How far is Lake Wildwood, CA from Los Angeles, CA?

The driving distance from Lake Wildwood, CA to Los Angeles, CA is about 449.6 miles (723.6 km), with a travel time of about 07h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 393.6 miles (633.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 55m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
449.64 mi
07h 27m
Flight
393.64 mi
633.5 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Lake Wildwood.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
393.64 mi
Kilometers
633.5 km
Flight Time
00h 47m

Driving Distance

Road route
449.64 mi
Kilometers
723.62 km
Drive Time
07h 27m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 07h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 5:16 AM PDT
Return by in Lake Wildwood
Thu, Apr 23, 12:44 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Lake Wildwood
2026-04-22T21:49
Arrive Los Angeles
Thu, Apr 23, 5:16 AM PDT
Route Timing
07h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:28 PM to 2:58 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
9:04 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Lake Wildwood
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Mendota
CA

City in Illinois, United States

From Lake Wildwood
225.2 mi
03h 43m
To Los Angeles
224.5 mi
03h 43m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
7 mph S
Destination
70°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Wildwood and Los Angeles.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lake Wildwood and Los Angeles.

  1. 1

    Start on Waxwing Court

    640 ft · 29 sec · Waxwing Court

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Hummingbird Drive

    974 ft · 46 sec · Hummingbird Drive

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Swallow Way

    1344 ft · 1 min · Swallow Way

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Chaparral Drive

    2800 ft · 2 min · Chaparral Drive

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Lake Forest Drive

    1724 ft · 1 min · Lake Forest Drive

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Lake Wildwood Drive

    88 m · 18 sec · Lake Wildwood Drive

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Pleasant Valley Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Pleasant Valley Road

  8. 8

    Turn left

    7.5 mi · 9 min

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right

    1166 ft · 18 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Golden Center Freeway

    14.3 mi · 19 min · Golden Center Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on Grass Valley Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Grass Valley Highway

  12. 12

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway

    33 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway

  13. 13

    Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Grass Valley Highway

  14. 14

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway

    32 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway

  15. 15

    Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway

    5.6 mi · 9 min · Grass Valley Highway

  16. 16

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento

    1346 ft · 33 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway

    16.8 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway

  18. 18

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway

    4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway

    3.7 mi · 4 min · Capital City Freeway

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Capital City Freeway

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding

    803 ft · 15 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles

    1.3 km · 2 min

  24. 24

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    59 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Westside Freeway

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  28. 28

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  29. 29

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  30. 30

    Keep slight left

    5.3 mi · 6 min

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 170 South: Hollywood

    2508 ft · 33 sec

  32. 32

    Continue on Hollywood Freeway

    16.2 mi · 21 min · Hollywood Freeway

  33. 33

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway

    636 ft · 17 sec

  34. 34

    Continue on West Aliso Street

    125 m · 18 sec · West Aliso Street

  35. 35

    Turn right onto North Spring Street

    1455 ft · 36 sec · North Spring Street

  36. 36

    Turn left onto West 1st Street

    108 m · 12 sec · West 1st Street

  37. 37

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Wildwood and Los Angeles.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
37 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
3 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
355 mi · 79%
Alan S. Hart Freeway
16.8 mi · 4%
Hollywood Freeway
16.2 mi · 4%
Golden Center Freeway
14.3 mi · 3%
Capital City Freeway
10.6 mi · 2%
Grass Valley Highway
8.03 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

237 mi · 04h 14m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 27m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56 mi
393.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mendota
03h 43m from Lake Wildwood
Leave By
9:04 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lake Wildwood and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Lake Wildwood to Los Angeles?

The road trip is about 449.6 miles (723.6 km) and usually takes 07h 27m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Mendota is a useful midpoint, sitting about 225.2 miles from Lake Wildwood and 224.5 miles from Los Angeles.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 393.6 miles (633.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 56 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $91.55 one way or $183.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 141 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lake Wildwood and Mostly Sunny near Los Angeles.

Stop Ideas Near Mendota

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Mendota, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Mendota.

RAIL

Madera

41 mi away
Avenue 15 1/2 at 29th Road
RAIL

Fresno station

53 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

60 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
RAIL

Merced station

62 mi away
324 West 24th St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Lake Wildwood and Los Angeles. Straight-line distance: 393.64 mi (633.5 km).

Lake Wildwood

#1 Lake Wildwood

Census-designated place in Nevada County, California

Population4,991
Coordinates39.2329500, -121.2005100
Altitude466
CountryUnited States
Los Angeles

#2 Los Angeles

The second most populous city in the United States and the center of the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Population3,970,219
Coordinates34.0522300, -118.2436800
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: Waxwing Court (-121.200458, 39.233038)
End: West 1st Street (-118.24357, 34.05234)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 724 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)14h 58m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 59m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 29m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 25m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 36m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
15.87 gal
60.06 L · about $91.55
Round trip
$183.11
31.74 gal · 120.12 L
Estimated CO2
141 kg one way
Round trip: 282.1 kg / 622 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $91.55 $183.11
Mid-grade $6.07 $96.27 $192.53
Premium $6.24 $99.08 $198.15
Diesel $7.57 $120.09 $240.18

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Lake Wildwood and Los Angeles. The current time is 21:49:04.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.