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Trip from Stanton, 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

35m

Distance

25.4 mi

41 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 32m ★
6 AM
0h 35m
8 AM
0h 41m
10 AM
0h 37m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 37m
5 PM
0h 41m
8 PM
0h 33m

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

city in Orange County, California, United States

Stanton, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

Traveling from Stanton to Los Angeles covers a quick 25.4-mile stretch that typically takes about 35 minutes to complete. Because of the short distance, this trip is ideally suited for a one-day excursion rather than an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via Beach Boulevard, the Santa Ana Freeway, and North Los Angeles Street as you move through the Pacific Coast region. Budgeting approximately $3 for fuel makes this a very economical commute. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the route is straightforward and efficient. It is a practical, no-nonsense drive that gets you from Orange County into the heart of LA without unnecessary complications.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Santa Ana Freeway 19.4 mi 23m
Beach Boulevard 5 mi 9m
North Los Angeles Street 0.3 mi <1m
East Arcadia Street 0.2 mi <1m
Auto Center Drive 0.1 mi <1m
East 1st Street <0.1 mi <1m
West 1st Street

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Santa Ana Freeway — 19.4 mi, about 23m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Stanton, CA and Los Angeles, CA.

1

Start on CA 39

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Beach Boulevard
2

Continue on CA 39

4.7 mi · 8 min · Beach Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3

Turn left onto Auto Center Drive

0.1 mi · 27 sec · Auto Center Drive
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5

Merge onto I 5

16 mi · 18 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

2.9 mi · 4 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 2B Toward Alameda Street, Union Station Use the slight right lane.
8

Continue on I 10 EXPR

0.2 mi · 32 sec · East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street

0.3 mi · 44 sec · North Los Angeles Street
10

Turn right onto East 1st Street

461 ft · 17 sec · East 1st Street
11

Arrive at destination

West 1st Street

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 24.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | CA 39 / Beach Boulevard

Continue onto CA 39 / Beach Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
5.1 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
5.3 mi into trip | ~10m in | I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway

Merge onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
21.8 mi into trip | ~28m in | US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
24.7 mi into trip | ~33m 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

$5.84 one way

$11.68 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $6.02 $12.03
premium $6.18 $6.18 $12.35
diesel $5.61 $5.61 $11.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.6 0 $2.67 $1.22
Efficient EV 6.4 0 $2.22 $1.02
EV Truck/SUV 10.2 0 $3.56 $1.63

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (67% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Stanton, CA

Morning in Stanton on Sunday

Local time

7:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Los Angeles, CA

Morning in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

7:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Clear

N 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

35m 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 drive is heavily highway-focused, with 76% of your journey spent on high-speed roads. You can expect a consistent pace, highlighted by a longest uninterrupted stretch of 19.4 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway. The personality of the route is defined by this major artery, which facilitates most of your transit between Stanton and Los Angeles. While the transition from local streets like Beach Boulevard to the freeway keeps the drive moving, the experience is largely centered on standard interstate travel. Behind the wheel, you will feel the shift from suburban roads to the more intense, high-volume flow of the primary freeway system.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.4 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Beach Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CA 39 / Beach Boulevard.

Driving Effort 7/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 25.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (CA 39 / Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Stanton, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1956

Stanton is a city in Orange County in Southern California. While it is not at all a very important city, it is a terminus for visitors wanting to travel from Knott's Berry Farm to Disneyland or vice versa (see Get in below).

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 35m. Total distance: 25.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

35m 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 19.4 miles on Santa Ana 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 0.2 miles (CA 39 / Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 5.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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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