Origin
Calimesa, CA
Morning in Calimesa on Tuesday
Local time
6:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Calimesa, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
61.7 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Calimesa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 61.7 miles, your journey from Calimesa to Santa Ana is a straightforward trek across the Pacific Coast region. You can expect a drive time of approximately 1 hour and 14 minutes, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of about $14, the route is highly economical for those looking to reach the coast without significant expense. Since you are traveling entirely within California, the transition between these two points feels like a direct move from the Inland Empire toward the urban core of Orange County. This highway-focused path is efficient, allowing you to bypass the need for an overnight stay or complex logistics planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 19.7 mi | 22m |
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 6.9 mi | 7m |
| East 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mabury Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West County Line Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 19.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Calimesa, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on West County Line Road
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
West County Line Road
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 10 West
3
Merge onto I 10
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 215
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CA 91
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
13
Turn left onto Mabury Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Mabury Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Calimesa, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 14.5 and 59.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
14.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barsto...
7
14.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
7
35.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
8
52.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
8
59.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.18 one way
$28.36 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.61 | $29.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.00 | $30.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.62 | $27.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.64 | $3.95 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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
Santa Ana, CA
Morning in Santa Ana on Tuesday
Local time
6:48 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 0 to 10 mph
24% chance
Live forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 14m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is defined by its reliance on major transit corridors, with 70% of your time spent on highways. You will navigate stretches of the Riverside Freeway, CA 91, and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway as you progress toward your destination. Be prepared for a consistent flow of traffic, as the longest uninterrupted portion of your journey covers 19.7 miles on the Riverside Freeway. While the character of the road is primarily a fast-paced interstate grind, it offers a functional and predictable experience for the driver. Expect to maintain highway speeds for the majority of the trip as you transition through the busy infrastructure connecting these two Southern California locations.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.7 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and CA 91. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.7 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,399 ft
113 ft
Total Climb
1 ft
Total Descent
2,286 ft
Highest Point
2,399 ft
Elevation Range
2,286 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Calimesa, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.
San Bernardino
14.5 mi in
|
~16m
Barstow
14.5 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Top landmarks
- • Yost Theater — historic movie theater and hotel building in Santa Ana, California, later used b...
- • Santa Ana Fire Station Headquarters No. 1 — fire station in Santa Ana, United States of America
- • Rankin's — historic building in Santa Ana, California, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 61.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.7 miles on Riverside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Santa Ana, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Santa Ana, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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