Origin
Anaheim, CA
Night in Anaheim on Thursday
Local time
10:09 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Anaheim, CA to Universal City, CA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
50m
Distance
36.1 mi
58 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 46m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Universal City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Anaheim, CA to Universal City, CA covers 36.1 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, West Lincoln Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.6 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 50m highway drive covering 36.1 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 25.6 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 25.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles (US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m 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
4.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
22.6 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
35.2 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 12A
Toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
6
35.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
Lankershim Boulevard
Turn right onto Lankershim Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 25.6 mi | 30m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Kirk Douglas Drive | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Lankershim Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Cylon Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Anaheim Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 25.6 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anaheim, CA and Universal City, CA.
1
Start on this road
200 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard
422 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
3
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
Merge onto I 5
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 101
8.3 mi
·
11 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 12A
Toward Lankershim Boulevard, Universal City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Lankershim Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Lankershim Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
12
Turn right onto Kirk Douglas Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Kirk Douglas Drive
13
Turn left onto Cylon Drive
525 ft
·
47 sec
·
Cylon Drive
14
Turn left
83 ft
·
9 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18 mi from Anaheim, CA · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Anaheim, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Universal City, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Universal City, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.30 one way
$16.59 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Universal City, CA
Night in Universal City on Thursday
Local time
10:09 PM
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
17 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
50m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Anaheim, CA to Universal City, CA covers 36.1 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, West Lincoln Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18 miles from Anaheim, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.30 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 36.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.6 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.6 miles (US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Anaheim, CA to Universal City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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