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Trip from La Palma, CA to Anaheim, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

15m

Distance

9.5 mi

15 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

4 AM
0h 14m ★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 18m
8 PM
0h 14m ★

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown La Palma, CA, CA

La Palma, CA

Juan García

Trip Overview

Traveling from La Palma to Anaheim is a quick, straightforward trip covering just 9.5 miles. You can expect to reach your destination in about 15 minutes, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. With a fuel cost of only $2, it is an incredibly budget-friendly excursion within the Pacific Coast region. You will navigate a mix of local streets and freeways, including the Artesia and Riverside Freeways, along with La Palma Avenue. Since the entire trip is so short, there is no need to worry about overnight stays or complex logistics. This route is ideal if you are looking for a simple, efficient commute between these two California cities.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Artesia Freeway 2.8 mi 3m
Riverside Freeway 2.8 mi 3m
La Palma Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
North Anaheim Boulevard 0.8 mi 2m
Valley View Street 0.7 mi 1m
Harbor Boulevard 0.4 mi <1m
West La Palma Avenue 0.3 mi <1m
South Anaheim Boulevard <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Artesia Freeway — 2.8 mi, about 3m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between La Palma, CA and Anaheim, CA.

1

Start on La Palma Avenue

268 ft · 10 sec · La Palma Avenue
2

Continue on La Palma Avenue

1.1 mi · 1 min · La Palma Avenue
3

Turn left onto Valley View Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · Valley View Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside Use the right lane.
5

Merge onto CA 91

2.8 mi · 3 min · Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on CA 91

2.8 mi · 3 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 27 sec
Exit 28 Toward Harbor Boulevard, Lemon Street, Anaheim Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn right onto Harbor Boulevard

0.4 mi · 57 sec · Harbor Boulevard
Use the right lane.
9

Turn left onto West La Palma Avenue

0.3 mi · 49 sec · West La Palma Avenue
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto North Anaheim Boulevard

0.8 mi · 2 min · North Anaheim Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Continue on South Anaheim Boulevard

420 ft · 17 sec · South Anaheim Boulevard
12

Turn right

200 ft · 14 sec
13

Arrive at destination

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 8.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
1.8 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward CA 91 East: Riverside

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
5
2 mi into trip | ~3m in | CA 91 / Artesia Freeway

Merge onto CA 91 / Artesia Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
7.6 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward Harbor Boulevard, Lemon Street, Anaheim Boulevard

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 28 Toward Harbor Boulevard, Lemon Street, Anaheim...
5
7.9 mi into trip | ~10m in | Harbor Boulevard

Turn right onto Harbor Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
8.3 mi into trip | ~11m in | West La Palma Avenue

Turn left onto West La Palma Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.18 one way

$4.37 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 3 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $2.25 $4.50
premium $6.18 $2.31 $4.62
diesel $5.61 $2.10 $4.19

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$2

Estimated CO2 emission: 3.3 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 2.9 0 $1.00 $0.46
Efficient EV 2.4 0 $0.83 $0.38
EV Truck/SUV 3.8 0 $1.33 $0.61

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

La Palma, CA

Morning in La Palma on Tuesday

Local time

6:45 AM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Anaheim, CA

Morning in Anaheim on Tuesday

Local time

6:45 AM

PDT

Current temp

73°F

Partly Sunny

SW 10 mph 0% chance 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

15m 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 9.5-mile route offers a varied driving experience, balancing 59% highway travel with local road navigation. You will spend time on the Artesia Freeway and the Riverside Freeway, with the longest continuous highway segment stretching for 2.8 miles. The remaining portion of the drive relies on La Palma Avenue, which helps you transition from the interstate flow into the local street grid. Because the highway share is moderate, the drive feels like a practical blend of high-speed transit and standard urban driving. You won't face a monotonous interstate grind, as the route shifts fluidly between arterial roads and major freeway interchanges.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 2.8 mi on Artesia Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 9.5 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (CA 91 / Artesia Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 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 Anaheim, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1857

Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.

Top landmarks

  • Disneyland — American theme park in California owned by The Walt Disney Company
  • Disney California Adventure — theme park in California, part of Disneyland Resort
  • Soarin' — flight motion simulator attraction at Disney parks

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 15m. Total distance: 9.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 2.8 miles on Artesia 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 Anaheim, 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: at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2 miles (CA 91 / Artesia Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 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 Anaheim, 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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