Origin
Yorba Linda, CA
Late night in Yorba Linda on Tuesday
Local time
3:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Yorba Linda, 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
44m
Distance
34.6 mi
56 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Yorba Linda, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Yorba Linda to Los Angeles is 34.6 miles and takes about 44 minutes via Santa Ana Freeway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in California. Given its short duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip, allowing for plenty of flexibility in your schedule. You'll spend most of your time on the highway, making it a straightforward transit between these two Southern California locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 20.8 mi | 24m |
| Riverside Freeway | 9.2 mi | 10m |
| Lakeview Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| North Los Angeles Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Arcadia Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Yorba Linda Boulevard | 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
— 20.8 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yorba Linda, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Yorba Linda Boulevard
41 ft
·
0 sec
·
Yorba Linda Boulevard
2
Continue on Yorba Linda Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
Yorba Linda Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto Lakeview Avenue
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Lakeview Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward CA 91 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto CA 91
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Riverside Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 24
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 2B
Toward Alameda Street, Union Station
Use the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 10 EXPR
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Los Angeles Street
13
Turn right onto East 1st Street
461 ft
·
17 sec
·
East 1st Street
14
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 33.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Lakeview Avenue
Turn right onto Lakeview Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.4 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
12.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 24
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
6
30.9 mi into trip
|
~38m 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
33.8 mi into trip
|
~42m 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
$7.95 one way
$15.91 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.20 | $16.39 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.41 | $16.83 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.64 | $15.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.63 | $1.66 |
| Efficient EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Tuesday
Local time
3:24 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
44m 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 drive is 87% highway, meaning you'll be on freeways for the vast majority of the 34.6 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a freeway is 20.8 miles, all on the Santa Ana Freeway. You'll experience a significant amount of merging and exiting as you navigate the urban environment of Los Angeles. Surface roads will become more prevalent in the final few miles as you approach your destination.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.8 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Riverside Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Lakeview Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 34.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Lakeview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Yorba Linda, CA
Full guide →Founded 1967
Yorba Linda is a city in Orange County and a suburb of Los Angeles in Southern California. Its most famous resident was Richard Nixon. His birthplace is a National Historic Landmark, at his presidential library and museum located there.
Top landmarks
- • Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum — library, museum, and campus in Yorba Linda, California, USA
- • Birthplace of Richard Nixon — historic house in 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 44m. Total distance: 34.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.8 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 0.1 miles (Lakeview Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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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