Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
20.5 mi
33 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Palma, CA
Juan García
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
La Palma to Los Angeles is 20.5 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Santa Ana Freeway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in California. It's a straightforward, short trip primarily utilizing the Santa Ana Freeway. Given its brief duration and minimal fuel cost, this route is ideal for a quick transit or an add-on to another journey in the area, offering a practical way to get from point A to point B without significant time commitment.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 15.9 mi | 19m |
| Carmenita Road | 2.8 mi | 5m |
| Moody Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| La Palma Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Step-by-step road directions between La Palma, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
Start on La Palma Avenue
Continue on La Palma Avenue
Turn left onto Moody Street
Continue on Carmenita Road
Turn left
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
Take the exit
Continue on I 10 EXPR
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
Turn right onto East 1st Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 19.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Moody Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Regular Gas
$4.71 one way
$9.42 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.86 | $9.71 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.99 | $9.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.53 | $9.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.15 | $0.98 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.79 | $0.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in La Palma on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
5:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
This is a highway-focused drive, with 78% of the journey on freeways. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 15.9 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway, indicating a good portion of the trip will be at higher speeds. The route is dominated by the Santa Ana Freeway, suggesting a consistent driving experience for most of the 20.5 miles. Carmenita Road and Moody Street play a role in the initial or final segments, potentially offering a brief change in pace before or after the main freeway segment.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Carmenita Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Moody Street.
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 20.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Moody Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
“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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 28m. Total distance: 20.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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