Most relatively chill route into L.A. coming in from the east
July 14, 2024 8:15 AM   Subscribe

Driving from Palm Springs area into L.A. -- which is the least stressful route into the city?

Going into Hollywood area, not experienced with L.A. dri ving.
Comparing the 10 and 60 (and anything else) with the following factors:
1. Fewer aggressive drivers going 95 mph
2. Better road surface
3. Overall experience of stress
4.Fewer frantic exchanges
5. Not looking for small back roads -- don't want to get stuck in the desert!
Bonus: Tip on getting off highway and taking some surface roads once in L.A.?

This is for today, Sunday afternoon.
posted by ojocaliente to Travel & Transportation around Mamburao, Philippines (13 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
I usually prefer the 60 when I'm coming in from the east from my parents' house in Riverside County, but I think the road surface is slightly worse than the 10. It's just that it feels less crowded and busy, which makes it much less stressful for me.
posted by yasaman at 8:28 AM on July 14, 2024


Angeleno here. The thing that makes it stressful is the idea that it shouldn't be taking as long as it's taking, becaue of the damn traffic. I used to get megastressed trying to get from LA down to visit family in Orange County, because it should take an hour but it usually takes much longer. So I reframed my thinking about it -- this is going to take several hours; I need snacks; let's cue up some music or a good podcast, etc. -- and that made it much better.

Depending on your final destination, you could get off the freeway once you pass downtown and take surface streets to your final destination. But honestly, this may not be a calmer approach!

My tip is to use Waze.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:38 AM on July 14, 2024 [6 favorites]


Honestly I would just follow whatever Google Maps recommends in the moment because traffic and unexpected random accidents will make such a big difference in the experience. I don’t think this is a route you can optimize in advance; it should be done in real time based on traffic conditions.

You’re gonna do fine! The Palm Springs portion is nice and the LA portion … is what it is.
posted by samthemander at 8:49 AM on July 14, 2024 [4 favorites]


Best answer: I'd just try to minimize complications in the route. To me surface streets are almost always higher-stress than the freeway. Any time you have to switch roads there's some amount of "what lane do I need to get into" tension. And regarding surface streets, a lot of large thoroughfares in LA don't have protected left turns so if you need to make a left you have to just kinda wait till the light turns yellow and floor it.

If you can just get on the 10 and stay there, I think you'll have an easier time. And +1000 to leave a ton of extra time so random delays don't mess up your mood. If your mantra can truly be "I'm in no hurry" you'll be the most mentally healthy person on the entire length of the 10.
posted by potrzebie at 8:53 AM on July 14, 2024 [5 favorites]


Sunday afternoon is when everyone drives into LA from their weekend vacations, or to fly out of LAX for the workweek. You're unlikely to encounter anyone going 95 or even 45, and you should plan for it to take much longer than the apps say.

I usually waited until 6-7pm to come in that way. The later the better, really, if you can.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:25 PM on July 14, 2024 [1 favorite]


Also, if anyone wants to do 95, just move over and let them pass so they can be someone else’s problem and well away from you.
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 12:36 PM on July 14, 2024


I hate the 60, fwiw, but it's probably worth it anyway if the 10 is a mess. Lyn Never is right that the later you can push it the better -- it's a brutal drive at peak times. (Went the opposite direction on a Friday once and it took me a full six hours. Neat!)
posted by goodbyewaffles at 2:58 PM on July 14, 2024


I am a big fan of the 10 to the 210, then dropping back down south into the basin where you need to. But it’s going to depend on what time of day you are traveling whether it’s smooth sailing or stop and go traffic.
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 7:28 PM on July 14, 2024


210 is almost certainly a less enraging freeway, especially if your ok trading 10-20 minutes for a more easy flowing drive.

I prefer the steady, wide slog of the 10 over the curvy, branchy 60. I feel I have to check all my mirrors more thoroughly and more often on the 60, and make twice as many decisions per mile than on the 10.
posted by itesser at 9:47 PM on July 14, 2024 [1 favorite]


Take the 10, and pay the toll to use the express lane from the 605 to Downtown if the traffic is heavier than you want to sit in.

What part of town you're headed to matters, for some the 60 or the Foothill might be better.
posted by snuffleupagus at 10:14 PM on July 14, 2024


I almost always opt for the 210 because it’s much prettier, you’re closer to the mountains

(this thread is peak LA)
posted by changeling at 11:40 PM on July 14, 2024 [2 favorites]


I live off the 210 so that's my default freeway anyways. It usually gets gluey around the 210/134 split, so if you do come in via the 210 here's what I would do.

Destination:
DTLA - > 210W/134W/2S/5S/110S

Silverlake/Los Feliz -> 210W/2S.

Hollywood - > DTLA+101N or... 210W/134W past the 5, off at Forest Lawn, drive past the cemeteries and Warners and go left onto Barham, over the hill and either hang a left onto Cahuenga into Hollywood or turn right, grab the 101S and hit your hollywood exits that way.

Westside: either bite the bullet and just take the 10 all the way in. Traffic is absolutely peak LA at the wrong hours or go the 134 route to the 405S and ride that beautiful pass and drop into LA.

Sunset (god why) get to the 134 and grab Laurel Canyon and enjoy that winding road.

Beverly Hills - 134 to Coldwater, up and over.
posted by drewbage1847 at 11:15 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]


Beverly Glen and the other canyons west of Coldwater can be used to get to the west side from the Valley and avoid the 405, if the Sepulveda pass is clogged up.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:03 PM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]


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