<p>We will be driving from Half Moon Bay to Reno on a Wednesday morning in August. Leaving our hotel about 7 am – per Mapquest, it is a 4 hour drive (but giving ourselves an additional hour to add some time for morning rush hour).</p>
<p>Mapquest gives a couple of options for routes:</p>
<ul>
<li>I-280 to US 101 to I-80</li>
</ul>
<p>or</p>
<ul>
<li>Across the San Mateo bridge to I-580 and across to I-5</li>
</ul>
<p>Which way will have the least traffic at 7 am on a Wednesday?</p>
<p>Half Moon Bay to Reno is 4 hours? During morning rush hour? That’s… optimistic.</p>
<p>There will be traffic for the first two hours, I expect. I’d take the San Mateo Bridge to I-5, just because 101 to San Francisco is not a particularly well-maintained road and it’s always slow to drive through San Francisco and over the Bay Bridge.</p>
<p>I added an extra hour to Mapquest’s estimate of 4 hours, assuming 5. Maybe still not enough? 
That is why I thought I should ask…</p>
<p>We live near Walnut Creek and can make it to Truckee in three hours with no traffic so Reno with no traffic would be under 4 or so; however, since you’re leaving in the middle of morning rush hour, and since you need to get over the hill and the San Mateo Bridge (per above poster), 5 hours still sounds optimistic (I doubt you could get to Walnut Creek in an hour). I’m curious–what route does Mapquest show? If you take the San Mateo Bridge, then 880 north to 238 to 580 east to 680 north joining 80 near Fairfield would be one way; otherwise stay on 880 to 80 the whole way. (I haven’t done 580 to I5 to go to Tahoe because 80 seems more direct).</p>
<p>I don’t know if hiway 1 north clear to SF is even open.</p>
<p>Hiway 92 to 280 will take at least an hour in the AM, traffic is that bad.</p>
<p>And aren’t they doing construction near the 92/280 interchange? </p>
<p>I’d look very carefully at caltrans reports.</p>
<p>and I’d look at the traffic patterns on google maps / traffic just to see which route might move better for you.</p>
<p>The Mapquest route across the San Mateo bridge shows San Mateo Bridge to I-880, to I-238 to I-580. Then I-580 to I-205 to I-5 North. Maybe we will plan to leave earlier… glad I asked you guys!</p>
<p>Have you considered going the evening before? If you don’t need to be in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday evening, I’d consider it and stay somewhere enroute (east of Walnut Creek) if you don’t want to go the whole way.</p>
<p>I don’t think you can get from Half Moon Bay to Walnut Creek in a hour. Certainly not with morning traffic.</p>
<p>Esobay, Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay to SF is open-- but it’s not the right way to go.</p>
<p>I guess the question is, what time do you NEED to be in Reno? Maybe delay your departure to 9:00 or later to be after the worst of the morning traffic.</p>
<p>If you need to be in Reno by noon, I’d spend the night in Reno.</p>
<p>Try checking <a href=“Sigalert”>Sigalert; during the times you will be driving on other weekdays.</p>
<p>Just thought I’d add an update–there’s construction on 80 between Blue Canyon and Donner Lake, so you might need to check out the CalTrans web site for any updates on how much that might delay you.</p>
<p>do NOT take the San Mateo bridge route! Go north on 280 to 101 to 80 to Sacramento and Reno
It will take you at least 5+ hrs to get all the way to Reno, as you will encounter rush hr traffic somewhere along any route you take, more if you stop to make a pit stop or eat.</p>
<p>I’m an “East Bay Area Boy” and I would take hwy 92 (East) to 880 (North) to 238 to 580 (West) to 80 (East). If you can leave an hour earlier, you will avoid some of the morning commuters. On a positive note, the summer commute period is typically lighter than normal since people are on vacation. Do NOT take 205 to 5. That’s off the beaten path.</p>
<p>Here’s Menlparkmom saying don’t take the San Mateo Bridge, take the Bay Bridge instead, and jshain saying do take the San Mateo Bridge. I agree with jshain. There will be traffic either way, but I don’t see the sense of going through San Francisco, which would be just another opportunity to find more traffic.</p>
<p>You guys have convinced me that it is a bad plan to stay out at Half Moon Bay and try to make Reno the next morning. Instead, we changed our plans to take a later afternoon trip out to Alcatraz, grab a bite to eat at Fisherman’s Wharf, then drive to Sacramento the night before our flight from Reno. </p>
<p>So… any food suggestions for Fisherman’s Wharf? Monday night, probably coming back from Alcatraz at around 6 pm. Doesn’t have to be fancy.</p>
<p>I like Scoma’s at the wharf. Another idea is to head over to Sausalito, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and eat at one of their wharf restaurants. There is a Scoma’s there as well, but not as good, imo.</p>
<p>Alioto’s is a favorite of mine. It has been around for about 25 years. You have three options there to suit any budget or time constraint.</p>
<p>You can grab a quick bite at the sidewalk crab stand. Delicious freshly prepared Dungeness crab and famous SF sourdough bread. </p>
<p>Or you can go to the Waterside Cafe on the bottom floor of the restaurant. They have indoor or outdoor seating. More casual than the main restaurant. Great food, but not as wide a selection as the main restaurant. </p>
<p>Or you can opt for Alioto’s upstairs. Delicious fresh seafood, good service and a beautiful view.</p>