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Trip from Dana Point, CA to Los Angeles, CA

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Compiled 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

59.1 mi

95 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 9m ★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
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.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in Orange County, California, United States

Dana Point, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

Spanning 59.6 miles from Dana Point to Los Angeles, this route takes you along the Pacific Coast of California. You can expect a drive time of approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes, making it a perfectly manageable day trip that does not require an overnight stay. Your journey will primarily follow local roads like Del Prado Avenue, Pacific Coast Highway, and Del Obispo Street rather than major interstates. With an estimated fuel cost of $14, it is a budget-friendly way to travel between these two coastal hubs. Since the entire trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, you will experience a consistent coastal atmosphere throughout the transition from Dana Point into the heart of Los Angeles.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Santa Ana Freeway 33.3 mi 39m
San Diego Freeway 11.9 mi 13m
I 5 Truck 7.6 mi 8m
El Camino Real 2.2 mi 4m
Del Obispo Street 0.8 mi 1m
Stonehill Drive 0.6 mi 1m
Pacific Coast Highway 0.4 mi <1m
North Los Angeles Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Santa Ana Freeway — 33.3 mi, about 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Dana Point, CA and Los Angeles, 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 right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.6 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

6.0 mi · 6 min · I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
11

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 100 Toward Jamboree Road Use the slight right lane.
12

Continue on this road

527 ft · 11 sec · this road
13

Turn right onto Jamboree Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
14

Turn left onto El Camino Real

2.2 mi · 4 min · El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
15

Turn left onto Newport Avenue

357 ft · 13 sec · Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
16

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
17

Merge onto I 5

1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

1.7 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

9.4 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

2.9 mi · 4 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 2B Toward Alameda Street, Union Station Use the slight right lane.
23

Continue on I 10 EXPR

0.2 mi · 32 sec · East Arcadia Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
24

Turn left onto North Los Angeles Street

0.3 mi · 44 sec · North Los Angeles Street
25

Turn right onto East 1st Street

461 ft · 17 sec · East 1st Street
26

Arrive at destination

West 1st Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

county seat and city of Orange County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Santa Ana, CA

30 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

Laguna Hills, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orange, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.5 miles from Dana Point, 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 23

5 decision points cluster between mile 7 and 58.3 — 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.
7
14.4 mi into trip | ~19m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Bake Parkway
7
22 mi into trip | ~27m in

Take the exit toward Jamboree Road

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 100 Toward Jamboree Road
7
22.4 mi into trip | ~28m in | Jamboree Road

Turn right onto Jamboree Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / right lanes.
8
58.3 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in

Take the exit toward Alameda Street, Union Station

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 2B Toward Alameda Street, Union Station

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$13.58 one way

$27.17 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $14.00 $28.00
premium $6.18 $14.37 $28.74
diesel $5.61 $13.05 $26.10

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.7 0 $6.21 $2.84
Efficient EV 14.8 0 $5.17 $2.36
EV Truck/SUV 23.6 0 $8.27 $3.78

Gas CO2

21 kg

EV CO2

7 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.

Forecast as of Apr 21, 2026

Origin

Dana Point, CA

Late night in Dana Point on Tuesday

Local time

3:20 AM

PDT

Current temp

53°F

Mostly Cloudy

N 5 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 9:53PM PDT until April 22 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 9:39PM PDT until April 22 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

Destination

Los Angeles, CA

Late night in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Local time

3:20 AM

PDT

Current temp

55°F

Partly Cloudy

S 0 to 5 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 9:53PM PDT until April 22 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 20 at 9:39PM PDT until April 22 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA

55°F

Santa Ana, CA

30 mi in

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

2 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?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Because this route involves zero highway driving, you will be navigating surface streets rather than cruising on high-speed interstates. The personality of this trip is defined by frequent turns and changing environments as you move toward your destination. Without any long, uninterrupted stretches to settle into, the pace remains steady and attentive. It is a practical alternative to freeway travel, though it requires more focus on traffic flow and local navigation than a standard highway route.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.3 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Diego Freeway. 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

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.1 miles you will encounter 23 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 7 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

368 ft 84 ft

Total Climb

473 ft

Total Descent

334 ft

Highest Point

368 ft

~12.7 mi in

Elevation Range

284 ft

About the Cities

Arriving in Los Angeles, CA

Full guide →

“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781

Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.

Top landmarks

  • • Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
  • • Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
  • • Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles

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: 59.1 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 (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 33.3 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — we found about 3 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Los Angeles, 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 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22 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 Los Angeles, 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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