Palm Springs to Long Beach

We're driving from Phoenix the day before the cruise. My husband and I will work half a day, and we were thinking of taking the kids out of school an hour early.

It's a 6-hr drive, but I'm sure it will be longer with evening rush hour. We'd be getting in kinda late.

Would it be a totally crazy idea to stay the night in Palm Springs instead (only a 4-hr drive from our house), and then finish up the drive the next morning? It's about 2 hrs, or will Los Angeles morning rush hour traffic make that an impossibility?

We have a 12-12:30 check-in window. How early do you think we would need to leave? It will be a Friday morning, if that makes a difference.

Or should we just stay at a Long Beach hotel? (We were thinking of doing a park-and-cruise deal if we stayed there, otherwise we would park at the cruise terminal garage)

Hi,

I'd want to be at the cruise port if it was my trip.

IF you leave Phoenix at 3PM you'd be in LA after the evening rush hour.

We often stay at the Doubletree Maya in Long Beach the night before our cruise. To get the Carnival cruise rate you may have to e mail the reservations manager. There are also other less expensive hotel/motel options like the Hotel Current which offer stay n cruise rates.

IMO make the drive to Long Beach; get the stay & cruise package. Have a relaxing breakfast knowing you don't have to rush to get to the pier.

Personally I would spend the night in Palm Springs and drive the next day to Long Beach. While the traffic is unpredictable, you should have plenty of time to get to LB depending on what time you leave PS. I think it is a personal decision, because what others do is not necessarily the best choice for you.:):)

I too would stop in Palm Springs, but I'd be careful the next morning if you want to use the HOV/carpool lanes on SR 91 heading toward Long Beach, as these are tolled and if you don't register your vehicle within a few days of using them you could be whacked with a big fine once they track you down at home. No charge if you don't use the HOV lanes, but that might make for some slow going through Riverside and/or Orange Counties. But if you leave early, I don't see it as a huge issue.

I too would stop in Palm Springs, but I'd be careful the next morning if you want to use the HOV/carpool lanes on SR 91 heading toward Long Beach, as these are tolled and if you don't register your vehicle within a few days of using them you could be whacked with a big fine once they track you down at home. No charge if you don't use the HOV lanes, but that might make for some slow going through Riverside and/or Orange Counties. But if you leave early, I don't see it as a huge issue.

It's 1 hr 45 minutes/2 hours based on no traffic. How much time would we need to allow ourselves on a Friday morning?

My DH is leaning towards just staying in LB so it won't be stressful that morning. But that will make for a long drive Thursday.

It's 1 hr 45 minutes/2 hours based on no traffic. How much time would we need to allow ourselves on a Friday morning?

 

 

 

My DH is leaning towards just staying in LB so it won't be stressful that morning. But that will make for a long drive Thursday.

Depending in traffic you can add up to (at least) two hours for traffic/accidents/construction etc.

I would add 2 hours for morning rush hour traffic. You will almost always run into delays on the 10 and the 91. The HOV lanes now require the transponder, so they won't be accessible unless you're bringing a compatible one from home. Evening traffic, if you go all the way to Long Beach, won't be nearly as big an issue because you will be going against traffic for the most part.

IMO make the drive to Long Beach; get the stay & cruise package. Have a relaxing breakfast knowing you don't have to rush to get to the pier.

I totally agree. CA is crazy here. You never know where you will find a detour, construction (always), an accident, etc. We live in San Diego. Sometimes it takes us 3+ hours to get to LB. :eek:

Patti

We're driving from Phoenix the day before the cruise. My husband and I will work half a day, and we were thinking of taking the kids out of school an hour early.

 

It's a 6-hr drive, but I'm sure it will be longer with evening rush hour. We'd be getting in kinda late.

 

Would it be a totally crazy idea to stay the night in Palm Springs instead (only a 4-hr drive from our house), and then finish up the drive the next morning? It's about 2 hrs, or will Los Angeles morning rush hour traffic make that an impossibility?

 

We have a 12-12:30 check-in window. How early do you think we would need to leave? It will be a Friday morning, if that makes a difference.

 

Or should we just stay at a Long Beach hotel? (We were thinking of doing a park-and-cruise deal if we stayed there, otherwise we would park at the cruise terminal garage)

Stop in Palm Springs for dinner, then drive to Long Beach later. This would be the best way to avoid the headache that is LA traffic.

I'd stay in Palm Springs and drive the next morning. Per Google Maps, the drive time at 9:30AM on Tuesday the 10th is 2 hours and 15 minutes. Google maps will give you a good estimate (though it will not account for accidents the day of).

If you leave Palm Springs at 9:00 you should easily make your check in window.

The critical time is getting to the ship prior to sail away (or two hours before).

The typical traffic pattern is heavy morning traffic westbound and eastbound in the evenings. The opposite flow is not bad. Sundays are the lightest traffic days, less trucks.

We live just south of Long Beach and visit relatives in Phoenix often, I time my trips for early departures going out and late arrivals returning.

I would not stop in Palm Springs and try to drive in with the morning commuters, stay in Long Beach.

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I go with dinner in PS. So Cal traffic very unpredictable. Others have said 2 hrs to LB. that’s a dream if there are traffic problems. I say go to Long Beach. Longer drive sleep a little longer but no stress in the morning. The other way after fighting traffic checking in you first stop will be the bar to settle your nerves.

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Not sure when your cruise is (so I may be late here), I drive the freeways every day for the last 26 years and fridays going Westbound are usually lighter than other days of the week. I would avoid the 91 if possible (I HATE that freeway) the 10 is not too bad. Use waze and that will help tons! If you feel you must make it in to Long Beach then I second stopping in PS, having a nice relaxing dinner then finish the drive BUT even Westbound traffic is terrible and don't let any one tell you different! Depending on your check in time I would leave PS early and have breakfast in LB. Like I said, avoid the 91! and on the 10 freeway carpool lanes do not need a transponder, at least from Inland Empire and towards the coast, The 91 does but I do not believe the 10 or the 210 does and I drive these two freeways (other than the 15 and occasionally the 91, which I avoid!).

I'd stay in Palm Springs and drive the next morning. Per Google Maps, the drive time....

This sounds like someone who who has never driven PS to LA before.

Yes, it is completely crazy to try and drive to LA from PS on the day of your cruise. LA traffic on the 10/60 is soul crushing.

I like the idea of stopping in Palm Springs (or Palm Desert, etc) for dinner and driving into San Pedro after dinner.