Origin
Ladera Ranch, CA
Late night in Ladera Ranch on Friday
Local time
12:38 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ladera Ranch, CA to Riverside, CA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 4m
12 PM
1h 3m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ladera Ranch, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ladera Ranch, CA to Riverside, CA covers 47.8 miles and takes about 1h behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Riverside Freeway, Foothill Transportation Corridor, Eastern Transportation Corridor for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.6 miles on Riverside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.99 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Ladera Ranch, CA to Riverside, CA covers 47.8 miles and takes about 1h, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Riverside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 18.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Benjamin Drive.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Benjamin Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 26.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Benjamin Drive
Enter roundabout onto Benjamin Drive
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Turn left toward CA 241 Toll North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 241 Toll North
8
26.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
7
45.9 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Madison Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 60
Toward Madison Street
6
46.1 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 18.6 mi | 21m |
| Foothill Transportation Corridor | 15.1 mi | 17m |
| Eastern Transportation Corridor | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| Antonio Parkway | 4.5 mi | 6m |
| Magnolia Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Benjamin Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Laurelhurst Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 18.6 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ladera Ranch, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on Laurelhurst Drive
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Laurelhurst Drive
2
Turn left onto Walden Street
182 ft
·
15 sec
·
Walden Street
3
Turn right onto Sienna Parkway
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Sienna Parkway
4
Enter roundabout onto Benjamin Drive
15 ft
·
0 sec
·
Benjamin Drive
5
Continue on Benjamin Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Benjamin Drive
Use the left lane.
6
At end of road, turn left onto Antonio Parkway
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Antonio Parkway
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward CA 241 Toll North
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Foothill Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
10
Keep slight right at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto CA 91
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 60
Toward Madison Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Magnolia Avenue
15
Turn right
102 ft
·
8 sec
16
At end of road, turn left
181 ft
·
13 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.9 mi from Ladera Ranch, CA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Ladera Ranch, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Riverside, CA
The final approach into Riverside, 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
$10.99 one way
$21.97 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.32 | $22.64 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.62 | $23.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.55 | $21.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Riverside, CA
Late night in Riverside on Friday
Local time
12:38 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 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 Ladera Ranch, CA to Riverside, CA covers 47.8 miles and takes about 1h without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Riverside Freeway, Foothill Transportation Corridor, Eastern Transportation Corridor. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.9 miles from Ladera Ranch, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.99 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Benjamin Drive): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 5.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 26.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Ladera Ranch, CA to Riverside, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Data sources
The figures on this page are computed from open government and mapping datasets, not crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Full methodology, refresh cadence, and limitations are documented on the methodology page.
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