Origin
La Mirada, CA
Morning in La Mirada on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Mirada, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.5 mi
30 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Mirada, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Traveling from La Mirada to Los Angeles is a quick, straightforward journey covering 18.5 miles. You can expect to reach your destination in approximately 26 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting around $3 for fuel will comfortably cover your transit between these two Pacific Coast locations. Since the entire route stays within California, you won't need to worry about changing time zones or navigating complex regional shifts. It is a highly efficient drive that serves as a practical connection between the suburbs and the heart of the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 13.5 mi | 16m |
| Imperial Highway | 3.9 mi | 7m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 13.5 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Mirada, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Imperial Highway
3.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Imperial Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the right lane.
3
Merge onto I 5
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
6
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
8
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
9
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Imperial Highway
Depart onto Imperial Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
4.2 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.8 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
17.7 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.25 one way
$8.50 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.38 | $8.76 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.50 | $9.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.08 | $8.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.62 | $0.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.59 | $1.18 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Los Angeles, CA
Morning in Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
10:27 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
N 5 to 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
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
20 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
26m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 73% of your travel occurring on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Santa Ana Freeway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 13.5 miles. The route transitions from the Santa Ana Freeway to the Imperial Highway and eventually North Los Angeles Street as you approach your final destination. Expect a consistent, fast-paced experience rather than a winding scenic tour. Because the drive is dominated by high-speed corridors, you should prepare for a standard interstate driving environment from start to finish.
73% 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: 13.5 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Imperial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Imperial Highway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 18.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Imperial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
285 ft
121 ft
Total Climb
176 ft
Total Descent
85 ft
Highest Point
285 ft
~18.5 mi in
Elevation Range
164 ft
About the Cities
Starting in La Mirada, CA
Full guide →La Mirada (LM) is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California.
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781
Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
Top landmarks
- • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
- • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
- • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles
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 26m. Total distance: 18.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Los Angeles, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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: near the start (Imperial Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Los Angeles, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Los Angeles, CA
More trips to Los Angeles, CA
Explore more options from La Mirada, CA or browse trips ending in Los Angeles, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.