Origin
Westminster, CA
Morning in Westminster on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westminster, CA to Los Angeles, 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
29.7 mi
48 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good 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.
Westminster, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Traveling from Westminster to Los Angeles is a quick, straightforward journey covering 29.7 miles. You can expect to spend about 38 minutes on the road, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, the drive is highly economical for those moving between these two Pacific Coast locations. You will primarily navigate via the Santa Ana Freeway, the San Gabriel River Freeway, and I-405. Because the duration is well under an hour, there is no need to plan for overnight stops or extensive travel logistics. This commute is designed for efficiency rather than leisure, serving as a practical link within the Southern California region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 11.8 mi | 14m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| I 405 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| San Diego Freeway | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| Westminster Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 11.8 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westminster, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Westminster Boulevard
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Westminster Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
3
Merge onto I 405
0.9 mi
·
58 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
4
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 605 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 605
10 mi
·
11 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana Freeway, Los Angeles
10
Merge onto I 5
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
15
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.9 and 29 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 405
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.4 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward I 605 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 24
Toward I 605 North
7
16.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
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 I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa...
8
16.5 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Los Angeles, Santa...
8
29 mi into trip
|
~36m 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
$6.83 one way
$13.65 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.03 | $14.07 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.22 | $14.45 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.56 | $13.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.4 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 | 8.9 | 0 | $3.12 | $1.43 |
| Efficient EV | 7.4 | 0 | $2.60 | $1.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
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
Los Angeles, CA
Morning in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
6:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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?
This trip is a highway-focused drive, with 88% of your time spent on high-speed thoroughfares. The route features a consistent interstate feel, characterized by heavy traffic flow rather than scenic winding roads. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch along the Santa Ana Freeway, which spans 11.8 miles of the total distance. Expect a standard urban driving experience that transitions across major freeway interchanges as you head toward Los Angeles. While the drive is relatively short, the prevalence of major freeways means you should stay alert for merging traffic and lane changes throughout the 38-minute transit.
88% 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: 11.8 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.9 miles in near I 405.
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 14 decision points packed into just 29.7 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 1.9 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 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.
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 Westminster, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Santa Ana
16.2 mi in
|
~20m
About the Cities
Starting in Westminster, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
Westminster is a city in Orange County, Southern California.
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 38m. Total distance: 29.7 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 (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.8 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 1.9 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Los Angeles, CA
More trips to Los Angeles, CA
Explore more options from Westminster, CA or browse trips ending in Los Angeles, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.