Origin
Chula Vista, CA
Late night in Chula Vista on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chula Vista, CA to Coronado, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
16m
Distance
10.2 mi
16 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 15m
★
6 AM
0h 17m
8 AM
0h 20m
10 AM
0h 18m
12 PM
0h 18m
3 PM
0h 18m
5 PM
0h 20m
8 PM
0h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chula Vista, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Coronado, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning a quick jaunt from Chula Vista to Coronado, you are looking at a short, 10.2-mile trip along the Pacific Coast. You can easily complete this drive in about 16 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Because the route relies entirely on local roads like 4th Avenue, Highland Avenue, and CA 54 West, you won't need to worry about any highway travel. With a fuel budget of approximately $2, this is an incredibly economical way to get across the region. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region, you will find a consistent atmosphere throughout your brief time behind the wheel.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John J. Montgomery Freeway | 4 mi | 4m |
| San Diego–Coronado Bridge | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| 4th Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Orange Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| 4th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Highland Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Bay Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Pomona Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
John J. Montgomery Freeway
— 4 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chula Vista, CA and Coronado, CA.
1
Start on F Street
52 ft
·
3 sec
·
F Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Highland Avenue
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Highland Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward CA 54 West
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto CA 54
0.3 mi
·
16 sec
·
South Bay Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 5 North, a
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 5
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
John J. Montgomery Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Exit 14A
Toward CA 75 South: Coronado
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on CA 75
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego–Coronado Bridge
10
Continue on CA 75
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
4th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CA 75
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Pomona Avenue
12
Continue on CA 75
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
3rd Street
13
Turn left onto CA 75
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Orange Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Turn right onto 10th Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
10th Street
15
Turn left onto E Avenue
389 ft
·
20 sec
·
E Avenue
16
Turn right onto Encino Lane
118 ft
·
8 sec
·
Encino Lane
17
Arrive at destination
Encino Lane
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 10.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward CA 54 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 54 West
8
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, a
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 1B
Toward I 5 North, a
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 5 / John J. Montgomery Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / John J. Montgomery Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
6.4 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward CA 75 South: Coronado
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 14A
Toward CA 75 South: Coronado
5
10.1 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
E Avenue
Turn left onto E Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.34 one way
$4.69 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.42 | $4.83 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.48 | $4.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.25 | $4.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.1 | 0 | $1.07 | $0.49 |
| Efficient EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.89 | $0.41 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.1 | 0 | $1.43 | $0.65 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Coronado, CA
Late night in Coronado on Sunday
Local time
1:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
18 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
16m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience on this route. Since the highway share is 0%, your focus will be on navigating neighborhood streets and local intersections. The journey is straightforward and lacks any long, uninterrupted stretches, requiring you to stay alert through frequent turns. You will notice the drive maintains a consistent, low-speed pace as you transition between these coastal communities. It is a practical, functional drive that avoids the monotony of major freeways in favor of a more localized approach.
42% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4 mi on John J. Montgomery Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 10.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 16m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 5 / John J. Montgomery Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Chula Vista, CA
Full guide →Chula Vista is a large city in San Diego County in Southern California. It was a farming and dairy city in the early 20th century. By the early 21st century the city had grown tremendously with the addition of several prominent suburbs and business districts. === Understand === Chula Vista Convention & Visitors Bureau website
Arriving in Coronado, CA
Full guide →Coronado is a picturesque resort town in San Diego County in Southern California. It is on a peninsula just across the San Diego Bay from Downtown San Diego and offers quiet beaches, lovely bay scenery, and sights such as the historic Hotel del Coronado.
Top landmarks
- • Naval Air Station North Island — United States Navy aviation base in San Diego, California, USA
- • Hotel del Coronado — hotel in Coronado, California
- • Heilman Villas
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 16m. Total distance: 10.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4 miles on John J. Montgomery 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 Coronado, 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 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (I 5 / John J. Montgomery Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cabrillo National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Coronado, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Coronado, CA
Explore more options from Chula Vista, CA or browse trips ending in Coronado, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.