to go again with no traffic hassles. JOHO

Incidentally, on more than one occasion the local police stopped to see if we were alright. When we said yes, just tired. He/she said "good rest up here rather than driving tired and I'll keep an eye on you and your rig til you're ready to get on the road again." We have never had a problem doing this. And we've done it probably 2 dozen times.

I grew up in the LA area and have relatives still there. That gives us lots of opportunities to go back into the LA basin. For some people it is very overwhelming. I find it too crowded to enjoy but not really a problem. Like Fred said, a lane is a lane. Go your speed, and watch the signs and you’ll be fine.

My son drove a construction truck and trailer daily on all the LA Freeways. I little trick he taught me. When you want to change lanes and after your turn signal has been on with no one giving you a opening, just make your trailer sway back and forth a little (not much). With your out of state license and the trailer starting to “look” out of control, the traffic will open wide up. hehe Works every time.

I would definitely go down I-14. 395 and I-10 is the arm-pit of LA and you have tons of traffic that way.

quote:

When you want to change lanes and after your turn signal has been on with no one giving you a opening, just make your trailer sway back and forth a little (not much). With your out of state license and the trailer starting to “look” out of control, the traffic will open wide up. hehe Works every time.

Maybe you were joking, but, if you are seriously offering the "open a slot technique" of swaying one's trailer/5th wheel/toad to gain a traffic opening, I sure hope nobody takes your advice!

Dockweiler is great! We stayed there in June for the Rotary Int'l Convention. Easy to get to downtown at the Convention Center (about 25 minutes at commute times). We were told by others to get a hotel, the traffic would be terrible. THEY got the hotel ($200/night plus $30 something for parking). We had a spot right on the beach for $28.00 per night. BBQ, laundry. No WiFi. Other downside is it's at the en d of LAX runways. But we were able to sleep fine (except when the FedEx planes took off!)