Origin
Grand Terrace, CA
Morning in Grand Terrace on Tuesday
Local time
8:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grand Terrace, CA to Riverside, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12m
Distance
8.2 mi
13 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 13m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grand Terrace, CA
apertur 2.8
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 8.2-mile drive from Grand Terrace to Riverside, California, will only take about 13 minutes to complete. It's a quick hop within the Pacific Coast region, making it perfect for a single-day trip or even just a quick errand. You'll primarily navigate using Barton Road and segments of I-215 South and the Riverside Freeway. With a minimal fuel cost estimated at just $2, this route is incredibly budget-friendly. Expect a turn-heavy local drive, so keep your wits about you as you navigate city streets.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 6.2 mi | 7m |
| Barton Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 6.2 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Terrace, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on Barton Road
8 ft
·
29 sec
·
Barton Road
2
Continue on Barton Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Barton Road
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
4
Merge onto I 215
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on CA 91
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Central Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn slight left
171 ft
·
12 sec
Use the left lane.
9
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 8.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 215 South: Riverside
Navigation decision point
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
5
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 215 / Riverside Freeway
Merge onto I 215 / Riverside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 62
Toward Central Avenue, Riverside Plaza Avenue
5
7.5 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Central Avenue
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
8.2 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Turn slight left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.88 one way
$3.77 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $1.94 | $3.88 |
| premium | $6.18 | $1.99 | $3.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.81 | $3.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.86 | $0.39 |
| Efficient EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.72 | $0.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Riverside, CA
Morning in Riverside on Tuesday
Local time
8:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
12m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' indicating you'll be making frequent turns rather than cruising on long stretches of highway. With 0% highway share, you'll be on local roads for the entire 8.2 miles. The absence of a 'longest stretch' value further suggests a continuous series of turns and intersections rather than any prolonged, uninterrupted driving segments. Prepare for a dynamic driving experience where attention to navigation and road conditions is key.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.2 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Barton Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 12m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 215 / Riverside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Riverside, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Top landmarks
- • Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
- • Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
- • First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, United States of America
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 12m. Total distance: 8.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.2 miles on Riverside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (I 215 / Riverside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Riverside, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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