Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Late night in Los Angeles on Monday
Local time
3:44 AM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Altadena, CA
Drive Time
24m
Distance
13.7 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
None
0 DC fast
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 23m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Altadena, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Altadena, CA covers 13.7 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 Arroyo Seco Parkway, North Lake Avenue, South Pasadena Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.8 miles on Arroyo Seco Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
6.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 10m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Altadena, CA covers 13.7 miles and takes about 24m, 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 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Arroyo Seco Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.8 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 1 miles in near West College Street.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 13.7 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 1 miles (West College Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (North Hill Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 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
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West College Street
Turn left onto West College Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
North Hill Street
Turn right onto North Hill Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
7.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward Orange Grove Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward Orange Grove Avenue
6
8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
South Pasadena Avenue
Turn left onto South Pasadena Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Lake Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 26
Toward Lake Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Arroyo Seco Parkway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| North Lake Avenue | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| South Pasadena Avenue | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Broadway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Orange Grove Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Ventura Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Foothill Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Arroyo Seco Parkway
— 5.8 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Altadena, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Broadway
3
Turn left onto West College Street
404 ft
·
15 sec
·
West College Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto North Hill Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Hill Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
431 ft
·
6 sec
Toward CA 110 North
6
Merge onto CA 110; US 6 Hist; US 66 Hist
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Arroyo Seco Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 31A
Toward Orange Grove Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto Orange Grove Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Orange Grove Avenue
9
Turn right onto Columbia Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Columbia Street
10
Turn left onto South Pasadena Avenue
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Pasadena Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Turn slight left onto Long Beach Freeway
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 210 East: San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto CA 134
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
14
Merge onto I 210
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 26
Toward Lake Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn straight onto East Corson Street
446 ft
·
9 sec
·
East Corson Street
17
Turn left onto North Lake Avenue
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North Lake Avenue
Use the straight lane.
18
Arrive at destination
North Lake Avenue
Trip Plan
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 6.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 5.8 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 13.7 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 6.9 miles or 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Altadena, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA
This is one driving day of about 13.7 miles and 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Los Angeles, 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 Arroyo Seco Parkway for about 5.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 6.9 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
7 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 13.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 6.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Altadena, CA
The final approach into Altadena, 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 Altadena, 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
$3.17 one way
$6.35 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $3.27 | $6.54 |
| premium | $6.24 | $3.37 | $6.73 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $3.04 | $6.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$28–$53
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.44 | $0.66 |
| Efficient EV | 3.4 | 0 | $1.20 | $0.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Altadena, CA
Late night in Altadena on Monday
Local time
3:44 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
77°F
Pasadena, CA
7 mi in
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
23 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 Los Angeles, CA to Altadena, CA covers 13.7 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Arroyo Seco Parkway, North Lake Avenue, South Pasadena Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 6.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.17 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 13.7 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 1 miles (West College Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (North Hill Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Los Angeles, CA to Altadena, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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