Best Route from Fresno to Camp Pendleton

Yes the weekend will help quite a bit. But Los Angeles is a big area with a lot of people. If during the day there will still be be traffic and a few slow downs.

Another thought. as tempting as it is, stay out of the carpool lane if towing. It seems that the carpool lanes there are the unofficial fast lane. If you get in it expect people to be on your bumper breathing down your neck if you're not doing 80.

Just received conformation of my reservation Camp Pendleton, Arriving 7 March which is a
Saturday. Does that alter any of the recommendations that time of travel? Thanks Ed

Living in San Diego it's just basically a fact of life that you have to deal with LA to go north. And I've gone thorugh way more times than I care to remember. As far as Fresno, I drive that route every march to round trip to Yosemite and have so for easily 20 years. Since you are towing a trailer I would just make it simple.
99S to 5s then take either 5 or the 405 whichever your navigation says is clearer. No matter what time of day both routes will have some slowing, it's more about when you go than which route you take.

I prefer the 405 but only because the ramp to stay on the 5 is kind of convoluted and narrow and easy to miss.

As far as time, figure you are about 5 hours from Pendleton so sit and figure out the times. If you hit it right it will take 3 hours from the bottom of the Grapevine until the south end of Orange County when the traffic will clear up. If you hit it wrong it can take 6 hours to do the same drive.

Figure the real traffic doesn't start until you hit LA. So since it's about 2 hours from Fresno to the bottom of the Grapevine figure you want to leave around 7am. This has you at the bottom of Grapevine at 9am. Los Angeles at 10am when people are at work, and 11 am as you're rolling through Orange County before the lunch traffic starts.

Or if you don't mind night driving leave Fresno at 4:30pm. Bottom of the Grapevine at 6:30pm, LA at 7:30pm when most are home eating dinner, and 8:30 through Orange County.

Figure about another 45 minutes to an hour from Southern Orange County to Pendleton.

There's just not much you can do to shorten the trip beyond 3 hours. But if you don't think about the basic commuter hours in a large city you can easily double your travel time.

I plan to camp on the base?

Pick your route, start driving at 8pm.

The entrance for most activity afaik is at the south end so consider 5-210 across to the 15 or 215 down to the 76.

Check google maps for traffic as you come down the grapevine. Take the route with the least red and black areas. Or let Google navigate you through as I find it is very good with traffic.

If you want to zoom through consider hitting LA about 4am Sunday. Even then watch traffic that will show construction closures.

Are you camping on the base?

Looks like the I5 210 57 I5 is the way to go.
I will be towing a 23 ft trailer.

And there you go with 3 basic routes. 405, 210, 58. :@

Sorry just can't consider 5 or 101! :?

Drive at night.

Unless you want to travel far out of the way your options are limited. Having driven that route for decades (Orange County to Modesto) here you go.

99 south to where it meets I5.

Whether you need it or not top off with fuel in Bakersfield and again in Santa Clarita. If you're towing a rig there are trucks stops before and after town, much easier to use with a tow. Unless you have a problem don't get off the 210fwy with any kind tow vehicle!!! Even larger motorhomes are a major pucker factor along that stretch!!

I5 south to the 210fwy. Hope you have GPS for this! Signage along the 210 sucks to figure out.

210 to the 57 south.

57 down to I5 again.

I5 the rest of the way, you'll the signs for CP entrances.

Plan on getting into the Los Angeles basin (where the 210 starts) around 10am to 12 and no later or you're screwed! If you have a trailer or a way to camp plan to stay in Santa Clartia overnight if possible. Don't expect it to be much lighter traffic on weekends either, weekends have rush hours just like the weekdays! You're only other option to avoid the L.A. traffic is to hit the 210 after 9pm. There will still be traffic from the dying down evening rush but better the rolling into town during rush hour! Good luck!!