Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
34m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
El Monte, CA
Wikimedia Commons
This straightforward 23.8-mile drive from El Monte, CA, to Anaheim, CA, is easily manageable in about 34 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily navigate the Santa Ana Freeway and the San Gabriel River Freeway, with a portion on Peck Road. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route is budget-friendly. The entire journey stays within the Pacific Coast region, offering a consistent feel. Given its short distance and duration, no overnight stops are necessary, allowing for maximum flexibility in your schedule.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 11.6 mi | 13m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Peck Road | 2.4 mi | 5m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Durfee Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Anaheim Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Valley Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between El Monte, CA and Anaheim, CA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto Valley Boulevard
Turn left onto Peck Road
Turn right onto Durfee Avenue
Continue on Peck Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 605
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
Turn right
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 22 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Durfee Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 5 South, I 5 North: Santa Ana, Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Florence Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Lincoln Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$5.47 one way
$10.94 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.64 | $11.27 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.79 | $11.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in El Monte on Tuesday
Local time
3:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Anaheim on Tuesday
Local time
3:13 AM
PDT
Current temp
82°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highway-focused drive for approximately 76% of this route. The personality of the road is largely defined by the Santa Ana Freeway, where you'll encounter the longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.6 miles. While predominantly freeway, the inclusion of Peck Road offers a slight variation. The overall feel is one of efficient travel, designed for covering ground quickly between these two Southern California cities. It's less about scenic detours and more about direct transit.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and San Gabriel River Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near Durfee Avenue.
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 14 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 34m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (Durfee Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from El Monte, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.
Los Angeles
El Monte is a city in the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles in Southern California.
Founded 1857
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 34m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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