5 or 99…Which way do you go?

[240Hallett]

I might need to drive up to Paradise next week and was wondering, which way you professional travelers would go. Most of the travel would probably be at night. What’s the best way to go?

 

[H20 Toie]

At night just go the 5, 99 is more scenic but doesn't matter at night

 

[Badchoices03]

At night, the 5 all the way....like mentioned above, traffic is little lighter and the scenery is a little better on the 99, but at night it don't matter....

 

[HBCraig]

At night just go the 5, 99 is more scenic but doesn't matter at night

This

 

[EPL]

It depends on if your towing or not . I like 5 when towing because 99 has to much on and off traffic .

 

[Flyinbowtie]

For many, many years we always took 99 when heading down south simply to avoid the boredom effect on 5.
Last year when we came down for KOH was the last time I will take 99.
99 is rougher than hell, it'll beat the heck outta you and anything you might be towing. As already been mentioned the traffic anymore is nuts, and since most drivers don't know how to merge onto a freeway these days it'll have ya talking to yourself in short order. Our experience was that it is worse during rush hour in the towns along 99, the wee hours of the morning is better ...but the crappy road is 24 7 lol.
I would take 5. I hate 5, but 99 ain't what it used to be, IMHO.

 

[Waterjunky]

Stay on 5 until Sacramento, once your north (they merge in Sac) then follow 99.

The road is better on 5 and you don't have nearly as much traffic or stupid people.

 

[PRIMO]

5

 

[240Hallett]

Thanks for all the replies! Looks like the 5 is the way to go.
not towing anything, just driving up solo for a funeral. Leaving after work and I’ll probably have to stop somewhere along the way to snooze for a little bit.

 

[Fun Times]

The last time I was on the 99 coming back to LA, a majority of the people must had to have thought that was the speed limit or something towards the evening time frame… even upper 80’s mph wise wasn’t enough to stay out of their way most of the time.

 

[NicPaus]

Post some pictures of how it looks with the rebuilding. I have not been up there in a long time. Used to live in Chico and go up to a cousins in paradise regularly.

I always took the 5 then the 99 going there. It was 500 miles door to door.

 

[Boat 405]

I might need to drive up to Paradise next week and was wondering, which way you professional travelers would go. Most of the travel would probably be at night. What’s the best way to go?

I’m sorry you have to go through this both ways suck.

 

[GRADS]

5 is faster.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

5

Get in the left lane, stay in the left lane, do not travel in any lane other than the left lane!

 

[welldigger00]

All the towns have grown so much on the 99 that you get slow downs at every get on ramp in the morning/afternoon rush hour time. I run the 5 mainly. Either one your gonna do 63 mph because the god damn Californian truck drivers run at 62/63, and try to pass at 1 mph faster that the truck they’re trying to pass

 

[GRADS]

On a side note. I hate to fly. My wife and I went to the LA boat show back in the day and we raced to LA, she flew, I drove. We left the doorstep at the same time. I beat her to the hotel by two beers...that's how many I had down before she arrived. I made it from Roseville (outside of Sac) to the Grapevine in 3 hours 45 minutes. That record won't be broken anytime soon. I made it to downtown LA in 4 hours 54 minutes. Seldomly dropped below 100 and at times was doing 150.

 

[76 Hondo]

5

Get in the left lane, stay in the left lane, do not travel in any lane other than the left lane!

If you follow this advice, be prepared to run at 90+

 

[bilz]

On a side note. I hate to fly. My wife and I went to the LA boat show back in the day and we raced to LA, she flew, I drove. We left the doorstep at the same time. I beat her to the hotel by two beers...that's how many I had down before she arrived. I made it from Roseville (outside of Sac) to the Grapevine in 3 hours 45 minutes. That record won't be broken anytime soon. I made it to downtown LA in 4 hours 54 minutes. Seldomly dropped below 100 and at times was doing 150.

In a smart car?

 

[GRADS]

In a smart car?

Uh no. It was in a brand new 750 BMW.

 

[240Hallett]

So if I have to stop along the way, maybe halfway or so to get some sleep is 5 still the best choice? It looks pretty desolate.
I have to get up at 3:30 AM and work all day and probably hit the road from Cucamonga around 4:00 or 5:00. I won’t make it all the way in one shot.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

There isn’t hardly anything between Bakersfield and Stockton. They are about 3hrs apart

 

[Willie B]

If you follow this advice, be prepared to run at 90+

… When I first bought my Lake Oroville property maybe around 2000. I hopped in my 73 Buick Centurion convertible and took the five up to inspect the property... I forget where I started this …but at one point, I set the cruise control on 95 and let her rip,..got away with that for at least 40 or 50 miles … for the next 20 years or so when leaving my Oroville property, I would take the 70 down to the 99 and the 99 all the way to the Grapevine…
… Never liked the boring emptiness of the five at all…

 

[DB / HAV]

I used to travel that area often. I would stay at Harris Ranch, pretty good steak house and doesn’t smell as bad during the winter . Be careful where you stay, some of the small towns were starting to get some gang activity. The 5 will be quicker. Maybe reach out to AAA for suggestions. Be safe. Sorry about your loss.

 

[Rupp250]

99 will slow down through every city. Merced or Madera is on 99 and it is all messed up from the train to no where. I would take the 5 and shoot for Harris Ranch. They have a hotel/restaurant. Do not stay overnight anywhere near Stockton. Total shit hole.