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Trip from Palos Verdes Estates, 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

38m

Distance

25 mi

40 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Palos Verdes Estates, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

Palos Verdes Estates to Los Angeles is 25 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Harbor Freeway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive connecting two points within the Pacific Coast region of California. Expect a mixed drive that transitions from coastal roads to a more urban freeway experience. Given its brevity, it's an ideal trip for a single day, allowing ample time for whatever awaits you in Los Angeles. This route is best suited for those looking for efficient travel between these specific locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Harbor Freeway 13.9 mi 16m
Torrance Boulevard 2.6 mi 4m
Palos Verdes Boulevard 2.1 mi 4m
Sepulveda Boulevard 1.4 mi 2m
South Main Street 1 mi 1m
West Carson Street 0.9 mi 1m
West 9th Street 0.6 mi 1m
Palos Verdes Drive West 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Harbor Freeway — 13.9 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palos Verdes Estates, CA and Los Angeles, CA.

1

Start on Via Almar

506 ft · 16 sec · Via Almar
2

Continue on Via Corta

390 ft · 14 sec · Via Corta
3

Turn left onto Palos Verdes Drive West

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Palos Verdes Drive West
4

Keep slight left at fork onto Palos Verdes Drive West

0.3 mi · 47 sec · Palos Verdes Drive West
Use the left lane.
5

Continue on Palos Verdes Boulevard

2.1 mi · 4 min · Palos Verdes Boulevard
6

Turn slight right

468 ft · 21 sec
7

At end of road, turn right onto Sepulveda Boulevard

1.4 mi · 2 min · Sepulveda Boulevard
8

Turn left onto Madrona Avenue

0.4 mi · 50 sec · Madrona Avenue
Use the left lane.
9

Turn right onto West Carson Street

0.9 mi · 1 min · West Carson Street
Use the right lane.
10

Turn left onto Crenshaw Boulevard

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Crenshaw Boulevard
Use the left lane.
11

Turn right onto Torrance Boulevard

2.6 mi · 4 min · Torrance Boulevard
Use the left lane.
12

Turn left onto US 6 Hist

0.2 mi · 24 sec · South Figueroa Street
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles Use the left lane.
14

Merge onto I 110

3.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 110

1.5 mi · 1 min · Harbor Freeway
16

Keep slight right at fork onto I 110

9.1 mi · 10 min · Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th Street, Downtown Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Exit 22 Toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street Use the slight right lane.
19

Turn straight onto James M Wood Boulevard

0.1 mi · 13 sec · James M Wood Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
20

Continue on West 9th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West 9th Street
21

Turn left onto South Main Street

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
Use the left lane.
22

Turn left onto West 1st Street

69 ft · 2 sec · West 1st Street
23

Arrive at destination

West 1st Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 23.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in | Palos Verdes Drive West

Keep slight left at fork onto Palos Verdes Drive West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
8
8.7 mi into trip | ~16m in

Turn left toward I 110 North: Los Angeles

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles
6
13.7 mi into trip | ~22m in | I 110 / Harbor Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 110 / Harbor Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
22.8 mi into trip | ~33m in

Take the exit toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th Street, Downtown

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. Toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th...
10
23.1 mi into trip | ~34m in

Keep slight right at fork toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 22 Toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.75 one way

$11.49 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $5.92 $11.84
premium $6.18 $6.08 $12.16
diesel $5.61 $5.52 $11.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.5 0 $2.63 $1.20
Efficient EV 6.3 0 $2.19 $1.00
EV Truck/SUV 10 0 $3.50 $1.60

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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 18, 2026

Origin

Palos Verdes Estates, CA

Morning in Palos Verdes Estates on Sunday

Local time

7:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

55°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

Destination

Los Angeles, CA

Morning in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

7:56 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

2 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

38m 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 route offers a mixed drive, with 56% of it on highways, primarily the Harbor Freeway. You'll experience about 13.9 miles on the Harbor Freeway as the longest uninterrupted stretch, which will feel like a more traditional freeway commute. Before hitting the freeway, you'll navigate local roads like Palos Verdes Boulevard and Torrance Boulevard, offering a different pace. The transition from these surface streets to the faster-paced freeway is a key characteristic of this journey.

56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.9 mi on Harbor Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Palos Verdes Drive West.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 25 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Palos Verdes Drive West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (I 110 / Harbor Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Palos Verdes Estates, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.

Downtown

22.8 mi in | ~33m

About the Cities

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 38m. Total distance: 25 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

38m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.9 miles on Harbor 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: at 0.3 miles (Palos Verdes Drive West): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (I 110 / Harbor Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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