Origin
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Tuesday
Local time
3:38 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fontana, CA to Glendale, 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
1h 4m
Distance
52 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Glendale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Fontana to Glendale covers 52 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination with minimal time behind the wheel. You will primarily navigate via Sierra Avenue, CA 210 West, and the Foothill Freeway as you traverse the Pacific Coast region. With a fuel budget of approximately $7, this transit is quite economical for your travel planning. Because the entire journey stays within the same region, you can expect a familiar coastal climate throughout the drive. It is a straightforward commute that avoids the need for overnight stops, making it an efficient choice for your schedule.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Foothill Freeway | 41.6 mi | 48m |
| Ventura Freeway | 5 mi | 5m |
| Sierra Avenue | 3 mi | 4m |
| East Broadway | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Colorado Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South Glendale Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Harvey Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Foothill Freeway
— 41.6 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Glendale, CA.
1
Start on Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
6 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
2
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward CA 210 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Merge onto CA 210
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 134
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 9A
Toward Harvey Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn left onto Harvey Drive
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
Harvey Drive
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Turn straight onto East Broadway
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East Broadway
14
Turn left onto South Glendale Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
South Glendale Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto East Colorado Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Colorado Street
16
Turn left onto South Brand Boulevard
78 ft
·
7 sec
·
South Brand Boulevard
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
South Brand Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Fontana, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Sierra Avenue
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
18.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
19.4 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210 / Foothill Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
50.1 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward Harvey Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 9A
Toward Harvey Drive
7
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Harvey Drive
Turn left onto Harvey Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.95 one way
$23.90 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.32 | $24.63 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.65 | $25.29 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.48 | $22.96 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.46 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.28 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Glendale, CA
Late night in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
3:38 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.
Temperature spread
15 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 4m 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 that demands your full attention as you navigate through the area. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route keeps you engaged with its technical nature, especially during the initial segments. You will spend your time on local roads and the Foothill Freeway, as the highway share for this trip is 0%. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Sierra Avenue, indicating that you should be prepared for frequent turns and directional changes. Transitioning between these local roads and the freeway creates a varied experience that requires you to stay alert at every intersection.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.6 mi on Foothill Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and Ventura Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Sierra Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
Arriving in Glendale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1884
Glendale is a suburban city of 205,000 people (2019) in the southeastern corner of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California between Burbank and Downtown Los Angeles. Glendale has one of the largest communities of Armenian descent in the United States. In addition to central Glendale, this article covers the Crescenta Valley communities of La Crescenta, Montrose, Verdugo City, and the part of Glendale in the Crescenta Valley.
Top landmarks
- • Forest Lawn Memorial Park — cemetery in Glendale, California
- • Glendale Transportation Center — railway station
- • Grand Central Airport — airport in Glendale, 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 4m. Total distance: 52 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.6 miles on Foothill 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 Glendale, 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: near the start (Sierra Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19.4 miles (CA 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. 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 Glendale, 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 Glendale, CA
More trips to Glendale, CA
Explore more options from Fontana, CA or browse trips ending in Glendale, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.