Origin
Canoga Park, CA
Morning in Canoga Park on Friday
Local time
10:04 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Canoga Park, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
26.4 mi
43 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Canoga Park, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Canoga Park to Los Angeles, you are looking at a straightforward 26.4-mile journey across the Pacific Coast region. Expect the drive to take roughly 36 minutes under normal conditions, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, this trip is highly economical and efficient. Since the entire route takes place within California, you will remain in the Pacific Coast region for the duration of the drive. The trip is simple enough that you can easily complete it in a single day, giving you plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 26.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 89% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will primarily navigate via the Ventura Freeway and the Hollywood Freeway, complemented by local navigation on Canoga Avenue. The road personality is defined by consistent pace, featuring a longest uninterrupted stretch of 12.5 miles on the Ventura Freeway. Because the majority of the trip is on high-speed roads, you can expect a functional, fast-paced experience rather than a winding or technical backroad journey. Prepare for a standard interstate commute that prioritizes speed and directness over scenic detours.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ventura Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Ventura Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.2 miles in.
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 10 decision points packed into just 26.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.9 miles (US 101 / Route 101): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.2 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South: Ventura Freeway, Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward US 101 South: Ventura Freeway, Los Angel...
8
14.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
US 101 / Route 101
Keep slight right at fork onto US 101 / Route 101 toward US 101 South: Los Angeles, Tujunga Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101 South: Los Angeles, Tujunga Avenu...
7
25.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Broadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
7
26.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
26.4 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura Freeway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 10.3 mi | 14m |
| Canoga Avenue | 2.2 mi | 5m |
| Route 101 | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North Spring Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Aliso Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Sherman Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ventura Freeway
— 12.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Canoga Park, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on this road
27 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Sherman Way
152 ft
·
7 sec
·
Sherman Way
3
Turn right onto Canoga Avenue
2.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Canoga Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 101 South: Ventura Freeway, Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 101
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 101
0.6 mi
·
43 sec
·
Route 101
Toward US 101 South: Los Angeles, Tujunga Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto US 101
10 mi
·
14 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
10
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
11
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.07 one way
$12.14 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.25 | $12.51 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.42 | $12.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.83 | $11.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| Efficient EV | 6.6 | 0 | $2.31 | $1.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.6 | 0 | $3.70 | $1.69 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Morning in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
10:04 AM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
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
3 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
36m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Canoga Park, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 26.4 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ventura Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, Canoga 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 13.2 miles from Canoga Park, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.07 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 10 decision points packed into just 26.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.9 miles (US 101 / Route 101): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Canoga Park, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. 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 from Canoga Park, CA
More trips to Los Angeles, CA
Explore more options from Canoga Park, CA or browse trips ending in Los Angeles, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.