The drive from San Jose, CA to Lawndale, CA covers 349 miles and takes about 6h 34m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Pacheco Pass Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 181.1 miles on Westside Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $80.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
174.5 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 18m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 34m. Total distance: 349 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 34m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
This is a 6h 34m highway drive covering 349 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. The longest continuous stretch is about 181.1 miles on Westside Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 181.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. 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 Effort9/10
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 21 significant decision points across 349 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 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward CA 87 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 87 South
7
6.1 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the exit toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1C
Toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
8
6.6 mi into trip|~8m in
Turn left toward CA 85 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 85 South
8
317.4 mi into trip|~5h 56m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
7
348 mi into trip|~6h 32m in
Take the exit toward Inglewood Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 42B
Toward Inglewood Avenue
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
181.1 mi
3h 14m
I 5 Truck
58.6 mi
1h 7m
Pacheco Pass Highway
40.6 mi
50m
I 405 Truck
23 mi
26m
US 101
20.3 mi
23m
San Diego Freeway
7.4 mi
8m
CA 85
5.1 mi
5m
Guadalupe Parkway
4.1 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 181.1 mi, about 3h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Lawndale, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
110 ft·5 sec·North Market Street
2
Turn right onto Devine Street
275 ft·17 sec·Devine Street
3
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
306 ft·17 sec·North San Pedro Street
4
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·West Saint James Street
5
Continue on West Julian Street
356 ft·7 sec·West Julian Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward CA 87 SouthUse the right lane.
7
Merge onto CA 87
1.4 mi·1 min·Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on CA 87
4.1 mi·4 min·Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·30 sec
Exit 1CToward Santa Teresa BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 87
0.1 mi·22 sec·Santa Teresa Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward CA 85 SouthUse the left lane.
12
Merge onto CA 85
4.7 mi·5 min·CA 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 85
0.4 mi·27 sec·CA 85
Exit 1AToward US 101 South
14
Continue on US 101
20 mi·23 min·US 101
15
Take the exit onto CA 152
0.3 mi·39 sec·CA 152
Toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
16
Turn left onto CA 152
353 ft·12 sec·East 10th Street
17
Continue on CA 152
41 mi·50 min·Pacheco Pass Highway
18
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 5: Los Angeles
19
Merge onto I 5
181 mi·3 hr 14 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi·4 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi·17 sec·I 5 Truck
Exit 158Toward I 405 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck
23 mi·26 min·I 405 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
7.4 mi·8 min·San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 42BToward Inglewood AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn right onto Inglewood Avenue
0.2 mi·27 sec·Inglewood Avenue
Use the right lane.
27
Turn left onto Manhattan Beach Boulevard
0.5 mi·55 sec·Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Use the left lane.
28
Arrive at destination
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 174.5 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 3h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 181.1 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 77 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 174.5 miles or 3h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lawndale, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Jose, 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 San Jose, CA
This is one driving day of about 349 miles and 6h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 miles from San Jose, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 181.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 174.5 mi from San Jose, CA
· 3h 18m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 324.9
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
27 mi from route
~68 min detour
Free
near mile 252.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.22 one way
$160.43 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg122 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$82.66
$165.32
premium
$6.18
$84.87
$169.75
diesel
$5.61
$77.05
$154.11
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$105–$130
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Lebec, California
Other
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Lebec, California
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Castaic, California
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Lebec, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla: 2
Other: 1
ChargePoint: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
104.7
1
$36.64
$16.75
Efficient EV
87.3
0
$30.54
$13.96
EV Truck/SUV
139.6
1
$48.86
$22.34
Gas CO2
122 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
San Jose, CA
Evening
in San Jose on Friday
Local time
5:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Lawndale, CA
Evening
in Lawndale on Friday
Local time
5:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
24 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
6h 34m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from San Jose, CA to Lawndale, CA covers 349 miles and takes about 6h 34m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Pacheco Pass Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 174.5 miles from San Jose, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $80.22 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 349 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 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Jose, CA to Lawndale, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
