LA Marathon Sunday: the road closures + how to actually get around
First Sunday in March, LA shuts down 26 miles of streets from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. Where the closures are, what they affect, and how to navigate the day.
First Sunday in March, LA Marathon: 26.2 miles of road closures from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. The route slices LA in half east-west, meaning crossing it is impossible until late afternoon. If you're a visitor in LA that weekend, this is the day to plan around — or pre-book transportation that knows the route.
Where the route runs
Course (year-on-year minor variations): Dodger Stadium → Downtown → Echo Park → Silverlake → Hollywood → Sunset Blvd → Beverly Hills (Wilshire) → Westwood → Brentwood → Santa Monica (Ocean Ave finish). It's the long diagonal across LA.
What this closes and when
What this means for the day
- Crossing the course east-west is impossible at the closure window for that segment
- North-south is fine if you stay east of the route (Downtown side) or west (Westside)
- Hotels on the route (Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hilton, Sunset Tower) have their front-drive blocked during closure
- LAX outbound from Westside hotels: leave very early (3-4am) to beat the Westwood/Brentwood closures
- LAX outbound from Eastside hotels (Downtown, Hollywood): wait until 11am+ when course clears the closer-to-LAX streets
What we do
Continental's chauffeurs are pre-briefed on the marathon course every year. We re-route via the parallel streets that aren't closed (Olympic, Pico, Santa Monica Blvd one block north/south). For early-morning LAX departures, we time pickups to beat the rolling closure window in your origin neighborhood.
If you're staying in a hotel on the route (Beverly Wilshire on Wilshire, Beverly Hilton on Wilshire, Sunset Tower on Sunset), expect the front-drive to be inaccessible during your segment's closure window. Continental coordinates with the bell stand on the alternate pickup spot (typically the back driveway or a side street pickup).
Spectator-friendly viewing
If you WANT to spectate: Sunset Strip (8-9am, fast runners coming through), Beverly Hills (9-10am, mid-pack, Wilshire is festive), Santa Monica finish (10am-1pm, the spectacle moment). Continental can get you to spectator zones and back; the marathon is set up to be watchable from key vantage points by foot.
Questions about this
When is the LA Marathon each year?
First Sunday in March, traditionally. The course runs from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica — about 26 miles. Streets close starting 4:30 AM Sunday and reopen progressively through the afternoon.
Can I drive across LA during the marathon?
North-south travel is fine if you stay on one side of the course. Crossing east-west across the route is impossible during the closure window for that segment. Plan trips to stay on one side, or wait until streets reopen (most after 1-2 PM).
How do I get to LAX from a marathon-route hotel?
If you're staying on Wilshire (Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hilton) or Sunset, leave by 4 AM to beat the closure window. Otherwise wait until 11 AM+ when course clears your area. Continental times marathon-day pickups specifically around the closure schedule.
Will Continental still pick up at my hotel on marathon Sunday?
Yes — we coordinate with the bell stand on the alternate pickup spot when the front-drive is blocked. Most hotels have back-driveway or side-street access we can use during the closure window.
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