Origin
Santa Clarita, CA
Late night in Santa Clarita on Sunday
Local time
3:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Clarita, 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
43m
Distance
31.8 mi
51 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Clarita, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Driving from Santa Clarita to Los Angeles is a straightforward 31.8-mile journey that typically takes about 43 minutes. Because both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region of California, you will remain in a familiar climate as you transition from the suburbs to the city core. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, as it is short enough to handle in an afternoon without needing an overnight stay. With fuel costs estimated at $4, it is an economical commute or quick getaway. You will primarily utilize the I-5 Truck route and the Golden State Freeway to reach your destination. It is a highly practical connection between these two areas, offering a direct path for those looking to reach the heart of Los Angeles efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| I 5 Truck | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Golden State Freeway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| Antelope Valley Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Newhall Avenue | 2 mi | 4m |
| Orchard Village Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Lyons Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 16th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hollywood Freeway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Clarita, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Newhall Avenue
451 ft
·
21 sec
·
Newhall Avenue
2
Turn right onto 16th Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
16th Street
3
Turn left onto Orchard Village Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Village Road
4
Turn left onto Lyons Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lyons Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Newhall Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Newhall Avenue
6
Enter roundabout onto Newhall Avenue
73 ft
·
2 sec
·
Newhall Avenue
7
Continue on Newhall Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Newhall Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 2
Toward CA 14 South: Los Angeles
9
Merge onto CA 14
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 170
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
20
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 165 decision points cluster between mile 9 and 31.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
7
14.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
31.2 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
31.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
31.7 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.31 one way
$14.62 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.73 | $15.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.02 | $14.04 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.78 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.45 | $2.04 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Late night in Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
3:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
84°F
Sunny
S 5 to 10 mph
0% chance
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
36 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
43m 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?
Expect a high-speed, highway-focused experience, as 84 percent of this route consists of freeway driving. You will spend a significant portion of your time on the Hollywood Freeway, which features the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip at 16.2 miles. The road maintains a consistent pace, moving you quickly through the Pacific Coast landscape without the need for technical maneuvering or local road navigation. While the drive is efficient, the heavy reliance on major thoroughfares like the Golden State Freeway means you should be prepared for the typical rhythm of a high-traffic interstate environment. It is a utilitarian drive designed to get you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
84% 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: 16.2 mi on Hollywood Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Hollywood Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9 miles in near I 5 Truck.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 16 decision points packed into just 31.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,667 ft
285 ft
Total Climb
582 ft
Total Descent
1,512 ft
Highest Point
1,667 ft
~4.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,383 ft
Discover Along the Route
Interesting stops within a short detour of your drive.
Starbucks
Cafe
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Hollywood Place, CA
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Hours: Mo-Sa 05:00-22:00; Su 05:00-20:00
Visit websiteHomegirl Cafe
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
0.8 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Visit websiteMarie's Coffee & Deli
Cafe
Near the end, right off the route
0.9 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Cuisine: coffee_shop;sandwich
Hours: Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00
Visit websiteCafe Audrey
Cafe
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 24.7
Snow White Cafe
Cafe
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Hours: Su-Th 12:00-24:00, Fr,Sa 12:00-02:00
Starbucks
Cafe
Near the end, short detour
1.4 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 28.3
Los Angeles, CA
Cuisine: coffee_shop
Visit websiteCarl's Jr.
Fast_food
Near the end, right off the route
0.2 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Cuisine: burger
Visit websiteDaikokuya
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
Cuisine: japanese
Hours: Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
Visit websiteIzakaya Gazen
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Cuisine: japanese
Visit websiteEl Pollo Loco
Fast_food
Near the end, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
Cuisine: mexican
Hours: 10:00-23:00
Visit websiteMusso & Frank
Restaurant
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 24.7
Los Angeles
Cuisine: american;steak_house;italian
Hours: Tu-Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 16:00-22:00; Mo of...
Visit websiteCole's P.E. Buffet
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Visit websiteLarry Edmunds Bookshop
Attraction
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Hours: Mo 10:00-17:30; Tu-Sa 10:00-19:00; Su 12...
Visit websiteHollywood Bowl Overlook
Viewpoint
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Red's Bookshop
Attraction
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Koreatown
Attraction
Near the end, short detour
1.5 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 28.3
Strathern Playground
Park
Around the midpoint, short detour
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 17.7
Glenoaks Park
Park
Early in the drive, short detour
1.7 mi from route
~4 min detour
mile 10.6
Cole's P.E. Buffet
Restaurant
Near the end, right off the route
0.6 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 31.8
Los Angeles, CA
Visit websiteWhitley Heights Historic District
District
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.2 mi from route
mile 24.7
Hollywood Entertainment Museum
Museum
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.7 mi from route
~2 min detour
mile 24.7
Hollywood, CA
Visit websiteLittle Tokyo
District
Near the end, right off the route
0.3 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
The Latino Museum
Museum
Near the end, right off the route
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 31.8
Chancellor Apartments
Monument
Later in the drive, right off the route
0.5 mi from route
~1 min detour
mile 24.7
Points of interest from OpenStreetMap contributors. Listings may not reflect current hours or availability.
About the Cities
Starting in Santa Clarita, CA
Full guide →Founded 1987
Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, with a population of 229,000 in 2020. It is generally considered to be a suburb of Greater Los Angeles. It consists of the neighborhoods of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. It is part of the Santa Clarita Valley, which also includes the unincorporated "satellite communities" of Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, and Agua Dulce.
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 43m. Total distance: 31.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on Hollywood 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 9 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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