Origin
Santa Monica, CA
Late night in Santa Monica on Sunday
Local time
4:53 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Monica, 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
21m
Distance
15.7 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Monica, CA
Bjorn Pierre
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Traveling from Santa Monica to Los Angeles is a quick 15.7-mile journey that typically takes about 21 minutes. Because the entire trip is contained within the Pacific Coast region, you won't need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. This is an ideal one-day excursion that fits easily into a morning or afternoon schedule. With a fuel cost estimate of just $2, it is a highly economical way to navigate between the coast and the city center. Whether you are heading into the urban core for business or leisure, this route provides a direct connection without the need for extensive travel time.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Freeway | 12.6 mi | 14m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Lincoln Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| West 18th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Olympic Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Monica Freeway
— 12.6 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Monica, CA and Los Angeles, 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
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto West 18th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 18th Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto South Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
9
Turn left onto West 1st Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 1st Street
10
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 13.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Olympic Boulevard
Turn left onto Olympic Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway, Los Angeles
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway, Los Ang...
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Merge onto I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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
7
13.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention C...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.61 one way
$7.22 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.72 | $7.44 |
| premium | $6.18 | $3.82 | $7.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.47 | $6.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
4:53 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
19 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
21m 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 straightforward, highway-focused experience as you make your way across the region. Roughly 80% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on major thoroughfares, primarily the Santa Monica Freeway. You will spend the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip covering 12.6 miles on that freeway before transitioning onto South Main Street and Lincoln Boulevard for the final approach. Because the drive is dominated by high-speed highway segments, you can anticipate a consistent pace throughout the entire 21-minute duration. It is a utilitarian drive designed for efficiency rather than leisure, prioritizing speed as you transition from the coast into the heart of Los Angeles.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.6 mi on Santa Monica Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Monica Freeway and South Main Street. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near Olympic Boulevard.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 15.7 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.5 miles (Olympic Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
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 Santa Monica, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Convention Center along the way.
Convention Center
13.3 mi in
|
~16m
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 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 21m. Total distance: 15.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.6 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 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 0.5 miles (Olympic Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.8 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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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