Getting to the Malls

The arrival of the holiday season inevitably means increasing traffic tie-ups around John Wayne Airport and shopping malls throughout Orange County. Here are a few tips for; avoiding some of the worst congestion:

Ways to Avoid the Crowd

Arrive before noon or early evening, when many people eat dinner. Use side streets rather than congested highways for quicker access to mall parking lots. Use parking structures, usually linked to mall by bridges.

Tips

Know what you’re looking for, and work your way around the mall, back to your car. Ask security or store managers if mall offers services such as baby-sitting, parking lot escorts or package assistance for elderly or handicapped shoppers.

Some of the busier areas on the busiest shopping day of the year, today:

Buena Park Mall

Open: 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m

Avoid: La Palma entrances.

Use: Stanton Avenue or Dale Street entrances.

Parking: Best in back of mall, especially in lots near Stanton.

Comments: Santa near center court.

Mall of Orange

Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Katella Avenue exit from Costa Mesa Freeway.

Use: Lincoln off-ramp from the Costa Mesa Freeway, and Tustin entrance.

Parking: Good in rear lots along Canal Street.

Comments: Santa arrives by helicopter 9 a.m. today.

MainPlace/Santa Ana

Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Avoid: Parking decks along Main Street.

Parking: Best in the parking deck next to May Co. and on the mall’s west side.

Comments: Santa near Robinson’s Court. The walking piano from the movie “Big” also available.

Comments: Santa near Robinson’s court. The walking piano from the movie “Big” also available.

Westminster Mall

Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Golden West entrance.

Use: Entrances near intersection of Edwards Street and Bolsa Avenue.

Parking: Lots off Bolsa are best.

Comments: Community Ballet Theater performs 1 to 2 p.m. near center court. Santa in center court.

South Coast Plaza

Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Bristol Street entrances.

Use: Fairview Road exit off San Diego Freeway. Go north to South Coast Drive and go east. It will lead you directly into the mall. Bear Street also a good alternative.

Parking: Use north and south parking garages.

Comments: Santa arrives at 11 a.m. Carolers throughout the day.

Fashion Island

Hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Nicolas, Santa Rosa and San Miguel drives, depending on traffic; all feed from the surrounding streets onto Newport Center, which connects to East Coast Highway. If one is congested, try the next.

Use: See above.

Parking: Best bet is garage next to the Broadway.

Comments: Santa near Broadway. There’s a children’s train ride near I. Magnin.

Anaheim Plaza

Location: Santa Ana Freeway at Euclid Street.

Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Main Euclid entrance, especially when going south along Euclid. Few chances to make a left turn into the mall.

Use: Crescent Avenue to the north or Loara Street to the east.

Parking: Best in lots along Crescent. Tight around Euclid entrance.

Comments: Santa in the center court noon to 4 p.m. Free Santa photos.

Brea Mall

Location: Imperial Highway at State College Boulevard.

Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Heaviest traffic approaches from the south along State College and left-turn traffic signals make motorists wait to enter mall.

Use: Approach from the north along State College, and take either of two entrances into mall. Side street entrances also on Birch Street and Randolph Avenue.

Parking: Valet parking for $3 off of Birch between Robinson’s and Nordstrom.

Comments: Santa at center court.

Huntington Center

Location: Beach Boulevard and Edinger Avenue, at San Diego Freeway.

Open: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Entering from Edinger and the busy Edinger and Beach intersection.

Use: Center Avenue entrances off Gothard Street. The southbound Beach Boulevard off-ramp of the San Diego Freeway puts motorists right on Center. Turn right to mall. The northbound off-ramp lets out on Beach; the first right turn is Center.

Parking: Good in northeast and northwest lots along Center and southeast and west lots off Edinger.

Comments: All-American Boys Chorus sings today at noon and 2 p.m. Santa in center court near JC Penney. Candyland Train near the Broadway.

Laguna Hills Mall

Location: Interstate 5 at El Toro Road.

Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: Main El Toro entrance. Use: Any of the entrances off either Avenida de la Carlota or Calle de la Louisa. The southbound Interstate 5 El Toro off-ramp lets out on Avenida de la Carlota; stay on it past El Toro. Calle de la Louisa is off El Toro, just past the main entrance.

Parking: Good in lots along Calle de la Louisa between Sears and Buffums, and alongAvenida de la Carlota, between Sears and J.C. Penney. Lots near Sears and the Broadway at main entrance fill fast.

Comments: Security escort to parking lots available. Ask any store manager to call security when ready to return to car. Santa near center court.

Mission Viejo Mall

Location: Interstate 5, off Crown Valley Parkway.

Open: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Avoid: Main entrance.

Use: Marguerite entrance.

Parking: Good on south side of mall, by May Co. and Montgomery Ward.

Comments: Santa knows sign language. He will arrive by horse and carriage at 11 a.m. today and will sit at the center court.

The City Shopping Center

Location: Garden Grove Freeway at The City Drive, Orange.

Open: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Avoid: The City Drive entrances.

Use: Chapman Avenue.

Parking: Generally good.

Comments: International Christmas Bazaar near El Torito restaurant. Yuletide carolers 7 to 9 p.m. Santa near center court.

Note: Hours listed are for today. Some department stores remain open a little longer than mall hours.

Source: Malls