Origin
Topanga Oaks, CA
Late night in Topanga Oaks on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Topanga Oaks, CA to Glendale, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
28.3 mi
45 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Topanga Oaks, CA
Robert So
Glendale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 28.3-mile drive from Topanga Oaks to Glendale, California, is a quick trip, taking about 38 minutes to complete. It's a straightforward, single-day adventure with a modest estimated fuel cost of $7. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 70% of the journey on freeways, making it an efficient way to travel between these Pacific Coast communities. You won't need to break this up into multiple days; it's perfectly suited for a single, easy excursion. The drive offers a practical link between two points within the same state and region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura Freeway | 18.7 mi | 21m |
| North Topanga Canyon Boulevard | 6.7 mi | 12m |
| West Colorado Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Colorado Street Freeway Extension | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Golden State Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Fontaine Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Brand Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ventura Freeway
— 18.7 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Topanga Oaks, CA and Glendale, CA.
1
Start on Fontaine Road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Fontaine Road
2
Turn straight onto CA 27
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
North Topanga Canyon Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 101 South: Los Angeles
4
Merge onto US 101
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 134
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Toward CA 134 East: Pasadena
Use the slight left lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 5
0.4 mi
·
26 sec
·
Golden State Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 142
Toward Colorado Street, South Pacific Avenue, San Fernando Road
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on Colorado Street Freeway Extension
0.6 mi
·
37 sec
·
Colorado Street Freeway Extension
Toward Colorado Street, South Pacific Avenue, San Fernando Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn slight right onto West Colorado Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Colorado Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto South Brand Boulevard
31 ft
·
1 sec
·
South Brand Boulevard
16
Arrive at destination
South Brand Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 20.1 and 26.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
20.1 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway toward CA 134 East: Pasadena
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CA 134 East: Pasadena
6
21 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.4 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
26.6 mi into trip
|
~36m in
Take the exit toward Colorado Street, South Pacific Avenue, San Fernando Road
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 142
Toward Colorado Street, South Pacific Avenue, S...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.50 one way
$13.01 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.70 | $13.41 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.88 | $13.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.25 | $12.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Glendale, CA
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
5:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°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
7 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
38m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this drive, with about 70% of the 28.3 miles on freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a significant 18.7 miles on the Ventura Freeway, allowing for consistent travel. You'll navigate using roads like North Topanga Canyon Boulevard and West Colorado Street, which likely offer a change of pace from the freeway segments. This blend suggests a drive that begins and ends with more local road engagement, punctuated by a substantial period of faster, highway travel.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.7 mi on Ventura Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Ventura Freeway and North Topanga Canyon Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 20.1 miles in near CA 134 / Ventura 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 13 decision points packed into just 28.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 20.1 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Glendale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1884
Glendale is a suburban city of 205,000 people (2019) in the southeastern corner of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California between Burbank and Downtown Los Angeles. Glendale has one of the largest communities of Armenian descent in the United States. In addition to central Glendale, this article covers the Crescenta Valley communities of La Crescenta, Montrose, Verdugo City, and the part of Glendale in the Crescenta Valley.
Top landmarks
- • Forest Lawn Memorial Park — cemetery in Glendale, California
- • Glendale Transportation Center — railway station
- • Grand Central Airport — airport in Glendale, 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 38m. Total distance: 28.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.7 miles on Ventura 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 Glendale, 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 20.1 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.4 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): 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 Glendale, 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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