LA Experts

[emily rose]

I am looking for anyone living in and around LA. I am staying in Santa Monica for a few days after a cruise through the Panama. I am then leaving and heading towards the Grand Canyan and staying in Flagstaff for the night. I am looking for directions....and easy route by highway.... from Santa Monica to Flagstaff???

[caa]

I-10 starts in Santa Monica. Take it east to I-15 North. Take that to I-40 East, which goes to Flagstaff.

 

Google Maps gives a different route that takes 10 to SR-60 to 15 to 40. Either one would work, and the distances are about the same, but I suspect sticking to the Interstates qualifies as easier.

[emily rose]

Thanks . I was looking at both routes on the map but it is nice to hear from someone who travel this route.

[Socal404]

I am looking for anyone living in and around LA. I am staying in Santa Monica for a few days after a cruise through the Panama. I am then leaving and heading towards the Grand Canyan and staying in Flagstaff for the night. I am looking for directions....and easy route by highway.... from Santa Monica to Flagstaff???

 

Another suggestion would be to take the I-10 all the way to Phoenix. Then take the I-17 north to Flagstaff. This route will take you through the Palm Springs area, too. Not sure which route is better or faster. It's just an alternative. Have fun. The Grand Canyon is AMAZING!

[cruzinfamilyof4]

Make sure you check the traffic before you leave, by taking the 10 straight through you could get stuck in a mess in downtown. I haven't taken that route in at least 15 years because of the traffic.

 

So depending on when you are leaving Santa Monica I would considering avoiding the 10 through downtown. I personally would take the 10 to the 405 S, 105 E, 605 N, 210 E, to the 15 N. Except for a small stretch it is pretty much carpool all the way; we go this route all the time and get from LAX to the 15 in about an hour.

[Bruin Steve]

As a local who's done this, I'd tell you the real alternative to ALL of the LA area traffic is to take the 405 NORTH to the 14 toward Palmdale, then the Pearblossom Highway (138/18) to Victorville, then join the 15 North there...The Pearblossom Highway is NOT a wide, multi-laned Interstate...It's just a straight, monotonous mostly 2 lane road across the High Desert...but it goes through the middle of nowhere...By taking this route, you go against traffic IN THE MORNING...and miss the entire LA urban area...

 

But, it is not for everyone...May be confusing to those from out of the area...So, you may just want to deal with Downtown LA...Going across the 10 to the 60 actually avoids a good part of Downtown as opposed to sticking to the 10 since following the 10 really routes you onto the 5 North through East LA...

 

Another route would be to cut up the 605 North from the 60 to the 210 East to the 15...or even just to take the 405 North from Santa Monica to the 101 East/South to the 134 to the 210...and straight across to the 15 North...If it's in the morning rush hour, you hit a little traffic on the 101, but, as soon as it splits to the 134, things clear up and you avoid Downtown LA...

 

The key to any route across the Metropolitan area is WHEN you leave...If it's Monday to Friday between about 7 am and 10 am, you are going to face a bit of traffic...Actually you will likely see some traffic anytime, but that workday morning rush hour is the worst leaving Santa Monica and heading east...

 

Good luck...

[PatriciaF]

Now you must really be confused--there are lots of options. Bruin Steve's is probably the best to avoid rush hour traffic if you are driving M - F; if you want to keep it simple, then the 10 to the 15 to the 40 is the best--although expect lots of slow traffic on the 10 until you get past downtown Los Angeles--also lots of big trucks as 10 is the major truck route in and out of LA.

[emily rose]

I will be heading towards flagstaff at approx 7 am on a Wednesday . I will have to have a closer look at the map so I can view everyone routes.

[kenish]

OP- 7am on a weekday is exactly the wrong time to leave Santa Monica. You will hit the worst of the morning rush hour. Either leave no later than 530am, or just wait until 830. Someone leaving at 7am and another leaving at 830 will probably reach I-15 on the east side of LA within 15 minutes of each other...and the later driver will be far more relaxed for the next 8-9 hours to Flagstaff.

 

You can check http://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?lat=33.98417&lon=-118.22335&z=2#lat=34.03248&lon=-117.8565&z=2 and do some research. Check the real-time traffic between 7am-830am LA time on a weekday. You will see the problem of leaving at 7am. (Don't check tomorrow though, it's a bank and government holiday).

[emily rose]

Thanks for all your advice it has been invaluable. I think we are going to attempt the route Bruin Steve has suggested to avoid the downtown la.We followed the route on the map and MapQuest and hopeful it will work out. If there is any other advice you have we would greatly appreciate it.