Origin
Bell Gardens, CA
Morning in Bell Gardens on Saturday
Local time
11:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bell Gardens, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
14m
Distance
10.1 mi
16 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bell Gardens, CA
Carly King
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Bell Gardens, CA to Los Angeles, CA is 10.1 miles and takes about 14m via Santa Ana Freeway and Long Beach Freeway, with a fuel budget near $2 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, connecting two points in California. It's a quick hop that's perfect for a short errand or as a brief segment of a larger journey. Given its proximity and short duration, this route is very manageable for any traveler.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 3 mi | 3m |
| Florence Avenue | 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 |
| West 1st Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 4.7 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bell Gardens, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Florence Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Florence Avenue
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 710 North: Pasadena
3
Merge onto I 710
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the slight left lane.
5
Merge onto I 5
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 9.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 710 / Long Beach Freeway
Merge onto I 710 / Long Beach Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
4.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
4.7 mi into trip
|
~6m 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 / right lanes.
6
6.5 mi into trip
|
~8m 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
9.4 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
$2.32 one way
$4.64 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.39 | $4.78 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.46 | $4.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.23 | $4.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3 | 0 | $1.06 | $0.48 |
| Efficient EV | 2.5 | 0 | $0.88 | $0.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4 | 0 | $1.41 | $0.65 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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 Saturday
Local time
11:01 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
18 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
14m 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 is a highway-focused drive, with 76% of the route on freeways. You'll experience a significant portion on the Santa Ana Freeway, including a longest stretch of 4.7 miles without interruption. The drive will primarily involve navigating the busy arteries connecting these Southern California locales. Expect mostly freeway driving, characteristic of urban and suburban commutes in the region.
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: 4.7 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near I 710 / Long Beach 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 9 decision points packed into just 10.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 14m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (I 710 / Long Beach Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Bell Gardens, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Union Station along the way.
Union Station
9.4 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
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 14m. Total distance: 10.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m 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 4.7 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 1.2 miles (I 710 / Long Beach Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 4.7 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 Trip.ovh 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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