The Beckwalls are pretty much hermits, rarely venturing out beyond the confines of Palm Springs. In a few weeks, we will make a trip down to Irvine to see Beck and Dashboard Confessional in concert at the Verizon Amphitheater. Here’s the question - we will be staying in Dana Point the night before, and would appreciate advice on how to get up to the concert, using alternate routes (since it will be about 5PM on a Friday night, and jumping on the 5 Northbound doesn’t seem like a good idea).
Anyone familiar with some surface streets to get us where we are going? Also, on the way home we want to do some major shopping (Ma’n’Pa Beckwall go to the big city), and I thought I heard about a major shopping mecca in Irvine somewhere. Not a traditional mall, but more like a shopping enclave. Lots of shopping/eating places all in one area. Seems like it has only been around a few years, if that. Y’all know what I’m talking about?
Thanks for the help. We checked out the set list for a recent Beck concert back east, and we are majorly excited to see him again.
I think 5 north to 405 north is probably your best bet, even on Friday night at 5pm. Most of the traffic at that time is going the opposite direction towards the bedroom communities, plus you’ll have the carpool lane. Still, if you’re a worrier like me, leave 90 minutes early and you can spend any left over time shopping. If you’re dead set on surface streets, you can take Pacific Coast Highway from Dana Point to Broadway in Laguna Beach. Broadway takes you to the 133 North which will take you to the 405 right by the amphitheater.
The “new” shopping mecca they’re talking about is most likely the Spectrum which is a humongeous conglomeration of shops, theatres, and restaurants at the 405 off of Irvine Center road. Personally, I hate it because parking is nearly impossible and there’s nothing particularily special there worth going out of your way for. Still, if you must go, be prepared for every teenager in the world to be there with you. For restaurants, the Cheesecake Factory is pretty good.
Anyway, I’m with **RadioWave ** on Irvine Spectrum. It’s huge, sure, but not really what I’d call fine shopping. It’s more a place for teenagers & families to hang out, since Irvine is sorely lacking in that sort of thing. If you want to go shopping, stick around for the weekend and head up to South Coast Plaza, the Mother of All Malls (although I personally head to Cabazon for my shopping)!
I don’t know how well this alternative route will work given traffic, but since you asked for an alternative, here you go:
Head North up PCH (could get ugly)
Turn onto Newport Coast Drive (inland); you will be “welcomed” by 2 large entrance arches
Continue on Newport Coast Drive until the end (I think it’s just about the end) – you’ll end up at UCIrvine
Turn right onto Culver
Go up Culver, and get on 405S
Exit Irvine Center Drive, keep right.
The above is a little weird because you go north, but then you have to go south a littel bit. I don’t think that the 5 will be that bad going Northbound, but it’s always nice to have alternatives.