Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Santa Monica, CA to El Monte, CA

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

40m

Distance

32.7 mi

53 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 37m ★
6 AM
0h 41m
8 AM
0h 48m
10 AM
0h 43m
12 PM
0h 42m
3 PM
0h 43m
5 PM
0h 47m
8 PM
0h 39m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Santa Monica, CA, CA

Santa Monica, CA

Bjorn Pierre

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

El Monte, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Santa Monica, CA to El Monte, CA is 32.7 miles and takes about 40m via the Santa Monica Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive that stays within the Pacific Coast region of California. You'll primarily be on urban freeways, making it a practical option for a quick trip between two points in the greater Los Angeles area. Consider this route if you need to get from the coast inland without a lot of fuss, as it's designed for efficient travel between these two points.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Santa Monica Freeway 15.2 mi 18m
Pomona Freeway 11.7 mi 13m
San Gabriel River Freeway 2.2 mi 2m
San Bernardino Freeway 1.4 mi 1m
Lincoln Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
Olympic Boulevard <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Santa Monica Freeway — 15.2 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Monica, CA and El Monte, CA.

1

Start on US 66 Hist

0.5 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Boulevard
2

Turn left onto Olympic Boulevard

367 ft · 9 sec · Olympic Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway, Los Angeles
4

Merge onto I 10

9.8 mi · 11 min · Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

3.1 mi · 3 min · Santa Monica Freeway
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue Use the slight right lane.
6

Merge onto I 10

2.3 mi · 3 min · Santa Monica Freeway
7

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 60

12 mi · 13 min · Pomona Freeway
Toward SR-60 East, I-5 South: Pomona, Santa Ana Use the slight right lane.
8

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 14 sec
Exit 12 Toward I 605 North, I 605 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Toward I 605 North: San Gabriel River Freeway Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Merge onto I 605

2.2 mi · 2 min · San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 605 North, I 10 West: Los Angeles Use the slight left lane.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles Use the right lane.
14

Merge onto I 10

1.1 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the right lane.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10

0.3 mi · 21 sec · San Bernardino Freeway
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 34 sec
Exit 29B Toward Valley Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Arrive at destination

Exit 29B Toward Valley Boulevard

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 16

5 decision points cluster between mile 10.6 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
10.6 mi into trip | ~13m in | I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
8
16 mi into trip | ~20m in | CA 60 / Pomona Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 60 / Pomona Freeway toward SR-60 East, I-5 South: Pomona, Santa Ana

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward SR-60 East, I-5 South: Pomona, Santa Ana
8
27.7 mi into trip | ~33m in

Take the exit toward I 605 North, I 605 South

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 12 Toward I 605 North, I 605 South
9
30.6 mi into trip | ~37m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 North, I 10 West: Los Angeles

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 605 North, I 10 West: Los Angeles
8
30.9 mi into trip | ~38m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: Los Angeles

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.52 one way

$15.03 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $7.75 $15.49
premium $6.18 $7.95 $15.90
diesel $5.61 $7.22 $14.44

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 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 9.8 0 $3.43 $1.57
Efficient EV 8.2 0 $2.86 $1.31
EV Truck/SUV 13.1 0 $4.58 $2.09

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.

Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026

Origin

Santa Monica, CA

Late night in Santa Monica on Tuesday

Local time

1:59 AM

PDT

Current temp

80°F

Sunny

NNW 10 to 15 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 11:09AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 10:52AM PDT until April 17 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

Destination

El Monte, CA

Late night in El Monte on Tuesday

Local time

1:59 AM

PDT

Current temp

71°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

9 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

40m 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 is almost entirely a highway-focused drive, with 93% of the journey on freeways. You'll spend most of your time on the Santa Monica Freeway, Pomona Freeway, and San Gabriel River Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 15.2 miles on the Santa Monica Freeway. Expect a consistent, fast-paced driving experience as you navigate these major arteries connecting different parts of Southern California.

93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.2 mi on Santa Monica Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Monica Freeway and Pomona Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.6 miles in near I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway.

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 32.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 40m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 10.6 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16 miles (CA 60 / Pomona Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Santa Monica, CA and El Monte, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana and San Bernardino.

Santa Ana

16 mi in | ~20m | via CA 60

San Bernardino

30.5 mi in | ~37m

About the Cities

Starting in Santa Monica, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1769

Anchoring the Westside of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is a beachfront city popular with tourists for its expansive beach and its famous pier, which are among the most popular coastal attractions in Southern California. Within the city, visitors will find a number of urban shopping districts and plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

Top landmarks

  • • Santa Monica Pier — Pier in Santa Monica, California, USA
  • • Muscle Beach — outdoor acrobatics and gymnastics platform
  • • Pacific Park — amusement park in Santa Monica, California, United States

Arriving in El Monte, CA

Full guide →

El Monte is a city in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles in Southern 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 40m. Total distance: 32.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

40m 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 15.2 miles on Santa Monica 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 El Monte, 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 10.6 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16 miles (CA 60 / Pomona Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 El Monte, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From El Monte, CA

Laguna, CA 386.5 mi · 7h 8m San Jose, CA 351.9 mi · 6h 36m San Diego, CA 118.8 mi · 2h 26m San Bernardino, CA 47.1 mi · 56m

More from Santa Monica, CA

San Francisco, CA 382.1 mi · 7h 6m Laguna, CA 374.9 mi · 6h 56m Oakland, CA 370.5 mi · 6h 50m Fremont, CA 355.4 mi · 6h 42m San Jose, CA 340.3 mi · 6h 24m Stockton, CA 337.3 mi · 6h 11m

More trips to El Monte, CA

Bakersfield, CA 127.6 mi Fontana, CA 36.7 mi
Escape planner: Santa Monica, CA Scenic drives in CA

Explore more options from Santa Monica, CA or browse trips ending in El Monte, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.