Interstate 5 - California Travel Information

I-5 Southbound - Orange County (I-405 to San Clemente)

Since Interstate 5 covers some 798 miles on its north-south journey, the roadtrip page is split to accommodate all of the photos along this route. This page covers Interstate 5 in Orange County between Interstate 405 and the San Diego County line at Camp Pendleton.

Interstate 5 Southbound
	The main lanes of Interstate 405 merge into the main lanes of Interstate 5, thus marking the southern terminus of Interstate 405. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	This view shows the truck bypass/local lanes at the Lake Forest Drive offramp (Exit 92) as seen from southbound Interstate 5. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	The truck lanes of southbound Interstate 5 reach Exit 92, Lake Forest Drive. After this exit, the truck lanes return to the mainline of Interstate 5. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	The next two exits along southbound Interstate 5 are Exit 91, El Toro Road and Exit 90, Alicia Parkway. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	This is the only county route shield signed on Interstate 5 in Orange County. Immediately after Interstate 5 merges with Interstate 405, the next exit is Exit 91, Junction Orange County Route S-18/El Toro Road. Orange County Route S-18 begins at its junction with California 133 in Aliso Viejo, then heads northeast via El Toro Road through Aliso Viejo, Laguna Woods, and Lake Forest. Orange County Route S-18 then turns north at its intersection with Orange County Route S-19/Live Oak Canyon Road, changing into Santiago Canyon Road. Santiago Canyon Road changes into Villa Park Road at Hewes Street in Orange, then Orange County Route S-18 turns west along Katella Avenue. Orange County Route S-18 finally ends at its junction with California 55/Exit 15. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 91, Junction Orange County Route S-18/El Toro Road, three-quarters of a mile. This is the first exit after the merge with southbound Interstate 405 traffic. The Interstate 405 interchange was reconstructed in the mid-1990s, resulting in as many as seven lanes heading southbound at once. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Orange County Route S-18/El Toro Road heads southwest into Laguna Hills and Laguna Woods and northeast into Lake Forest. Photo taken 05/30/04.

Site Navigation

	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 91, Junction Orange County Route S-18/El Toro Road. Despite the name, El Toro Road does not connect directly to the former Marine Base of the same name. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 90, Alicia Parkway, one mile. Alicia Parkway leads east into Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita. Southbound Alicia Parkway leads to Laguna Nigel via Laguna Hills and Aliso Viejo. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to Exit 90, Alicia Parkway; Exit 89, La Paz Road; and Exit 88, Oso Parkway. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	This blank sign is located along southbound Interstate 5 as it approaches Exit 91, Alicia Parkway. Since it is green, it is unlikely that it was originally intended to be a carpool sign, which would typically be white. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 90, Alicia Parkway, next right. Note the Variable Message Sign mounted on the overpass next to the guide sign. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 90, Alicia Parkway. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 next reaches Exit 89, La Paz Road. La Paz Road roughly parallels Alicia Parkway, but it is located about a mile south of Alicia Parkway. This kind of small overhead sign is fairly common along this stretch of northbound and southbound Interstate 5. Photo taken 05/30/04.

	The next exit along southbound Interstate 5 is Exit 88, Oso Parkway, one mile. Oso Parkway leads east through Mission Viejo to Coto de Caza and west through Laguna Hills to meet California 73 and Alicia Parkway in Aliso Viejo. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 88, Oso Parkway, one-half mile. The power lines in the distance (west/right of the freeway) carry power from the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant into the Southern California Edison electricity grid. Beneath the wires is a sizable shopping center with a variety of "big box" anchor stores as principal tenants. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 88, Oso Parkway. Photo taken 05/30/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 86, Crown Valley Parkway, one and one-quarter miles. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Crown Valley Parkway extends east to Ladera Ranch. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	A small exit tab is attached to this overhead sign for Exit 86, Crown Valley Parkway, next right. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 86, Crown Valley Parkway. Photo taken 03/30/03.
	The next exit along southbound Interstate 5 is Exit 85B, Avery Parkway, three-quarters of a mile. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 85B, Avery Parkway. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 83, Junipero Serra Road, one and one-quarter miles. The overpass in the distance is part of the California 73 interchange. There is no access from southbound Interstate 5 to northbound California 73. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 passes under the California 73 interchange, approaching Junipero Serra Road. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	This mileage sign provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 83, Junipero Serra Road; Exit 82, Junction California 74; and Exit 81, Camino Capistrano. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 83, Junipero Serra Road, next right. The auxiliary lane here is the onramp from southbound California 73. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 83, Junipero Serra Road. This is another sign that is too small for the amount of text on it. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	The next exit along southbound Interstate 5 is Exit 82, Junction California 73/Ortega Highway, one and one-quarter miles. Photo taken 12/23/01.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 82, California 74, one mile. This sign may have been removed since the time this photo was taken. Photo taken 08/00.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 82, California 74/Ortega Highway. California 74 is a major trans-mountain route that crosses into Riverside County and connects to Interstate 15 at Lake Elsinore. Most of this route is a two-lane, rural highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 82, Junction California 74; Exit 81, Camino Capistrano; and Exit 79, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 82, California 74/Ortega Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next exit along southbound Interstate 5 is Exit 81, Camino Capistrano. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 81, Camino Capistrano and Exit 79, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 81, Camino Capistrano; the next exit is Exit 79, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next two exits along southbound are Exit 79, Junction California 1/Pacific Coast Highway and Camino las Ramblas and Exit 78, Camino de Estrella. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	California 1/Pacific Coast Highway begins its northwesterly journey from this interchange toward the coastal communities of Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The highway eventually connects Big Sur, Monterey, and coastal Sonoma/Mendocino with the rest of the state. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	A variety of state beaches may be accessed via northbound California 1/Pacific Coast Highway. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 79, Junction California 1 (Pacific Coast Highway). This marks the southern terminus of California 1. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 78, Calle de Estrella; Exit 77, Avenida Vista Hermosa; and Exit 76, Avenida Pico. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 78, Camino de Estrella, next right/exit only. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 78, Camino de Estrella, which leads into San Clemente and Capistrano Beach. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 approaches Exit 77, Avenida Vista Hermosa (translated as "Pretty View Avenue"), one mile. This interchange opened in the early 2000s as a new route into San Clemente. Photo taken 06/02/02.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 77, Avenida Vista Hermosa. This exit opened to traffic in 2001; although the exits feature reflective signs, initially there were no exit numbers. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next exit along southbound Interstate 5/San Diego Freeway is Exit 76, Avenida Pico, one-half mile. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Avenida Pico serves the city of San Clemente, the last city along Interstate 5 before it departs Orange County and enters San Diego County. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 76, Avenida Pico. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 75, Avenida Palizada; Exit 74, El Camino Real; and Exit 73, Avenida Calafia. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 75, Junction Business Loop I-5/Avenida Palizada. The business loop is not identified on any sign along southbound. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 74, El Camino Real; Exit 73, Avenida Calafia; and Exit 72, Cristianitos Road. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches Exit 74, El Camino Real. El Camino Real connects to Business Loop I-5 (former U.S. 101). The next exit is Avenida Calafia (Exit 73). Photo taken 07/06/04.
	The next three exits along southbound are Exit 73, Avenida Calafia; Exit 72, Cristianitos Road; and Exit 71, Basilone Road. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Avenida Calafia serves downtown San Clemente. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Exit 73, Avenida Calafia is the last exit with services until reaching Oceanside in San Diego County (20 miles). Sprawling Camp Pendleton lies ahead. Use Exit 73 to reach San Clemente State Park. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 at Exit 73, Avenida Calafia. The next exit is for Cristianitos Road, which marks the San Diego County Line. Photos taken 07/06/04.
	The next exit along southbound is Exit 72, Cristianitos Road. Photo taken 07/06/04.
	Southbound Interstate 5 reaches the ramp to Exit 72, Cristianitos Road. This is the final exit in Orange County. Interstate 5 enters its final county, San Diego. Photo taken 07/06/04.

Page Updated September 11, 2004.