Easiest way from LAX to San Diego?

[Sunny_Daze]

Do you have to fly into LAX? If not, why not fly directly into San Diego?

[zbuzz]

@Grestarian

If you’re coming from outside the USA and LAX is your closest international airport other than Lindbergh (which is “international” mostly because flights from south of the US Border link there), consider a connecting flight to take you to Lindbergh or Palomar.

Ten or 15 years ago, SAN didn’t offer any overseas nonstops, but today it has nonstops to the UK, Japan, Switzerland and Germany, plus Mexico and Canada.

Not too bad for such a small airport that will always be in the shadow of LAX (and SFO).

[RioRico]

Piper hasn’t responded so I’ll just guess he has good reasons to fly into LAX, not directly to SAN. Maybe time, or cost, or a traveling companion is staying in L.A. Upthread, I linked to a site with LAX-SAN options. My work is done.

[guizot]

@Elmer_J.Fudd

The easiest way is to rent a car and find something to do in El Segundo until 8pm. After that it’s 70mph all the way to SD.

The problem with that is that there’s never anything to do in El Segundo.

[Ravenman]

You could look for my wallet. I think I left it where I ate some enchiladas.

[guizot]

@Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus

Try to find a seat on the right side going south because the route runs along the coast for much of the way . . .

Yes but, as I said above, the right side is going to be the EAST side when you board the train, because it leaves the station going north and then makes a complete 180. Someone who is not familiar with the station might not realize this, (though if they look around before boarding they could figure it out).

[Elmer_J.Fudd]

@guizot

The problem with that is that there’s never anything to do in El Segundo.

People think that because of the refinery stacks and the aircraft noise, but it has one of those downtowns that you find in most of the older towns swallowed up in the LA sprawl post WWII. A decent selection of non-chain eateries and drinking holes. I’m not sure if the silent movie theater is still in business, but that would be a great way to kill a few hours.

[DesertDog]

@snfaulkner

If driving, the 405 s to the 5 s is pretty much your only option. Try to avoid rush hour, which is like 7am-9:30am and 3:30-7:00pm.

There is no rush hour. I’ve been stopped more than once at 2am on a weekend. I’ll admit a little schadenfreude at seeing people in the FastTrak lane also sitting only paying for the privilege.

[peccavi]

@Elmer_J.Fudd

People think that because of the refinery stacks and the aircraft noise, but it has one of those downtowns that you find in most of the older towns swallowed up in the LA sprawl post WWII. A decent selection of non-chain eateries and drinking holes. I’m not sure if the silent movie theater is still in business, but that would be a great way to kill a few hours.

I have to agree with this. Just turn south on Sepulveda or Aviation, turn right on Imperial, and in a few minutes you’re in El Segundo proper. Lot’s of nice casual dining in El Segundo, most of them are local, not chains. And if you don’t like the small middle America vibe of El Segundo, continue west to the beach, go south a few minutes and you’re in Manhattan Beach, then Hermosa Beach, then Redondo Beach. Lot’s of beachside dining options and you’re never more than 10 minutes from the freeway.

If you are going to drive, I always recommend downloading the Sigalert app. It gives you an overview of all the freeways’ conditions so you can judge when to leave (avoiding the 2AM jams).

[RioRico]

@DesertDog

There is no rush hour. I’ve been stopped more than once at 2am on a weekend. I’ll admit a little schadenfreude at seeing people in the FastTrak lane also sitting only paying for the privilege.

That’s why I warned against “legendary traffic”. The holding pattern can last for days. That’s why I motorcycled there. Just watch for folks using pistols as turn signals.

[Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus]

@zbuzz

Ten or 15 years ago, SAN didn’t offer any overseas nonstops, but today it has nonstops to the UK, Japan, Switzerland and Germany, plus Mexico and Canada.

Not too bad for such a small airport that will always be in the shadow of LAX (and SFO).

I used SAN when I was a student at UCSD, and back then it was a small podunk airport with a couple of small concourses, and the intra-California airline PSA was overwhelmingly the biggest operator. It wasn’t big enough to have jet bridges, and boarded and deplaned via the old fashioned airstair.

The next time I flew out of there was two and a half years ago and I was amazed at how much it had grown. And, as always, how crowded the concourses are these days, considering that they no longer allow visitors.

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[Wrenching_Spanners]

@guizot

But since you’ll be on holiday, you might consider taking the train, (and then renting a car in San Diego), because it’s more relaxing, and for much of the way it goes right along the ocean. There’s a bus that goes from LAX to Union Station in downtown L.A. about every half hour or so. Just remember that if you want to be on the ocean side of the train, that will be the east side of the train as it waits in the station, because the train makes a complete 180 while pulling out of the station.

It’s been over a decade since I was there, but if you enjoy walking, you can do San Diego, at least the central bit, on foot or in a combination of foot, taxi and train. From the train station in downtown, you’re pretty much on top of the USS Midway (aircraft carrier) Museum. Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo aren’t too far away. South of the train station is the Gaslamp Quarter where a lot of the bars, restaurants and entertainment is. Sea World and Mission Bay are probably too far to walk, but public transport might be an option and taxis will be easier and cheaper than a rental car. If you want to go to Tijuana (not my recommendation, but there is the novelty factor), it’s reachable by train and a walk across the border. You can also get to the northern beaches from downtown via train.

[Slow_Moving_Vehicle]

@RioRico

I previously mentioned chartering choppers since OP didn’t specify budget. I did see ads for chopper shuttles between a few area airports (Burbank-LAX-Orange) but not as far as San Diego.

I suspect dolphinboy was referencing the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash.

[WildaBeast]

@Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus

The next time I flew out of there was two and a half years ago and I was amazed at how much it had grown. And, as always, how crowded the concourses are these days, considering that they no longer allow visitors.

Admittedly I’ve never actually flown to or from SAN, so I have no personal experience with the airport, but from everything I’ve read San Diego desperately needs a new airport. The problem is that with the mountains surrounding the city there really isn’t any viable place to build one.

[Mama_Zappa]

@WildaBeast

…
I’m not clear on if the OP is planning on spending time in both Los Angeles and San Diego, or only San Diego. If it’s the latter, just fly into SAN and save yourself the hassle of having to get there from LAX. If you planning on visiting both cities anyway, fly into LAX, rent a car do whatever you want to do in Los Angeles, drive to San Diego and do see what you want to see there, then fly home from SAN.

We did exactly this, some years back. The rental car didn’t even have a surcharge; I guess they get a lot of cars transiting both ways between those airports.

But yeah, I’d definitely suggest flying into San Diego if that’s the main point of your trip, all else being equal (convenient flights, similar fares etc.).