Origin
Topanga Oaks, CA
Night in Topanga Oaks on Thursday
Local time
10:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
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.
Topanga Oaks, CA
Robert So
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, 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, North Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Pacific Coast Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.4 miles on Santa Monica Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
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 (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, 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 10 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 13.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CA 27 / North Topanga Canyon Boulevard.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.2 miles (CA 27 / North Topanga Canyon Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.9 miles (CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.2 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 27 / North Topanga Canyon Boulevard
Turn sharp left onto CA 27 / North Topanga Canyon Boulevard
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
7
5.9 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway
At end of road, turn left onto CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
22.2 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
7
24.9 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention C...
4
25.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
West 18th Street
Turn straight onto West 18th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Convention Center along the way.
Convention Center
24.9 mi in
|
~38m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Freeway | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| North Topanga Canyon Boulevard | 5.7 mi | 11m |
| Pacific Coast Highway | 5.6 mi | 11m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| West 18th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Fontaine Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Monica Freeway
— 13.4 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Topanga Oaks, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Fontaine Road
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Fontaine Road
2
Turn sharp left onto CA 27
5.7 mi
·
11 min
·
North Topanga Canyon Boulevard
3
At end of road, turn left onto CA 1
5.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Pacific Coast Highway
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on I 10
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Toward Western Avenue, Normandie Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto West 18th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 18th Street
Use the straight lane.
8
Turn left onto South Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
9
Turn left onto West 1st Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 1st Street
10
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
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
Los Angeles, CA
Night in Los Angeles on Thursday
Local time
10:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°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 cooler 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 Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, 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, North 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 13.6 miles from Topanga Oaks, 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 27.3 miles you will encounter 7 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 0.2 miles (CA 27 / North Topanga Canyon Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 5.9 miles (CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.2 miles (I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Topanga Oaks, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Convention Center along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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