I'm doing a little research and soul searching for a September trip to Vegas.
We are expected at a wedding in Oceanside, CA 9/9/09.
My plan is to fly to vegas sometime around the 4th and return home sometime around the 13th. I am planning a side trip for the wedding which is on a Wednesday. So 3 days in vegas, 3 days in Oceanside, and then 3 days in vegas again.
My question is, does anyone have a real life time average to Oceanside CA, from Vegas?
I realize flying from vegas to San Diego (closest airport to oceanside) is a little over an hour, butt.... airport rental drop off time, add in a 2hr before flight check in time, pick up luggage at carousel time, car rental time. and then finally drive time to Oceanside from San Diego airport, and the day is shot anyway. I am probably somewhere around 5 hrs for that trip at a cost of about $300 rt for 2 people on southwest. That is not counting on delays from traffic or weather, or mec. trouble.
I don't mind driving, and with the right rental car it could be an adventure?

Help please!

Hi Lee,
There's a web site called freetrip that I'm using for our drive out to Las Vegas.

It's free. Just put in where you're leaving from and where you're
going and it will tell you the route, length of time and mileage.

Ellen

Lee, I make that drive frequently and it usually takes between 5 to 6 hours one way with a short stop for a quick lunch.

And I seldom drive five miles over the 70 MPH speed limit.

E&E gave good advice on Freetrip. Mapquest is also available.

In the old days when I rented a car, there was a clause to not take the car out of the state. The rental agencies always told me there was no way to enforce it, but they could use it in court if things went terribly wrong and they needed it. That was back before Alamo Quicksilver kiosks. When I rented a Vette somewhere around the year 2000, they showed it to me on my contract. I did not read the fine print, but the guy told me that out of state cops MIGHT think that I was trying to steal the car. I only took it to 3 states.

It sounds like a fun and busy trip. I hope you get a good car.

Thanks for your replies everyone.
I do use map quest and I did look this up before I posted. However, it has been my experiance, while the sites have been fairly correct with directions, baring construction, detours and new roads, they have a shade record on driveability times.
I was looking for actualy drive time by someone who has driven this, and maybe on a holiday 3 day weekend? I expect traffic to be a little more extreme, then the 4 1/2 hrs mapquest gives for the time to drive it?

We drive to San Diego and to Los Angeles from time to time, and Toby has work in both places.
It takes about 5-5 1/2 hours each way, and as long as you are not traveling west/south on a Sunday or east/north on a Friday, you will be driving at pretty good speed. Like Will, we usually make a meal stop at a fast food place on the way.......for us, usually in Barstow. The road is wide open, not much in the way of rest areas......so a stop in a town is in order. There is one rest area in each direction, but last time we went, the rest area between Barstow and Primm was closed, and the one heading west is sometimes closed. There is a USDA station you drive through headed west, so don't take any fresh fruit or veggies with you.:) Stops between Las Vegas and San Bernadino are Jean, Primm, Baker, Barstow, Victorville, and at El Cajon Pass. Once you get over the pass, you are captured by the S. Calif. freeway system, and you will want to either have a GPS or a written plan that you can check to get to and on the Freeway you want to take. They are all numbered these days. I like the wide open spaces on this trip, and if you are interested in ghost towns, you can make a stop at Calico, outside of Barstow. It's about 3-5 miles off the interstate. It takes about an hour or two to wander through, but it's hilly, so if you don't feel like walking far that day, it would not be a good stop. Just east or north of Barstow is a 60s diner just off the Interstate........Peggy Sue's, and the food is pretty good, and they have great old pictures all over the walls.

Well, Our trip has changed some what. We are now flying to San Diego and then stopping in LV before heading back home to the east coast. I priced a one way rental from San Diego to LV and I won't be doing that any time soon when one way fares are $65 on southwest and my bags fly free! WooHoo!
I really think I might have enjoyed the drive too.
New Plan, fly out to Wedding on Tuesday 9/8/09, then see them tie the noose er Knot. Then a flight to Vegas 9/10/09. We are planning to stay till 9/15/09. It's kinda a short trip for us, but it's better then no trip. Besides we will be in Vegas for the annual November meet with Wendell.
WoW can't beleive we finally commited to a Vegas trip!