Origin
Dana Point, CA
Morning in Dana Point on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Dana Point, CA to Irvine, 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
30m
Distance
24.4 mi
39 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 28m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 36m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 32m
3 PM
0h 33m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dana Point, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from the Pacific Coast hub of Dana Point to Irvine, you are in for a quick 24.4-mile journey. This trip typically takes about 30 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. You will primarily utilize the San Diego Freeway to bridge the two cities, with minor segments on Del Obispo Street and Stonehill Drive. With an estimated fuel cost of just $6, it is an economical route that requires no overnight stays. The drive remains entirely within the Pacific Coast region, ensuring a consistent coastal climate throughout your trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 21.2 mi | 24m |
| Del Obispo Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Stonehill Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pacific Coast Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Del Prado Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Jamboree Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Golden Lantern Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 21.2 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dana Point, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on Golden Lantern Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Golden Lantern Street
2
Turn left onto Del Prado Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Del Prado Avenue
3
Turn right onto PCH
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Pacific Coast Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Del Obispo Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Del Obispo Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Stonehill Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Stonehill Drive
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
7
Merge onto I 5
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Exit 94A
Toward I 405 North
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 7
Toward Jamboree Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Use the left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 405 South: San Diego
Use the right lane.
14
Merge onto I 405
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
I 405
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 7 and 22.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
15.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 / San Diego Freeway toward I 405 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 94A
Toward I 405 North
7
22.4 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Take the exit toward Jamboree Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 7
Toward Jamboree Road
7
22.9 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward I 405 South: San Diego
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 405 South: San Diego
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.61 one way
$11.22 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.78 | $11.56 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.93 | $11.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.39 | $10.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.14 | $0.98 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.42 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Irvine, CA
Morning in Irvine on Tuesday
Local time
6:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°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.
Road read
30m 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?
This route is a highway-focused drive, with 87% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will experience a significant 21.2-mile stretch on the San Diego Freeway, which accounts for the vast majority of your time behind the wheel. While the initial departure from Dana Point involves local roads like Del Obispo Street and Stonehill Drive, the experience quickly transitions into a high-speed interstate pace. Expect a straightforward, utilitarian drive that prioritizes efficiency over technical winding roads. It is a no-nonsense commute that gets you between these two California cities with minimal fuss.
87% 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: 21.2 mi on San Diego Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Del Obispo Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7 miles in near I 5 / San Diego Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 13 decision points packed into just 24.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 30m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 7 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
388 ft
41 ft
Total Climb
355 ft
Total Descent
447 ft
Highest Point
388 ft
~12.2 mi in
Elevation Range
347 ft
About the Cities
Arriving in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
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 30m. Total distance: 24.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on San Diego 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 Irvine, 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 7 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.6 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Irvine, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Irvine, CA
More trips to Irvine, CA
Explore more options from Dana Point, CA or browse trips ending in Irvine, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.