Origin
Lawndale, CA
Evening in Lawndale on Friday
Local time
7:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
17.1 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawndale, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Lawndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 17.1 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Harbor Freeway, West Redondo Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.6 miles on Harbor Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Los Angeles, CA
Full guide →Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.
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 24m. Total distance: 17.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (62%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 24m highway drive covering 17.1 miles, with most of the trip on Harbor Freeway and West Redondo Beach Boulevard. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.6 miles on Harbor Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Harbor Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Harbor Freeway and West Redondo Beach Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near Van Ness Avenue.
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 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Van Ness Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (West Redondo Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Van Ness Avenue
Turn right onto Van Ness Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
West Redondo Beach Boulevard
Turn left onto West Redondo Beach Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward I 110 North: Los Angeles, Harbor Freeway
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles, Harbor Freeway
7
14.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th Street, Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th...
10
15.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Keep slight right at fork toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 22
Toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Lawndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
Downtown
14.9 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harbor Freeway | 10.6 mi | 12m |
| West Redondo Beach Boulevard | 2 mi | 3m |
| Manhattan Beach Boulevard | 2 mi | 3m |
| South Main Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 9th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Van Ness Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| James M Wood Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Harbor Freeway
— 10.6 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawndale, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Manhattan Beach Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Van Ness Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Van Ness Avenue
Use the right lane.
3
Turn left onto West Redondo Beach Boulevard
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
West Redondo Beach Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 110 North: Los Angeles, Harbor Freeway
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 110
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 110
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward 3rd Street, 4th Street, 9th Street, 6th Street, Downtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 22
Toward James M Wood Boulevard, 9th Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn straight onto James M Wood Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
James M Wood Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Continue on West 9th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West 9th Street
11
Turn left onto South Main Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto West 1st Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 1st Street
13
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.93 one way
$7.86 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.05 | $8.10 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.16 | $8.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.78 | $7.55 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.80 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Evening in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
7:02 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°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
14 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
24m 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 Lawndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 17.1 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Harbor Freeway, West Redondo Beach Boulevard, Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.5 miles from Lawndale, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.93 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 17.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (Van Ness Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (West Redondo Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Lawndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Downtown along the way.
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.
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