Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
27m
Distance
20.3 mi
33 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bellflower, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
If you are looking for a quick transition between Bellflower and Santa Ana, this 20.3-mile trip is an efficient way to navigate the Pacific Coast region. The drive typically takes about 27 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey that requires no overnight stops. With a modest fuel budget of $5, you can easily manage the transit without worrying about significant overhead. Because the entire route remains within the Pacific Coast region of California, you will experience a consistent coastal climate throughout the drive. It is a straightforward, practical connection that functions well for those needing to move between these two areas without fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Artesia Freeway | 8 mi | 9m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Bellflower Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Flower Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Flora Vista Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bellflower, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
Start on Flora Vista Street
Continue on Flower Street
Turn left onto Bellflower Boulevard
Turn left onto Beverly Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto CA 91
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto North Broadway
Turn left onto West 5th Street
Turn right onto North Main Street
Turn right onto West 1st Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 9.1 and 18.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana Freeway, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Main Street North, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$4.67 one way
$9.33 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.81 | $9.62 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.94 | $9.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.48 | $8.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| Efficient EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.81 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.84 | $1.30 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Bellflower on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Santa Ana on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 77% of your travel time spent on major thoroughfares like the Artesia Freeway and the Santa Ana Freeway. You will spend the bulk of your time at cruising speeds, including a longest uninterrupted stretch of 8 miles on the Artesia Freeway. As you transition from the freeways toward North Broadway, the character of the drive shifts from high-speed arterial roads to local streets. Expect a steady, functional experience behind the wheel rather than a winding scenic tour. It is a professional, no-nonsense commute that prioritizes speed and directness over leisure.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Artesia Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 9.1 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 20.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 27m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bellflower, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Broadway and Main Street North.
Broadway
Main Street North
Founded 1957
Bellflower is a city in the Gateway Cities region of Los Angeles County in Southern California.
Founded 1869
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 27m. Total distance: 20.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
27m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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