Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.8 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Signal Hill, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Los Angeles to Signal Hill is a straightforward 22.8-mile journey that typically takes about 31 minutes. Since you are staying entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California, this trip is best suited as a quick day outing rather than an overnight excursion. You can expect to spend approximately $5 on fuel for the round trip. Because the route is highly efficient, you won't need to plan for any major stops along the way. It is a practical, no-nonsense drive that gets you from the city center to the coast quickly, making it ideal for those who prioritize speed over sightseeing.
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).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 86% of your commute is spent on major transit arteries. You will navigate a combination of the Long Beach Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, and San Diego Freeway to reach your destination. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on the Long Beach Freeway, covering 13.2 miles of your drive. This is essentially an interstate grind, so anticipate a fast-paced environment rather than a winding, scenic backroad. The transition between these major freeways requires staying alert, as you will be moving through a high-traffic urban corridor for the duration of the trip.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
188 ft
Total Descent
325 ft
Highest Point
285 ft
Elevation Range
247 ft
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Beach Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near North Main Street.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 22.8 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: near the start (North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 405 South, I 405 North: San Diego, Santa Monica
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405: San Diego Freeway, San Diego
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Signal Hill, Cherry Avenue South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Signal Hill
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Los Angeles, CA and Signal Hill, CA, road signs point toward Santa Monica and San Diego.
Santa Monica
San Diego
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Freeway | 13.2 mi | 16m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 5 mi | 6m |
| San Diego Freeway | 1.5 mi | 1m |
| Cherry Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Aliso Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Willow Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Signal Hill, CA.
Start on West 1st Street
Turn left onto North Main Street
Turn right onto East Aliso Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 101
Take the exit
Merge onto I 710
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 405
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto Cherry Avenue
Turn right onto East Willow Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 11.4 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
11 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.
A short stop after about 22.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 11.4 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Signal Hill, 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 Signal Hill, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$5.24 one way
$10.48 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.40 | $10.80 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.03 | $10.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $1.99 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Evening in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
8:46 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Evening in Signal Hill on Friday
Local time
8:46 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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