Origin
San Clemente, CA
Morning in San Clemente on Sunday
Local time
10:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Clemente, 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
1h 16m
Distance
62.2 mi
100 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Clemente, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
San Clemente to Los Angeles is 62.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 16 minutes via the Santa Ana Freeway, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you firmly on major freeways as you travel north along the California coast. Expect a highway-focused experience for the entirety of this relatively short trip. Since it's a single-day journey, you have the flexibility to depart whenever works best for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 33.3 mi | 39m |
| San Diego Freeway | 17.1 mi | 19m |
| I 5 Truck | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| El Camino Real | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Jamboree Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Avenida Presidio | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 33.3 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Clemente, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on South El Camino Real
379 ft
·
20 sec
·
South El Camino Real
2
Turn left onto Avenida Presidio
521 ft
·
16 sec
·
Avenida Presidio
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 5
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on this road
527 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
10
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
11
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
357 ft
·
13 sec
·
Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
14
Merge onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
20
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
21
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
22
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
23
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.1 miles from San Clemente, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 61.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Avenida Presidio
Turn left onto Avenida Presidio
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
7
17.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Bake Parkway
7
25.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Jamboree Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
8
61.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.30 one way
$28.59 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.73 | $29.46 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.13 | $30.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.73 | $27.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.7 | 0 | $6.53 | $2.99 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.44 | $2.49 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.9 | 0 | $8.71 | $3.98 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Los Angeles, CA
Morning in Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
10:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Santa Ana, CA
31 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
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
1h 16m 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 route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 93% of it on major freeways like the Santa Ana Freeway and San Diego Freeway. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 33.3 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway. The character of the drive remains consistently that of a busy interstate, so prepare for a steady pace and the typical traffic patterns associated with Southern California freeways.
93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.3 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 Diego Freeway. 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 Avenida Presidio.
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 62.2 miles you will encounter 20 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 0.1 miles (Avenida Presidio): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in San Clemente, CA
Full guide →San Clemente is a city by the beach in Orange County in Southern California. It is called the "little Spanish village by the sea" because many of the buildings have a rustic and antique Spanish look to them. People from San Clemente pride themselves on the laid-back and closely knit community traditions that are practiced in this small town. Not only does the culture have a great influence on all the people who live there, but anyone who visits is also sure to experience this feeling as well.
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 1h 16m. Total distance: 62.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.3 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 5 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 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 0.1 miles (Avenida Presidio): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 17.5 miles (I 5 Truck): 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 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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