Origin
Lancaster, CA
Morning in Lancaster on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 23m
Distance
70.9 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lancaster, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Monica, CA
Bjorn Pierre
Trip Overview
The drive from Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA covers 70.9 miles and takes about 1h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West Avenue J, 10th Street West, West Avenue L for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Lancaster, CA
Full guide →Founded 1977
Lancaster is a city in far northern Los Angeles County in Southern California, 8 miles (13 km) from the Kern County line.
Top landmarks
- • Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park — state historic park in California, USA
- • Western Hotel — building in Lancaster, California, United States
Arriving in Santa Monica, CA
Full guide →Founded 1769
Anchoring the Westside of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is a beachfront city popular with tourists for its expansive beach and its famous pier, which are among the most popular coastal attractions in Southern California. Within the city, visitors will find a number of urban shopping districts and plenty of restaurants and nightlife.
Top landmarks
- • Santa Monica Pier — Pier in Santa Monica, California, USA
- • Muscle Beach — outdoor acrobatics and gymnastics platform
- • Pacific Park — amusement park in Santa Monica, California, United States
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 23m. Total distance: 70.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 23m drive with frequent turns across 70.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Avenue J 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 Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA is easy. At 1h 23m 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 Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Avenue J | — | — |
| 10th Street West | — | — |
| West Avenue L | — | — |
| CA 14 South | — | — |
| Antelope Valley Freeway | — | — |
| Golden State Freeway | — | — |
| I 405 South | — | — |
| I 10 | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Avenue J
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lancaster, CA and Santa Monica, CA.
1
Start on Sierra Highway
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Sierra Highway
2
Turn right
312 ft
·
12 sec
3
Turn slight right onto West Avenue J
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Avenue J
4
Turn left onto 10th Street West
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
10th Street West
5
Turn right onto West Avenue L
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
West Avenue L
6
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 14 South, CA 138 East: Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
CA 14 South, CA 138 East: Los Angeles
7
Merge slight left onto Antelope Valley Freeway
40 mi
·
44 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on Antelope Valley Freeway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
9
Keep slight left
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
10
Merge slight left onto Golden State Freeway
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Golden State Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
12
Keep slight right
19 mi
·
21 min
13
Take the exit slight right toward I 10: Los Angeles, Santa Monica
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 10: Los Angeles, Santa Monica
14
Keep slight right to continue on I 10 West: Santa Monica
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
I 10 West: Santa Monica
15
Merge slight left onto Santa Monica Freeway
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward CA 1 South: Lincoln Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
CA 1 South: Lincoln Boulevard
17
Turn straight onto Olympic Boulevard
479 ft
·
15 sec
·
Olympic Boulevard
18
Turn right onto Lincoln Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Boulevard
19
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.5 mi from Lancaster, CA · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35.5 miles from Lancaster, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Santa Monica, CA
The final approach into Santa Monica, 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
$16.30 one way
$32.59 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.79 | $33.59 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.24 | $34.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.65 | $31.31 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.3 | 0 | $7.44 | $3.40 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.20 | $2.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.4 | 0 | $9.93 | $4.54 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Santa Monica, CA
Morning in Santa Monica on Saturday
Local time
9:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°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
22 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 23m 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 Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA covers 70.9 miles and takes about 1h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Avenue J, 10th Street West, West Avenue L. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.5 miles from Lancaster, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $16.30 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 Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA is easy. At 1h 23m 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 Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Lancaster, CA to Santa Monica, 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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