Origin
Costa Mesa, CA
Morning in Costa Mesa on Sunday
Local time
7:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Costa Mesa, CA to Fontana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
57.6 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Costa Mesa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Costa Mesa to Fontana is 57.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 8 minutes via CA 57 and I-10 Metro ExpressLanes, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive that stays within the Pacific Coast region. You'll primarily be on major freeways, making it a convenient option for a quick trip between these two Southern California points. With a driving time under an hour and a half, this route is ideal for a same-day excursion with minimal planning required.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 57 | 15 mi | 17m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 12.5 mi | 14m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9 mi | 9m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 8 mi | 9m |
| Orange Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Pomona Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 57
— 15 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Costa Mesa, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on CA 55
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Newport Boulevard
2
Continue on CA 55
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 10B
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit onto CA 57
12 mi
·
14 min
·
CA 57
Toward CA 57 North: Pomona
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 57
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 60; CA 57
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto CA 57
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 57
Exit 25
Toward CA 57 North
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ontario Airport
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 10
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the slight left lane.
18
Merge onto I 10
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Use the left lane.
21
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
22
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
23
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Costa Mesa, 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 205 decision points cluster between mile 8.2 and 55.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10B
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
7
30.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
CA 57
Take the exit onto CA 57 toward CA 57 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 25
Toward CA 57 North
7
33.4 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Take the exit toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ontario Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 10 West, I 10 East: Los Angeles, San B...
8
33.6 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San B...
8
55.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.24 one way
$26.48 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.64 | $27.29 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.01 | $28.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.72 | $25.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.06 | $3.69 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Fontana, CA
Morning in Fontana on Sunday
Local time
7:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 15 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 8:38AM PDT until April 16 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 8:38AM PDT until April 16 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka 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
7 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 8m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for this trip, with 94% of the journey on major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 15 miles on CA 57. You'll transition from CA 57 to the San Bernardino Freeway and then onto the I-10 Metro ExpressLanes. This means consistent freeway speeds for most of the drive, with minimal time spent on slower local roads. The character is predominantly that of efficient, high-speed travel.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15 mi on CA 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 57 and San Bernardino Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.6 miles you will encounter 20 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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Costa Mesa, CA and Fontana, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Ontario Airport.
San Bernardino
33.4 mi in
|
~39m
Ontario Airport
33.4 mi in
|
~39m
About the Cities
Starting in Costa Mesa, CA
Full guide →Founded 1776
Costa Mesa is a city in Orange County, a region of Southern California. Costa Mesa is a robust community that features a focus on performing arts and entertainment. Costa Mesa provides a city-like feel in a suburban setting with a vast amount of storefront shops and residential areas.
Top landmarks
- • Orange County Museum of Art — non-profit organisation in the USA
Arriving in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
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 8m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15 miles on CA 57. 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 Fontana, 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 8.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles (CA 57): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fontana, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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