Origin
Los Angeles, CA
Night in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
9:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Topanga Oaks, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
27.3 mi
44 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Topanga Oaks, CA
Robert So
Trip Overview
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Topanga Oaks, CA covers 27.3 miles and takes about 43m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Monica Freeway, Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13 miles on Santa Monica Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting 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 43m. Total distance: 27.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Topanga Oaks, CA covers 27.3 miles and takes about 43m, 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 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Monica Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 13 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 0.1 miles in near South Spring Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 27.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Spring Street
Turn left onto South Spring Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward CA 110 South, CA 110 North: Harbor Freeway
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 110 South, CA 110 North: Harbor Freew...
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 110 South: Harbor Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CA 110 South: Harbor Freeway
6
2.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 10: Santa Monica Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10: Santa Monica Freeway
8
2.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 West: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 West: Santa Monica
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Freeway | 13 mi | 15m |
| Topanga Canyon Boulevard | 5.6 mi | 11m |
| Pacific Coast Highway | 5.6 mi | 11m |
| Harbor Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| West 3rd Street | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| South Spring Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Fontaine Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Monica Freeway
— 13 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Topanga Oaks, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
354 ft
·
19 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn left onto South Spring Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South Spring Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
West 3rd Street
4
Take the ramp
104 ft
·
2 sec
Toward CA 110 South, CA 110 North: Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward CA 110 South: Harbor Freeway
6
Merge onto CA 110
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 10: Santa Monica Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 10 West: Washington Boulevard
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward I 10 West: Santa Monica
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 10
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CA 1
5.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Pacific Coast Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Take the exit
281 ft
·
10 sec
13
Turn slight right onto CA 27
5.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Topanga Canyon Boulevard
14
Turn sharp right onto Fontaine Road
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Fontaine Road
15
Arrive at destination
Fontaine Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.27 one way
$12.55 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.47 | $12.93 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.64 | $13.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.03 | $12.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| Efficient EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.82 | $1.75 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Topanga Oaks, CA
Night in Topanga Oaks on Friday
Local time
9:16 PM
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
11 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
43m 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 Topanga Oaks, CA covers 27.3 miles and takes about 43m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Monica Freeway, Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 13.7 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 $6.27 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 11 decision points packed into just 27.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Spring Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
The route from Los Angeles, CA to Topanga Oaks, 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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