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Trip from Riverside, CA to North Hollywood, 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

1h 24m

Distance

65.3 mi

105 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 18m ★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m

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

county seat of Riverside County, California, United States

Riverside, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown North Hollywood, CA, CA

North Hollywood, CA

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

Riverside, CA to North Hollywood, CA is 65.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 24 minutes via the Foothill Freeway, Ventura Freeway, and Pomona Freeway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward, highway-focused journey. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a single-day excursion without feeling rushed. The route is primarily on major freeways, so expect consistent traffic, especially during peak commuting hours.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Foothill Freeway 18.3 mi 21m
Ventura Freeway 12.5 mi 14m
Pomona Freeway 12.1 mi 13m
Van Buren Boulevard 6.1 mi 8m
Central Avenue 3.5 mi 6m
Chino Valley Freeway 3.5 mi 4m
CA 57 3.4 mi 3m
Lankershim Boulevard 1.4 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Foothill Freeway — 18.3 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, CA and North Hollywood, CA.

1

Start on this road

181 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn right

94 ft · 7 sec
3

Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue

228 ft · 14 sec · Magnolia Avenue
4

Turn left onto Central Avenue

3.5 mi · 6 min · Central Avenue
Use the left lane.
5

Turn right onto Van Buren Boulevard

6.1 mi · 8 min · Van Buren Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6

Continue on Mission Boulevard

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Mission Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward CA 60 West
8

Merge onto CA 60

12 mi · 13 min · Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 29B Toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward CA 71 North: Pomona Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto CA 71

3.5 mi · 4 min · Chino Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward CA 57 North
14

Continue on CA 57

3.4 mi · 3 min · CA 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork

1.1 mi · 2 min
Exit 25C Toward I 210 West: Pasadena
16

Merge onto I 210

18 mi · 21 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 134

6.4 mi · 7 min · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134

1.1 mi · 1 min · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento Use the slight right lane.
21

Keep slight right at fork

323 ft · 4 sec
Toward I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento, Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive
22

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 17 sec
Toward CA 134 West: Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive Use the slight right lane.
23

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 9 sec
Toward CA 134: Ventura Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Merge onto CA 134

0.6 mi · 43 sec · Ventura Freeway
25

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134

0.8 mi · 52 sec · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134

1.3 mi · 1 min · Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Exit 1С Toward Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Turn right onto Lankershim Boulevard

1.4 mi · 3 min · Lankershim Boulevard
Use the right lane.
30

Turn slight right onto Tujunga Avenue

26 ft · 0 sec · Tujunga Avenue
31

Arrive at destination

Tujunga Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Pomona, CA

33 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

Ontario, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Covina, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.7 miles from Riverside, 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 26

5 decision points cluster between mile 22.4 and 63.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
22.4 mi into trip | ~30m in

Take the exit toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona

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 29B Toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
7
22.6 mi into trip | ~30m in

Keep slight right at fork toward CA 71 North: Pomona

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 71 North: Pomona
9
58.7 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Keep slight right at fork toward CA 134 West: Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 134 West: Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Z...
8
59 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 134: Ventura

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 134: Ventura
8
63.7 mi into trip | ~1h 21m in

Take the exit toward Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood

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 1С Toward Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$15.01 one way

$30.02 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $15.47 $30.93
premium $6.18 $15.88 $31.76
diesel $5.61 $14.42 $28.83

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$15

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.6 0 $6.86 $3.13
Efficient EV 16.3 0 $5.71 $2.61
EV Truck/SUV 26.1 0 $9.14 $4.18

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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 20, 2026

Origin

Riverside, CA

Late night in Riverside on Tuesday

Local time

3:41 AM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

North Hollywood, CA

Late night in North Hollywood on Tuesday

Local time

3:41 AM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

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

18 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

1h 24m 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?

This is a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll experience the longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.3 miles on the Foothill Freeway. The drive progresses primarily along the Ventura and Pomona Freeways, maintaining a consistent pace. Expect a steady flow of traffic typical of Southern California commutes, with limited opportunities for scenic detours directly from the main road.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.3 mi on Foothill Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and Ventura Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.4 miles in.

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 65.3 miles you will encounter 26 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 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Riverside, CA and North Hollywood, CA, road signs point toward Pomona, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Ventura.

Pomona

22.4 mi in | ~30m

Los Angeles

58.3 mi in | ~1h 14m

Sacramento

58.3 mi in | ~1h 14m

Ventura

58.7 mi in | ~1h 15m

About the Cities

Starting in Riverside, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1870

Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.

Top landmarks

  • Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
  • Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
  • First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, United States of America

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 24m. Total distance: 65.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 24m 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 18.3 miles on Foothill 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 North Hollywood, 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 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

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 North Hollywood, 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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