Origin
La Quinta, CA
Evening in La Quinta on Sunday
Local time
8:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Quinta, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Drive Time
1h 30m
Distance
40.7 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 23m
★
6 AM
1h 30m
8 AM
1h 44m
10 AM
1h 35m
12 PM
1h 34m
3 PM
1h 36m
5 PM
1h 43m
8 PM
1h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Quinta, CA
Miguel Cuenca
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
If you are planning a trip from La Quinta to Los Angeles, you are looking at a straightforward 40.7-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $6 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for those traveling within the Pacific Coast region. The path relies heavily on major thoroughfares, including the Hollywood Freeway and the Ronald Reagan Freeway. Given the short duration, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule to head into the city and return at your own pace.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
20.4 miles from La Quinta, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .
Drive Character
This 40.7-mile trek is primarily a highway-focused drive, with 80% of your time spent navigating high-speed corridors. You will find yourself cruising along the Hollywood Freeway for your longest uninterrupted stretch, covering 16.2 miles of the total distance. The experience transitions between the fast-paced flow of the Ronald Reagan Freeway and more localized segments like the Las Llajas Canyon Trail. Because the vast majority of the drive is highway-based, the character of the road is functional and designed for efficiency rather than leisurely cruising. Expect a consistent, steady pace that keeps you moving toward your destination with minimal interruptions.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hollywood Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 16.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Hollywood Freeway and Ronald Reagan Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in near Yosemite Avenue.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 40.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles (Yosemite Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
4.8 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Yosemite Avenue
Turn left onto Yosemite Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
7
23.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
7
40.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m 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
40.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
|
North Spring Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
40.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
|
West 1st Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Ronald Reagan Freeway | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| Las Llajas Canyon Trail | 4.3 mi | 41m |
| Golden State Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Yosemite Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Evening Sky Drive | 0.5 mi | 2m |
| North Spring Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Aliso Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Hollywood Freeway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Quinta, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Las Llajas Canyon Trail
4.2 mi
·
40 min
·
Las Llajas Canyon Trail
2
Continue on Las Llajas Canyon Trail
420 ft
·
32 sec
·
Las Llajas Canyon Trail
3
Turn right onto Evening Sky Drive
0.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Evening Sky Drive
4
Turn left onto Yosemite Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Yosemite Avenue
Use the none lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward CA 118 East
6
Merge onto CA 118
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the none lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the none lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 118
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Ronald Reagan Freeway
Use the none lane.
11
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 5
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the none lane.
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 153B
Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on CA 170
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the none lane.
15
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 2C
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on West Aliso Street
409 ft
·
18 sec
·
West Aliso Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto North Spring Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
North Spring Street
Use the right lane.
18
Turn left onto West 1st Street
354 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a quick 1-hour and 30-minute trip, you have the advantage of being able to leave whenever it best suits your itinerary. With no mandatory stops required to reach your destination, you can easily power through the entire route in one go. Keep in mind that your fuel costs will hover around $6, so it is a good idea to check your levels before hitting the main freeways. Given that the route is dominated by the Hollywood and Ronald Reagan Freeways, try to avoid peak commuting hours to ensure your drive time stays closer to that 1-hour and 30-minute estimate. Prioritizing a departure during off-peak traffic will make your transition from La Quinta to Los Angeles much smoother.
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 20.4 miles from La Quinta, CA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 16.2 miles.
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 40.7 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 20.4 miles or 1h 2m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Los Angeles, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving La Quinta, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from La Quinta, CA
This is one driving day of about 40.7 miles and 1h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from La Quinta, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Hollywood Freeway for about 16.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.4 mi from La Quinta, CA · 1h 2m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from La Quinta, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
The final approach into Los Angeles, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Los Angeles, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.43 one way
$18.85 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $9.72 | $19.44 |
| premium | $6.24 | $10.00 | $20.01 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $9.04 | $18.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$34–$59
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Evening in Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
8:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°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
24 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 30m 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 La Quinta, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 40.7 miles and takes about 1h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hollywood Freeway, Ronald Reagan Freeway, Las Llajas Canyon Trail. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 miles from La Quinta, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.43 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 40.7 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles (Yosemite Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from La Quinta, CA to Los Angeles, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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