Origin
Westwood, CA
Afternoon in Westwood on Friday
Local time
12:29 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westwood, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
13.1 mi
21 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westwood, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
This short 13.1-mile drive from Westwood to Los Angeles, CA, is estimated to take about 21 minutes, making it an easy day trip. The route primarily utilizes the Santa Monica Freeway, South Main Street, and Overland Avenue, with 64% of the journey on highways. With a budget of around $3 for fuel, this trip is quite economical. The Pacific Coast region offers a familiar backdrop for this straightforward drive, suggesting a convenient local excursion rather than a multi-day adventure. It's a quick transit that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 13.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 64% of the route on faster roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 8.4 miles on the Santa Monica Freeway, offering a consistent pace. The remaining portion includes local streets like South Main Street and Overland Avenue, introducing a change of scenery and traffic patterns. Expect a mix of freeway cruising and navigating city arterials as you progress toward your destination. It's not a winding, scenic route, but rather a functional path designed for efficient travel.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 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 8.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Monica Freeway and South Main Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near US 66 Hist / Santa Monica Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 13.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 66 Hist / Santa Monica Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Overland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 66 Hist / Santa Monica Boulevard
Turn right onto US 66 Hist / Santa Monica Boulevard
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Overland Avenue
Turn left onto Overland Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway
8
8.1 mi into trip
|
~13m 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
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m 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...
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 Westwood, CA to Los Angeles, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Convention Center along the way.
Convention Center
10.8 mi in
|
~16m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Freeway | 8.4 mi | 9m |
| South Main Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Overland Avenue | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| West 18th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Santa Monica Boulevard | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Westholme Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Kinnard Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Monica Freeway
— 8.4 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westwood, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
1
Start on Kinnard Avenue
165 ft
·
12 sec
·
Kinnard Avenue
2
Turn left onto Westholme Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Westholme Avenue
3
Continue on Westholme Avenue
326 ft
·
15 sec
·
Westholme Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Santa Monica Boulevard
5
Turn left onto Overland Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Overland Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Continue on Overland Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Overland Avenue
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto I 10
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward Grand Avenue, Olive Street, Convention Center
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn straight onto West 18th Street
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 18th Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn left onto South Main Street
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
South Main Street
13
Turn left onto West 1st Street
69 ft
·
2 sec
·
West 1st Street
14
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.01 one way
$6.02 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.10 | $6.21 |
| premium | $6.18 | $3.19 | $6.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.89 | $5.78 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.38 | $0.63 |
| Efficient EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.15 | $0.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.2 | 0 | $1.83 | $0.84 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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
Afternoon in Los Angeles on Friday
Local time
12:29 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
1 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
21m 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 Westwood, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 13.1 miles and takes about 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Monica Freeway, South Main Street, Overland 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 6.6 miles from Westwood, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.01 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 13.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 21m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (US 66 Hist / Santa Monica Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (Overland Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Westwood, 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.
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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