Miramar Air Show -questions

[Speedbird]

Hello,
My friend and I will be going to the Miramar Air Show this Saturday. I like to ask if any Marines who work on base could give me recommendations on how early I should arrive at the air station, and when would be a good time to leave after the Thunderbird performance. Gates open at 8 a.m., and the show is scheduled to conclude at around 4 p.m. I live in the La Jolla/UTC area, which would take me a mere 10-15 minutes without traffic. I heard the traffic was a nightmare (last year I didn't go to the air show, but as I was getting back home driving west on Miramar Road from I-15, I ran into traffic from people leaving the air show- that ordeal went on for one full hour!) I heard that I should just stay late after the day show is over and leave around 5:30 ish. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[killerinstinct]

im not sure if this gate will let you in usually its decals only but.. when ya leave to miss traffic and go to La jolla take the road that goes past the golf course it comes out a lil past the pyramid on miramar. Im sure mccs iwll give ya road closure access thigns so ya can make a plan.

[Speedbird]

Hi killerinstinct, thanks for the reply. May I ask...is it the West Gate you're referring to? From the air show website, we could use either the West Gate, Main Gate, or East Gate. Since I'm coming from UTC, it would probably make most sense to use the West Gate. I know that's the one that tends to be closed and runs alongside the golf course. When the gates are closed, it's got those signs with a picture of a Drill Instructor and reads "Hey Marine, SPEED KILLS!"

[killerinstinct]

yea i was tlakign bout the west gate but just not sure how it will be usually tis the gate where you need a dod sticker on the car but dont know if they open it up for the air show. I jsut know not to drive on base traffic sucks.

[rvillac2]

No DOD sticker required during the airshow because the cars are herded directly into parking areas. I always get the preferred parking and get close to the entrances.

Henry, pray for better weather. Blues had to do the low show last year. I hope we get the high show from the T-birds on Saturday.

Semper Fi.

[Speedbird]

Thanks Sgt V. for the info. I hope too that the weather will cooperate on Saturday. Luckily, I got to see the Tbirds do some impressive practice runs from my apartment. I remember two of them doing a very low, sharp U-turn right over my apartment, which made for a very earth-shaking, spectacular sight! That was enough to get me pumped up for Saturday's show.

I guess my question now is, does anyone know of a good off-base site to park a car? Much of the area near the air station is loaded with shopping plazas, and I'm not contemplating on parking on any of those areas lest getting my car towed. Theoretically, my friend and I could walk all the way from my apartment to where Miramar Way branches out from Miramar Road, which according to Google Map is at least 3 miles out. Today, by car, it took 5-7 minutes going at a 45-50 mph speed. I don't know how long it would take for us to walk, but I'm thinking it will probably be at least an hour or even longer. I don't mind all that walk as long as my friend is okay with it.