Origin
Lawndale, CA
Night in Lawndale on Friday
Local time
10:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawndale, CA to Riverside, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
60.3 mi
97 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lawndale, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lawndale, CA to Riverside, CA covers 60.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, Gardena Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.2 miles on Riverside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.86 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 60.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 60.3 miles, with most of the trip on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.2 miles on Riverside Freeway.
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.
Riverside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Artesia Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.3 miles you will encounter 14 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 South: Long Beach
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 405 South: Long Beach
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward CA 91 East: Artesia Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 40A
Toward CA 91 East: Artesia Boulevard
6
32.1 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91 / Riverside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
58.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m 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
58.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
|
Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 35.2 mi | 40m |
| Artesia Freeway | 13.1 mi | 15m |
| Gardena Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| West Artesia Boulevard | 3 mi | 4m |
| Magnolia Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| San Diego Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Madison Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Hawthorne Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 35.2 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawndale, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on Manhattan Beach Boulevard
163 ft
·
4 sec
·
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
2
Turn right
175 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right onto Hawthorne Boulevard
66 ft
·
3 sec
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Manhattan Beach Boulevard
156 ft
·
13 sec
·
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
Turn left onto Hawthorne Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 405 South: Long Beach
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 405
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 40A
Toward CA 91 East: Artesia Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto West Artesia Boulevard
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
West Artesia Boulevard
10
Continue on CA 91
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Gardena Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CA 91
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Artesia Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on CA 91
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 60
Toward Madison Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Magnolia Avenue
17
Turn right
102 ft
·
8 sec
18
At end of road, turn left
181 ft
·
13 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.2 mi from Lawndale, CA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.2 miles from Lawndale, 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
$13.86 one way
$27.72 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.28 | $28.56 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.66 | $29.33 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.31 | $26.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.33 | $2.89 |
| Efficient EV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.1 | 0 | $8.44 | $3.86 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Riverside, CA
Night in Riverside on Friday
Local time
10:42 PM
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
16 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 14m 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 Riverside, CA covers 60.3 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Riverside Freeway, Artesia Freeway, Gardena Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.2 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 $13.86 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 60.3 miles you will encounter 14 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: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.1 miles (CA 91 / Riverside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lawndale, CA to Riverside, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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