Origin
Universal City, CA
Evening in Universal City on Thursday
Local time
8:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Universal City, CA to Anaheim, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
51m
Distance
36.1 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Universal City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Universal City, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 36.1 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, West Lincoln Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.4 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.30 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 36.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 51m highway drive covering 36.1 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 24.4 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 36.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.1 miles (James Stewart Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
James Stewart Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto James Stewart Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South
Navigation decision point
Toward US 101 South
5
2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
US 101 / Hollywood Freeway
Merge onto US 101 / Hollywood Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
34.3 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward Lincoln Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 24.4 mi | 29m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 8 mi | 10m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Barham Boulevard | 1 mi | 1m |
| James Stewart Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Cylon Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Anaheim Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Cahuenga Boulevard West | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 24.4 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Universal City, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on this road
83 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Cylon Drive
398 ft
·
29 sec
·
Cylon Drive
3
Keep slight left at fork
133 ft
·
12 sec
4
At end of road, turn right onto James Stewart Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
James Stewart Avenue
5
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
1 min
6
At end of road, turn right onto Barham Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Barham Boulevard
7
Turn right
168 ft
·
6 sec
8
Turn slight right onto Cahuenga Boulevard West
332 ft
·
11 sec
·
Cahuenga Boulevard West
9
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 101 South
10
Merge onto US 101
8.0 mi
·
10 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 101
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
15
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18.1 mi from Universal City, CA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Universal City, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Anaheim, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Anaheim, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.30 one way
$16.59 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.55 | $17.10 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.78 | $17.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.97 | $15.94 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.79 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.16 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.05 | $2.31 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Anaheim, CA
Evening in Anaheim on Thursday
Local time
8:45 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°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
17 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
51m 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 Universal City, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 36.1 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, West Lincoln Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.1 miles from Universal City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.30 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 36.1 miles you will encounter 11 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 0.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 0.1 miles (James Stewart Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Universal City, CA to Anaheim, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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