Origin
Inglewood, CA
Afternoon in Inglewood on Friday
Local time
3:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 55m
Distance
124.5 mi
200 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$29
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 48m
★
6 AM
1h 56m
8 AM
2h 13m
10 AM
2h 2m
12 PM
2h 0m
3 PM
2h 3m
5 PM
2h 12m
8 PM
1h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Inglewood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Inglewood to San Diego covers 124.5 miles, typically taking about 1 hour and 55 minutes under normal conditions. Because this is a relatively short trip within the Pacific Coast region, it works perfectly as a straightforward day trip. You should budget approximately $29 for fuel to complete the journey. While the drive is manageable in a single session, the local nature of the roads means your travel time can fluctuate based on traffic patterns. It is a practical, direct route that connects two major Southern California hubs without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
62.3 miles from Inglewood, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 58m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in San Diego, CA
Full guide →From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana. But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.
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 1h 55m. Total distance: 124.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise for this 124.5-mile journey. Your path transitions from South La Brea Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard into I-405 South, creating a mix of urban navigation and highway travel. Since this route features a 0% highway share in terms of dedicated, uninterrupted freeway cruising, you will spend most of your time managing local turns and intersections. This technical, stop-and-go experience requires your full attention behind the wheel. The road's personality is defined by its constant transitions rather than long, open stretches of pavement.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South La Brea Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA is easy. At 1h 55m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South La Brea Avenue | — | — |
| Hawthorne Boulevard | — | — |
| I 405 South | — | — |
| San Diego Freeway | — | — |
| Corona Del Mar Freeway | — | — |
| San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor | — | — |
| La Paz Road | — | — |
| CA 73 South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
South La Brea Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Inglewood, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on East Manchester Boulevard
62 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Manchester Boulevard
2
Turn left onto South La Brea Avenue
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
South La Brea Avenue
3
Turn right onto South La Brea Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South La Brea Avenue
4
Continue on Hawthorne Boulevard
4.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
5
Take the ramp right toward I 405 South: Long Beach
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 405 South: Long Beach
6
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
San Diego Freeway
7
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
9
Keep slight left
10 mi
·
11 min
10
Keep slight right to continue on Corona Del Mar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Corona Del Mar Freeway
11
Continue on San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
10 mi
·
11 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
12
Take the exit slight right toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway
436 ft
·
6 sec
·
La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway
13
Keep slight left to continue on CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway
14
Keep slight left to continue on CA 73 South
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
CA 73 South
15
Merge slight left onto San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
16
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
68 mi
·
1 hr 19 min
·
San Diego Freeway
17
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
18
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center
19
Continue on Front Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
20
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of your 1 hour and 55 minute transit, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid the inevitable congestion on local arterial roads. Flexibility is your best asset here, as the lack of designated stops means you can easily adjust your schedule based on your arrival needs. Since you are navigating local streets like South La Brea Avenue and Hawthorne Boulevard, keep your GPS updated to handle sudden traffic shifts. Given the $29 fuel estimate, filling up before you leave Inglewood is a smart way to simplify your trip. Focus on staying alert through the frequent turns, as this is a hands-on drive that rewards careful planning.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 62.3 miles from Inglewood, CA, or about 58m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 27 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.3 miles or 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Diego, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Inglewood, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Inglewood, CA
This is one driving day of about 124.5 miles and 1h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Inglewood, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 62.3 mi from Inglewood, CA · 58m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
62 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 27 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 62.3 miles from Inglewood, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in San Diego, CA
The final approach into San Diego, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.62 one way
$57.23 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
44 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $29.49 | $58.98 |
| premium | $6.18 | $30.28 | $60.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $27.49 | $54.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$29
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$54–$79
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 37.4 | 0 | $13.07 | $5.98 |
| Efficient EV | 31.1 | 0 | $10.89 | $4.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 49.8 | 0 | $17.43 | $7.97 |
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (66% 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
San Diego, CA
Afternoon in San Diego on Friday
Local time
3:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
13 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
1h 55m 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 Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA covers 124.5 miles and takes about 1h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South La Brea Avenue, Hawthorne Boulevard, I 405 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 62.3 miles from Inglewood, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.62 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.
The drive from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA is easy. At 1h 55m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Inglewood, CA to San Diego, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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