I'm coming from the other direction. The drive can be iffy Friday night or Saturday morning. I would get rest in Phoenix and drive in the morning.

Actually, I would pick up a cheap southwest flight and fly to CA.

Thanks 1929.....We're picking up the rental car in Phx then doing SoCal, Las Vegas for a family wedding, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tucson then back to Phx to fly home. Getting a rental in LA and dropping off in Phx is almost triple the cost....so we're stuck with the drive on the holiday weekend.

Wow. That's a busy trip. Did you just check rentals and flights at LAX and not Ontario, Burbank or Santa Ana? You'll lose the better part of the day on the drive alone.

Assuming your plans won't change, I'd still go in the am on Saturday. That drive will put you to sleep. It's long and monotonous.

Where in SoCal? That makes a huge difference in traffic timing.

Long Beach/Los Alamitos area. Friend says there are always backups in Corona so looking for alternate routes if there is a way to cut over and then head north on 405.

1929....we're using airline points so options were limited. Looked into flying into La/OC, etc..and flying out of Phx but rental car was about $1500 more to do that! I'm blaming DH......I wanted to leave a week earlier......lol.

Personally, if you thought you would be rested enough, I would drive to Indio at night. It is likely to be quite warm so driving at night will be more pleasant and if you are driving along I-10, the scenery is not all that stimulating.

No, from Phx to Long beach you want to take the 10 to the 91. You do NOT want to take the 10 in and then go south (there is no going over and up when you're coming in from AZ.

The Green River/ Yorba Linda area (by Corona) is always backed up- any time if day, any day if the week so you'll have to resign yourself to it slowing through there or somewhere else if you pick another route. It's just traffic. ;)

I'm from Phx and live in SoCal, I've done the drive a million times. i would leave Phx early Sat morning and plan on 6 1/2 hours. I personally love the drive through the desert, the AZ desert is beautiful.

Veda is right. You'll be going near my neck of the woods.

10 to 91 west to 55 south to 405 north. 405 north is often a mess as well.

Welcome to California! We have traffic all the time

Only other option is 10 to 91 west to 605 south.. Depends on your destination.

Thanks all....it's 400 miles from Phx to LB and should take 6 hours or so but friend who lives in Mission Viejo said it always takes 8 so I'm freaked out that it will take 10-12 on a holiday weekend!

I grew up in LB but haven't been "home" in 20 years. Really looking forward to skipping down memory lane. I've never made the drive from LB to Phx and back.

Make sure you have the WAZE App on your phone for real live traffic navigation. It will take you on detours to avoid any traffic and/or accidents. Also make sure you have a car charger for your phone because the Waze app is a battery hog!

Sorry! I was out of town and did not see this until now. You shouldn't have any traffic coming through Phoenix, but you guys are going to be really tired. I would get a hotel in Phoenix and leave the next AM. I doubt you will have traffic driving the next morning either.

Thanks Rocky! Am a little surprised we won't hit "holiday traffic" on I-10 with folks headed to Cali.....good to know. It's always a given here on I-95 in either direction.

Sorry! I misunderstood the days you were leaving.

You may hit holiday traffic sat am. I doubt you will have any traffic if you left at 130 AM on Friday night, because of the odd hour, but that will be a tiring drive so late. I haven't travelled that way over Memorial Day weekend so I am not sure how bad sat am could be. It's a two lane highway until you hit Indio. I have done the drive over thanksgiving and Christmas and only hit traffic once or twice when I left on Friday nights and that was only in trying to get out of the Phoenix suburbs.

Thanks Rocky!