Where to Stop Between Sacramento and San Diego?

[Maybeth]

My family and I are driving to Borrego Springs over Christmas break and we want to break the trip up into two days.  We are planning to take 1-5 from Sacramento.  Anyone have any ideas about where to stop for the night?  We have three kids and a dog.  Need something clean and safe.  Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Carl L]

Valencia, which is just north of LA on I-5.  There is a large CG Valencia Travel Village at the intersection of I-5 and CA-126.  It is rated 8/8*/6.5 by Trailer Life's Directory.    That should split your trip nicely in half in terms of time.  Leaving from Valencia you travel about 5 miles or so on the I-5 and pick up the I-210, the Foothill Fwy which scoots around most all the snarls in LA traffic, and head east to I-15.  Take I-15 south to I-10 and head east on I-10 to CA-86S, just east of Indio.  Take CA-86S south to S-22 at Salton City.  Turn west on S-22 and head to Borrego Springs.

 

[BernieD]

Carl

Once again, I recommend staying on the 210 past the 15 and 215, the 210 I believe may change to CA 30 which connect to I-10 at Redlands. It is a direct route, less traffic and much better roadway.

 

[Carl L]

Carl

Once again, I recommend staying on the 210 past the 15 and 215, the 210 I believe may change to CA 30 which connect to I-10 at Redlands. It is a direct route, less traffic and much better roadway.

According to all the information I have, the I-210 is not thru from Alder Ave. in Fontana to the CA-30/I-215 interchange in San Bernadino.  Do you have better information?  Have you made the run?  The alternative connector would be W. Highland Ave. of which condition I have no knowledge.

I would just as soon not direct strangers into the area without having made the run miyself, or recieving a detailed report from someone who has made the run himself.  Till then I would recommend I-15 to the I-10 as the best routing available.  When I-210 is thru, then your route makes sense.

 

[Maybeth]

Thanks so much!  I have reserved a spot at Valencia Travel Village.  The trip advice is also much appreciated!  This site is great! 

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Valencia, which is just north of LA on I-5.   There is a large CG Valencia Travel Village at the intersection of I-5 and CA-126.  It is rated 8/8*/6.5 by Trailer Life's Directory.     That should split your trip nicely in half in terms of time.   Leaving from Valencia you travel about 5 miles or so on the I-5 and pick up the I-210, the Foothill Fwy which scoots around most all the snarls in LA traffic, and head east to I-15.   Take I-15 south to I-10 and head east on I-10 to CA-86S, just east of Indio.  Take CA-86S south to S-22 at Salton City.  Turn west on S-22 and head to Borrego Springs.

Carl -- I believe he is going to San Diego, not Yuma.   By-passing LA traffic is OK, but your routing may be a little overkill. However, you "do" drive LA traffic more than I.

I would just stay on the 15 once you pick it up and take it all the way to SD. Going on to the 10 East of Indio at $2.50/gal would probably be more frustrating than the traffic down the 15. I have also just picked up the 405 just south of Valencia and didn't find the traffic that bad during the middle of the day.

Would certainly agree about VTV as a good halfway stop. After the drudgery of the 5 from Sacto, then over the Grapevine, a rest there would be welcome.

Bernie:

The 30 east of the 10/215 intersection is a great short cut if going over to Palmdale via SR138. However, it would not be involved in a route to SD. However, another alternative might be to pick up the 138 at Gormin atop the Grapevine -- then over to the 15 all the way to SD. I have done that several times.

 

[Carl L]

Carl -- I believe he is going to San Diego, not Yuma.

Read him again Bob, he is going to Borrego Springs.  That may be in San Diego County but it is not San Diego.    Borrego is old stamping grounds for me.  Coming from the north there are three ways in, the one I described via 86 and 22, and the ways in thru mountains in back using S-79.  My directions were for a slightly longer route on far superior all-weather roads.   

I have taken all the conceivable ways in to Borrego Springs and the route I described is the simplest and least hair raising.

 

[Bob Buchanan]

Read him again Bob, he is going to Borrego Springs.   That may be in San Diego County but it is not San Diego.    Borrego is old stamping grounds for me.  Coming from the north there are three ways in, the one I described via 86 and 22, and the ways in thru mountains in back using S-79.   My directions were for a slightly longer route on far superior all-weather roads.   

I have taken all the conceivable ways in to Borrego Springs and the route I described is the simplest and least hair raising.

Oops . . . looks like I responded to the subject vs. the details of the note. Out of curiousity, how "would" you route someone from Valencia to SD? Now that I read where he is going correctly, the Gorman route to Palmdale and th 215, "could" involve Bernie's suggestion of the 30. Going east on the 14 off of the 5 from Valencia, one can take the Pearblossom highway to pick up 138, so the traffice of Palmdale is not involved. I've always liked it vs. 210 as it just about completely eliminates LA traffic. There's only about 11-12 miles difference between Valencia and Indio between the two routes.

 

[BernieD]

According to all the information I have, the I-210 is not thru from Alder Ave. in Fontana to the CA-30/I-215 interchange in San Bernadino.  Do you have better information?  Have you made the run?  The alternative connector would be W. Highland Ave. of which condition I have no knowledge.

Carl

I apologize, you are right. I frequently use CA 30 westbound to I-215 north, and have used the Highland connector a few years ago when it was much longer. I must have misunderstood an article I read from which I thought I-215 was completed all the way. I just don't like driving I-10 between CA 30 and I-15, very rough road and heavy traffic. I'm always looking for ways to avoid it.

 

[Carl L]

Carl

I apologize, you are right. I frequently use CA 30 westbound to I-215 north, and have used the Highland connector a few years ago when it was much longer. I must have misunderstood an article I read from which I thought I-215 was completed all the way. I just don't like driving I-10 between CA 30 and I-15, very rough road and heavy traffic. I'm always looking for ways to avoid it.

Oh, I cannot argue about I-10 between those limits but it is the best choice at present.   If and when Cal Trans winds up the 210 connection, your route will be the way to go.  Tiill then, one just grits the teeth and turns on a good station -- I recommend KMTZ at 105.1 or KUSC at 91.5.    Surface streets are no longer a good option, even on the dreaded 405 parking lot.

 

[Karl]

Boy, when you guys start talking about CA traffic, it makes the rest of us think we're all from Sleepytown, USA ;D  And I thought Chicago traffic was bad! I'll bet there are some stretches in CA where you could walk from car rooftop to rooftop for miles without ever having to touch the pavement.

 

[Carl L]

Boy, when you guys start talking about CA traffic, it makes the rest of us think we're all from Sleepytown, USA ;D  And I thought Chicago traffic was bad! I'll bet there are some stretches in CA where you could walk from car rooftop to rooftop for miles without ever having to touch the pavement.

Actually barring the dreaded 405 parking lot, the LA freeway system runs pretty well both in terms of both rush hours and off hours.  The defining LA freeway experience is rather hurtling thru a dense urban setting in heavy traffic at 65 mph.  The closure rates can be horrific to someone not a certified LA Freeway Commando and the threading of offramps and freeway transition exits can be terrifyingly confusing.  The saving grace is that most LA drivers are very good at handling the traffic and have excellent lane discipline.  They alternate merges and do not cut and weave.  (Of course there are always jerks anywhere.)

BTW in order to get to Borrego Springs myself,  towing my trailer,  I take the I-10 straight into the belly of the beast,  thru the middle of downtown, getting on near the 405, and heading thru LA thru three freeway interchanges -- the 110, the 5, and the 10 again.  Do not try this on your own, I am a professional LA commuter.  ;D

The 210 is a nice freeway.  Use it and enjoy.

 

[Jim Godward]

Carl,

I like your route but how do you miss the 710, the 605, the 57 and the 15 interchanges?? 

An EX-professional LA commuter and glad of it.  VBG

 

[Carl L]

Carl,

I like your route but how do you miss the 710, the 605, the 57 and the 15 interchanges?? 

An EX-professional LA commuter and glad of it.   VBG

Fly.