Planning a trip around Veterans day

[ccship]

I'm planning on a trip to Vegas on Veterans day weekend with my Girlfriend. Probably staying at the M or Tropicana, we'll likely spend the day on the strip/downtown - Then head back to the hotel for dinner and games at night.

We both have the following Monday and Tuesday off, so the question is when we leave Southern California, we can head to Vegas anytime between Saturday afternoon (after work) and Sunday morning, likely heading back home on Tuesday evening.

How busy is this holiday? Do you think the recent tragedy will still have any effect? (I don't think it would)
I'll at least assume that we'll avoid the traffic going back home because we're staying until Tuesday.

Any discussion/tips loosely related are welcome.

[Alan Mendelson]

Any holiday weekend has traffic. I'm in the LA area so I usually drive to Vegas leaving AFTER 9pm. I let the hotel/casino know I will be a late arrival.

The other option to miss traffic is to leave at 9 in the morning.

Starting at 2pm on any day going to Vegas and traffic will be a mess.

Driving back from Vegas -- the later you leave the better, or again, the early morning (before 9am) is okay.

[MisterV]

Where does the traffic start to become problematical?

Not living in So Cal I am out of touch with such things.

[Alan Mendelson]

Its a problem everywhere but as you get on the 15 freeway near the 10 and the 210 freeways is the worst, then at Barstow and Baker and Stateline Primm.

On the way home it can take one hour to get from the Strip to Primm.

The worst is after a big holiday weekend such as New Year's when it could be an 8-10 drive back to LA when a normal ride is 5 hours.

I take the "back road" which is Pearblossom highway and that avoids the freeways for about one-third the trip.