In 2006, she rose to prominence after being cast in the reality television series The Hills, which chronicled the personal and professional lives of Patridge and friends Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag and Whitney Port. During its production, she was cast in positions with Quixote Studios and Epic Records.

Later that year, Patridge competed on the 11th season of the American version of Dancing with the Stars, and finished in seventh place. In 2011, she was commissioned her own television series, Audrina, which documented the lives of her immediate family and her. Patridge entered the film industry with roles in the horror film Sorority Row (2009) and direct-to-DVD film, Into the Blue 2: The Reef (2011), and was a supporting character in Honey 2 (2011). In 2014 and 2015, Patridge hosted NBC's late-night travel show 1st Look.