San Francisco to Los Angeles
This is leg 5 of 5, the final leg.
Travel leg · Pacific Coast Highway
Santa Barbara to Los Angeles
Santa Barbara and Los Angeles sit about 140 km (87 mi) apart in a straight line, with Los Angeles to the east. It is leg 5 of 5 on our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary, a 6-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 140 km · 87 mi
- Est. road distance
- 168–196 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 45 min – 3 h
- Direction
- Heading east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 168–196 km (104–122 mi) of road and 1 h 45 min – 3 h behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
By train
Our Pacific Coast Highway guide also mentions trains for parts of the trip. Whether a direct train links Santa Barbara and Los Angeles depends on the line — check timetables.
A car is the whole point here, and one shared vehicle keeps the group together. Plan to drive south to north or north to south and pick up or drop off a rental in the two big cities. Train and bus options exist for some legs but skip the scenic parts.
Open Santa Barbara → Los Angeles directions in Google Maps ↗
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Los Angeles
Give LA two days: museums and the observatory one day, the beach cities and Santa Monica Pier for the finish.
Griffith Observatory
Free observatory with Hollywood Sign and downtown views from the terraces.
Grand Central Market
Food hall since 1917 with stalls for tacos, egg sandwiches and pupusas.
Musso & Frank Grill
Hollywood's oldest restaurant (1919), known for its martinis.
Venice Beach Boardwalk
Beach promenade with street performers, the skate park and Muscle Beach.
The Getty Center
Hilltop art museum with gardens and views from the Santa Monica Mountains to the ocean.
The Broad
Free contemporary art museum with Kusama's Infinity Mirror Room.
Before you leave Santa Barbara
Stay a day and a night: mission and courthouse by day, Funk Zone tasting rooms and tacos at night.
Old Mission Santa Barbara
1786 mission called the Queen of the Missions, with a museum and rose garden.
La Super-Rica Taqueria
Tiny taqueria praised by Julia Child for its handmade tortillas.
Potek Winery
Single-vineyard Santa Barbara County wines in a lounge at The Mill, with a patio shared with Third Window Brewery.
On this curated route
Where Santa Barbara → Los Angeles sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Los Angeles to Santa Barbara is the same 140 km in a straight line, heading west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in August, when Los Angeles averages highs 4°C warmer than Santa Barbara.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Barbara high | 18° | 17° | 19° | 20° | 23° | 26° | 28° | 28° | 27° | 25° | 21° | 17° |
| Los Angeles high | 19° | 19° | 21° | 23° | 25° | 29° | 32° | 32° | 31° | 27° | 23° | 19° |
| Santa Barbara rain | 90 | 78 | 63 | 27 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 32 | 72 |
| Los Angeles rain | 73 | 75 | 42 | 19 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 25 | 65 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Los Angeles month guides.
Santa Barbara to Los Angeles: questions travelers ask
How far is Santa Barbara from Los Angeles?
Santa Barbara is about 140 km (87 mi) from Los Angeles in a straight line, with Los Angeles to the east. By road, we estimate 168–196 km (104–122 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles?
An estimated 1 h 45 min – 3 h, assuming 168–196 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles?
Our Pacific Coast Highway itinerary includes this leg. Pacific Coast Highway runs about 6 days across 6 stops, best in Apr – Oct.
Getting to Santa Barbara
- Solvang to Santa Barbara 45 km
- San Simeon to Santa Barbara 194 km
Guides for both ends
- Santa Barbara travel guide
- Santa Barbara weather best time to visit
- Los Angeles travel guide
- Los Angeles weather best time to visit
Los Angeles by month
Plan Santa Barbara → Los Angeles with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.