Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
5:06 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Aliso Viejo, 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
1h 3m
Distance
52.2 mi
84 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Aliso Viejo, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Los Angeles to Aliso Viejo is 52.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via the Santa Ana Freeway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, mostly on major freeways. It's a straightforward trip that's easily manageable in a single day, ideal for those looking for a direct connection between these two Southern California points without significant detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 11.8 mi | 14m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 10.9 mi | 12m |
| I 405 | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Corona Del Mar Freeway | 4 mi | 4m |
| San Diego Freeway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
| Aliso Creek Road | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 11.8 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Aliso Viejo, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
69 ft
·
9 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn left onto North Main Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto East Aliso Street
338 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Aliso Street
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward US 101 South, I 10 East, I 5 South
5
Merge onto US 101
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Exit 124
Toward I 605 North, I 605 South: San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Toward I 605 South
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 605 South: San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 605
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 605
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 405 South, CA 22 East: Garden Grove
12
Merge onto I 405
141 ft
·
1 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Corona Del Mar Freeway
Exit 10
Toward CA 73 South: San Diego
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on CA 73
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 4
Toward Aliso Creek Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto Aliso Creek Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Aliso Creek Road
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn right onto Aliso Viejo Parkway
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Aliso Viejo Parkway
21
Arrive at destination
Aliso Viejo Parkway
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.1 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 37.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Main Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
12.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward I 605 North, I 605 South: San Gabriel River Freeway
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 124
Toward I 605 North, I 605 South: San Gabriel Ri...
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 605 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Toward I 605 South
8
12.6 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 South: San Gabriel River Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 605 South: San Gabriel River Freeway
8
37.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway toward CA 73 South: San Diego
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward CA 73 South: San Diego
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.00 one way
$24.00 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.36 | $24.73 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.69 | $25.39 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.53 | $23.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.48 | $2.51 |
| Efficient EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.57 | $2.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.31 | $3.34 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Aliso Viejo, CA
Late night in Aliso Viejo on Tuesday
Local time
5:06 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
55°F
Westminster, CA
26 mi in
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
10 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
1h 3m 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?
Expect to spend most of your time on the freeway, with 76% of this 52.2-mile route being highway driving. You'll encounter an 11.8-mile stretch on the Santa Ana Freeway. The freeways will eventually give way to surface streets as you approach your destination in Aliso Viejo.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.2 miles you will encounter 18 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: near the start (North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Aliso Viejo, CA
Full guide →Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California.
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 1h 3m. Total distance: 52.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Aliso Viejo, 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 (North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Aliso Viejo, 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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