Portland to LA- Where to cross over from I 5 to the 101?

I am leaving in one week and driving from Portland to Southern California with a friend. We are leaving Wednesday evening and driving through the night hoping to arrive in LA Thursday morning or early afternoon.

I realize taking the interstate 5 is a lot faster, but at some point we would like to cross over to the 101 and drive down the Big Sur- maybe stop for some hikes. I have never driven on the 101 through California and I hear its great scenery...and I ahve read great things about Big Sur and hiking/views.

Where is a good place to get on the 101 from I5? Are there any easy routes? Once on 101 we would stay on it until Santa Monica. Help!

Thanks~

Portland to LA- Where to cross over from I 5 to the 101?

Just to give you an idea..... We used to do road trips where we%26#39;d leave from my suburban southwest Portland home, and drive all night to Six Flags Magic Mountain, north of LA. Typically, we%26#39;d leave around 6:00pm, drive straight down I-5, stopping only for gas and breakfast. Usually got to Six Flags 8:00am - 9:00am.

Not saying you can%26#39;t do what you%26#39;re planning, but I think for it to work within your schedule, you%26#39;d be doing that hiking shortly after sunrise.

Quickest for you would probably be to take I-5, then I-505, as if going to San Francisco, then I-680.

Portland to LA- Where to cross over from I 5 to the 101?

Hi OregonGirl: Big Sur isn%26#39;t off of 101, Hwy I runs though it. Getting off of I-5 in the San Francisco area, IMHO, is your best bet,however, if you REALLY want a beautiful drive get on Hwy 1 south out of SF, rather than going to 101, THEN to Hwy I. I%26#39;m not sure how to get there, check a map. Half Moon Bay ( which you will drive past, it%26#39;s just south of SF ) is a really cool little town. Once you have gone through Big Sur, you will come to Carmel and Monterey. Just south of Monterey there is an easy way to get to 101 south. ( I used to travel it A LOT, my son lived in LA ) Off of Hwy 1, take Reservation Rd to Hwy 68 ( you will be traveling east, towards Salinas ) take River Rd. exit off of Hwy 68, this will take you right to 101 south. If you have never been to the LA area, you can not get to Santa Monica via 101. You will beed to get onto the 405, but there are plenty of signs. Good luck, have fun and enjoy the view. P.S. if time allows I%26#39;d suggest stopping at Nepenthe%26#39;s in Big Sur for lunch. The view is AWESOME!!!!!

Well, Mistletoe is reluctant to say you can%26#39;t do this, but I won%26#39;t hesitate. You can%26#39;t do this.

Straight through on I-5 maybe, but not if you want to include Big Sur...which, by the way, is south of Monterrey and Carmel. Once you get that far south, you need to continue through Cambria (past the Hearst Castle, which you wouldn%26#39;t have time to tour) and San Luis Obispo and on down 101.

If you do arrive in LA early morning, you%26#39;ll hit the rush hour(s) traffic through the Conejo and San Fernando Valleys on 101 and through west LA on the 405. You CAN get to Santa Monica by cutting over to the coast at Oxnard or Malibu Canyon and going down the coast hwy.

Shortest route would be, as suggested, I-5 straight through (about 10 hours to Sacramento from Portland; another 6+ hours to LA, without sightseeing).

Hwy 1 through Big Sur could be a driving nightmare in fog or bad weather. The ';68 miles of dangerous curves'; (with the cliff fall off on your right side) can%26#39;t be hurried.

As others mentioned, Big Sur is off of Hwy 1, not Hwy 101.

And Santa Monica is best accessed from Hwy 1 or I-10 via I-405.

You can pick up Hwy 101 a bit south of Big Sur around San Luis Obispo, make up some driving time then cut back over to Hwy 1 from from Oxnard, Kanan or Malibu Canyon/Las Virgenes Rd, and make a lovely scenic seaside entrance into Santa Monica.

Honestly, I would split the trip into 2 legs if you want to go to Big Sur, try to get a hike in and have a more scenic drive. Stay overnight somewhere instead of trying to do a straight shot where you may start to fatigue.

If you%26#39;re hellbent on a straight shot, stick with the interstates.

%26gt;%26gt;We are leaving Wednesday evening and driving through the night hoping to arrive in LA Thursday morning or early afternoon.%26lt;%26lt;

Then you will need to stay on I-5.

Check www.mapquest.com

Oregonpoppa ya got me. Obviously I can%26#39;t tell south from north :P Yes, OregonGirl WOULD need to pass through Monterey %26amp; Carmel before getting to Big Sur. Sorry, my bad... and the Reservation Rd. exit I spoke of is north of Monterey, NOT south. The exit is in Marina. THAT much I DO know. LOL! As for the rest of my ';directions'; they are correct.