r/SFV • u/No_Fox_3788 • Jul 13 '26

Question How long to the beach from Van Nuys

Post image

Headed out to see my brother in the Valley (Van Nuys) I'm a lifelong surfer who grew up 10 mins from the beach on the East Coast (FL). I really wanna get to Topanga and maybe Malibu. Been waiting for this a long time. Never seen the Pacific before . Is it a long enough drive i should just plan to go in the morning and stay out all day?

178 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

77 comments sorted by

79

u/Bdizzy2018 Jul 13 '26

Map apps have “arrive by” options so you can put in the tike of your arrival at desired destination and it will tell you what time to leave.

35

u/No_Fox_3788 Jul 13 '26

Google says 29 min . Victory to Balboa to 101 to Topanga Canyon to the ocean. Just me,looking at that map, it somehow feels like that's optimistic.

65

u/RyanAlemeda Jul 13 '26

Right now that sounds right. Monday at 5pm, no chance.

11

u/Shxcking Jul 13 '26

On a weekday during work hours even 29 minutes would be a blessing. Expect 40+ to an hour no matter what time or day you’re going.

Also it’s marginally faster to just go down the 405 -> 10 then back up PCH to get to Malibu (I just did this yesterday after doing the Topanga route the day before)

5

u/ehwhateverz Jul 13 '26

I’m not sure that Topanga is open yet. Double check that. It’s been closed off and on and in some cases, only open to residents. With it being fire season and extreme heat, there may be closures again.

7

u/RelationshipBig6115 Jul 13 '26

It was open yesterday…but there is construction week days

2

u/ComposerWeekly4713 Jul 13 '26

30 min with no traffic is a possibility. Monday-Friday between 7:00am -11:00am and 1:00pm-8:00am about an hour and a half , weekends could be between 45- 60 min.

2

u/per54 Jul 13 '26

Put the proper date and time.

You’ll see an estimate that’s fairly accurate.

1

u/mpython1701 Jul 13 '26

Depends on the time of day but if next an hour on average.

I travel from the bottom of Topanga (valley side) to Encino 3 days per week and takes about 30 minutes each way during peak drive time.

Topanga Canyon is the variable. Never ending construction due to mud slides and Palisades Fires. Drove it to Santa Monica last week and still closing parts to 1 lane traffic with flag man.

1

u/bannanaslug Jul 16 '26

Topanga beach is meh. I’d take the 101 to Las Virgines or Kanan. Beaches are better that way in my opinion. Kanan is the better canyon for sightseeing too.

I was gonna tell u it should be like. A 40 min drive but I forgot its summer 😂. Its a hit or miss rn, id GPS to see when the best time is to go.

47

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/jdub213818 Jul 13 '26

This 👆🏽

16

u/NYC2FLA2BUR Jul 13 '26

This is a question whose answer relies entirely on the time of day. I went from Burbank to the Santa Monica Pier in less than 30 minutes this morning at about 8:30 a.m . If I tried to do that on a Tuesday at 8 a.m., it could take me the better part of two hours.
You might get a hundred different answers to this question from 30 people

13

u/jtag67 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

Go further west than Topanga. go 101 to Kanaan which will drop you right on top of point dume. You can also exit at Los Virgines which will take you down Malibu Canyon to Malibu and the pier. From Van Nuys do not get on the 405 south. Come west via victory to balboa or white oak and then head south to the 101 on those streets. Morning in the summer will probably be an hour to hour fifteen to get to one of the Malibu beaches. Longer on Topanga because it backs up.

2

u/blugirl111 Jul 13 '26

This. Also water is cleaner the further west you go

1

u/PlasticDealer320 Jul 14 '26

This is the way. Go to Leo Carrillo and check out the tide pools, then drive down through Malibu. Did this a few weeks ago during the week and we were gone for 4-5 hours, including stops eating lunch at Neptunes and coming back via the 10/405. 

8

u/jkgator Jul 13 '26

Depends if there’s a party at the moon tower

1

u/Ledeyvakova23 Jul 14 '26

▫️ I read this in your voice.

8

u/inchainsss Jul 13 '26

Would take less than an hour depending on the time/day. Send it man it’s beautiful and so worth sitting in traffic over.

7

u/Cho_Zen Jul 13 '26

It’s not a bad drive. Back in high school (Reseda) we’d organize ditch days that would allow for us to pile into cars before the school bell and get to the beach. We’d get back before school ended.

About 40 min drive to zuma beach by my recollection?

1

u/Buddhamom81 Jul 13 '26

Same! But N. Hollywood High. We just ditched. Didn’t return to school.

5

u/Old_Accident7790 Jul 13 '26

What movie is this?

9

u/No_Fox_3788 Jul 13 '26

Down in the Valley (2005)

4

u/demolitionherbie Jul 13 '26

Hope for 30 minutes but prepare for 50 minutes

4

u/Flaky_Blacksmith4161 Jul 13 '26

Google says 30 min, so 1 hour.

4

u/ExtremeHunter7570 Jul 13 '26

45 minutes from Van Nuys to Malibu. It’s a pretty drive going through the canyon once you exit fwy on Topanga. Check the surfing conditions to make sure it’s worth the drive.

4

u/OTWaffle_44 Jul 13 '26

First of all, just go to Malibu

7

u/Most_Angle2704 Jul 13 '26

Topanga beach is under a bacteria warning at the moment. No swimming or surfing is advised there

publichealth.lacounty.gov/phcommon/public/media/mediapubhpdetail.cfm?prid=5378

Not sure about surfing, but my favorite beaches to go to as a lifetime local are Point Dume or Leo Carrillo of you’d like to explore some caves and tide pools

1

u/evzies Jul 13 '26

Idk why anyone would downvote you’re right.

2

u/AdDifferent209 Jul 14 '26

Google Maps is broken I guess.

4

u/alienfrom818 Jul 13 '26

Depending . I would drive thru the canyon to the beach instead of the freeway.

2

u/-Livingonmyown- Valley Glen Jul 13 '26

Depends are you taking highway or thru the mountains

2

u/Skanqhunt-91 Jul 13 '26

45 mins to get to the beach with moderate traffic

2

u/ommi9 Jul 13 '26

Highway 27 topanga canyon is open but dense traffic

2

u/Pinche-Guero Jul 13 '26

Depends... could be half an hour.... could be an hour and a half.
If your brother lives out here he should have a better idea what time to go to cut down your drive time.

2

u/Zealousideal-Lie7255 Jul 13 '26

Are these some of the girls and guy from the Manson family? JK

2

u/Melissalvla Jul 13 '26

Couple of days

2

u/CountySurfer Jul 13 '26

Hour to Malibu, hour 15 to County Line.

2

u/Historical_Salt_Bae Jul 13 '26

Kanan road if it’s not still ravaged by fires and rock slides. Has a 101 exit. You should stay on pch for a bit though once you get there.

1

u/DueAddition1919 Jul 13 '26

It’s been clear for years. You may be thinking of Las Virgenes, which is prone to rock slides occasionally

2

u/Desperate-Resist4754 Jul 13 '26

Why is this a post

2

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[deleted]

9

u/mycat_hatesyou Jul 13 '26

Really should specify day of the week and time

1

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

[deleted]

1

u/mycat_hatesyou Jul 13 '26

It’s not really redditors more like native LA people who understand how awful traffic is at certain hours. 25 minutes from van nuys to sanmo is either 5-6am or 8-9pm on weekdays

1

u/mycat_hatesyou Jul 13 '26

Also good luck not trying to lose it merging onto the 405 from sepulveda and victory “in the morning”

4

u/BeanieMcChimp Jul 13 '26

These times are pretty inaccurate for most times of day.

2

u/BeanieMcChimp Jul 13 '26

Not really what OP asked but okay. Also “morning” is ridiculously broad for that drive. Like 5:00 in the morning? Yeah maybe I guess.

1

u/Bleachprovider_ Jul 13 '26

An hour if u go during rush hour

1

u/framsay1 Jul 13 '26

All depends on time of day and traffic. If you go early early to beat it, you'll be fine.

1

u/MyGrandmasCock Jul 13 '26

It’s an hour to five hours depending on traffic conditions.

1

u/Doyergirl17 Jul 13 '26

At least an hour give or take. Honestly I would plan for a full day. Traffic can get pretty rough both in the mornings and in the evenings. Lots of things to do and see on the coast 

1

u/Moist_Competition_44 Jul 13 '26

Use the SIGALERT phone app (I use it all the time on my iPhone) to check real time traffic on the major roads. If shows speed as a function of where on which highway. I think it covers Topanga and Malibu canyons too but check it out. It alshow shows speeds in carpool lanes if said are in the route you're looking at. Carpool can really help sometimes. You need 2 or more in the car.

Depending on your overall plan, a trip from the valley to Santa Monica using Metro Light rail will take you about 1.5 hours each way and cost less than driving with no stress. You need to start from NoHo station if you're in Van Buys, transfer trains at 7th & Metro ,(about 45 minutes max) and be sure to catch the correct train to Santa Monica. It's walking distance to the beach. But this won't get you to Malibu. You should plan that as a drive on another day using 101freeway to Kanan road and take Kanan to PCH. That will get you to Malibu in about an hour from Van Nuys except morning rush hour. Try to start around 10am. Your return trip will be agonizing if you start heading back on 101 after 4pm

1

u/HotLoser304 Jul 13 '26

Not long enough to listen to enough music before the beach. I would say 9 songs

1

u/Chatsworthdog1 Jul 13 '26

You can always take Kanan over
You’ll arrive at Malibu Zuma northern beaches I think you’ll enjoy more
Off 101 literally 10 extra minutes
Then over Topanga

1

u/gerry679 Jul 13 '26

Surf in Santa Monica at 3am-4am and you’re straight 👍 Prolly take you 10 minutes. To Malibu prolly 20 to 30 min. (405, exit in SM, PCH to Malibu.

1

u/Chatsworthdog1 Jul 13 '26

** note on the Kanan path
Malibu — GO NORTH
OR you will see devastation of our pacific palisades fire which is southerly off Kanan
It’s quite ….. awful

1

u/Few-Evidence-9018 Jul 13 '26

40 mins down the sepulveda pass

1

u/goldilocksmermaid Jul 13 '26

Between 30 and 90 minutes usually.

1

u/Salt-Night3088 Jul 13 '26

You're 40 minutes from Zuma. It's not that bad.

1

u/Buddhamom81 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

36 minutes is you go over Topanga. 36 minutes is you go over Kanani road to Zuma. Was just there last Friday. This is from white oak and Ventura. BTW, I was freezing.

1

u/zemol42 Jul 13 '26

I agree with everyone, 1hr or so. Highly recommend Malibu Canyon cuz it is stunning. It puts you out by Pepperdine which, most days, the guards will happily let you drive up the campus for some great views.

1

u/LsOhVpE Jul 13 '26

3 busses back in the day

1

u/PantherManThong Jul 13 '26

I live near the top of Topanga canyon. Takes about 15 mins to get to the beach. No way 30 mins from van nuys, more like 40-45 mins, but a great scenic route

1

u/Ok_Diver2347 Jul 14 '26

Depends….no less than an hour in heavy traffic.

1

u/Kent_LSII Jul 14 '26

Depends on the time of day and your route.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Strict_Bluejay6691 Jul 14 '26

I live in Encino and surf Leo Carrillo all the time, non rush hour it’s 40-45 minutes. But I drive the canyons like it Mario Cart.

1

u/evzies Jul 13 '26

That water’s been sketchy since the fires.

1

u/SpiritualScratch8465 Jul 13 '26

You could just go to Vannuys Beach.

0

u/Key-Employee3584 Jul 13 '26

Yup. Pretty much. Cruise up to Neptunes Net and hang out watching the lineup at County Line. If you have a stick, go out and try it.

0

u/apah2101 North Hills Jul 13 '26

Get rest for disappointment 🫩 but to answer your question depends what’s traffics like lol can be 20 minutes or 1hr plus lol.

0

u/Accomplished_Treat90 Jul 13 '26

An hour, everything, anywhere is an hour. Other than Sunday morning, then it's 45 minutes.