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Trip from Fontana, CA to San Juan Capistrano, 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 17m

Distance

61.3 mi

99 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great 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 11m ★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Orange County, California, United States

San Juan Capistrano, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Driving from Fontana to San Juan Capistrano covers 61.3 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 17 minutes. You will primarily navigate via the San Diego Freeway, CA 91, and the Eastern Transportation Corridor. Because this trek is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. Budget approximately $14 for fuel to complete the journey. Since both your start and end points are located within the Pacific Coast region, you can expect a consistent atmosphere throughout the drive. This transition is ideal if you are looking for a quick, efficient way to reach the coast without a complex travel itinerary.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Diego Freeway 11.3 mi 13m
CA 91 9.1 mi 10m
Eastern Transportation Corridor 8.6 mi 9m
Corona Freeway 5.7 mi 6m
San Bernardino Freeway 5.4 mi 6m
Foothill Transportation Corridor 5.3 mi 6m
Ontario Freeway 3.2 mi 3m
Hamner Avenue 2.6 mi 4m
Longest stretch: San Diego Freeway — 11.3 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and San Juan Capistrano, CA.

1

Start on Merrill Avenue

205 ft · 9 sec · Merrill Avenue
2

Turn left onto Sierra Avenue

1.6 mi · 2 min · Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto I 10

5.4 mi · 6 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 58 Toward I 15 South, I 15 North: Barstow, San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min
Toward I 15 South: San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 15

2.8 mi · 3 min · Ontario Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 15

0.4 mi · 27 sec · Ontario Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9

Continue on I 15

2.4 mi · 2 min · Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec
Exit 103 Toward Limonite Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Turn right onto Limonite Avenue

0.5 mi · 49 sec · Limonite Avenue
Use the right lane.
12

Turn left onto Hamner Avenue

2.6 mi · 4 min · Hamner Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left onto 6th Street

354 ft · 14 sec · 6th Street
Use the left lane.
14

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 15 South: San Diego
15

Merge onto I 15

3.3 mi · 3 min · Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 48 sec
Toward CA 91 West: Beach Cities Use the slight right lane.
17

Continue on CA 91

9.1 mi · 10 min · CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 1 min
Exit 41B Toward CA 241 South: Irvine Use the slight right lane.
19

Continue on CA 241 Toll

5.7 mi · 6 min · Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 241 Toll

5.3 mi · 6 min · Foothill Transportation Corridor
21

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 27 Toward CA 133 Toll
22

Continue on CA 133 Toll

2.9 mi · 3 min · Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 10A Toward I 5 South: San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Merge onto I 5

0.8 mi · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

0.8 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Merge onto I 5

11 mi · 13 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Exit 82 Toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Turn right onto Ortega Highway

443 ft · 18 sec · Ortega Highway
29

Turn right onto Old Mission Road

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Old Mission Road
30

Turn left onto Camino Capistrano

79 ft · 2 sec · Camino Capistrano
Use the left lane.
31

Arrive at destination

Camino Capistrano

Where to Stop

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

city in Riverside County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Corona, CA

31 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

Jurupa Valley, CA

Fuel and coffee

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

Corona, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 30.7 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 25

5 decision points cluster between mile 7.4 and 60.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
7.4 mi into trip | ~9m in

Take the exit toward I 15 South, I 15 North: Barstow, San Diego

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 58 Toward I 15 South, I 15 North: Barstow, San Die...
7
7.7 mi into trip | ~10m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 15 South: San Diego

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 15 South: San Diego
7
14.1 mi into trip | ~18m in

Take the exit toward Limonite Avenue

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 103 Toward Limonite Avenue
7
30.9 mi into trip | ~40m in

Take the exit toward CA 241 South: Irvine

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 41B Toward CA 241 South: Irvine
8
60.9 mi into trip | ~1h 15m in

Take the exit toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 82 Toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistra...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.09 one way

$28.18 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 21 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $14.52 $29.04
premium $6.18 $14.91 $29.81
diesel $5.61 $13.53 $27.07

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$14

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.4 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 18.4 0 $6.44 $2.94
Efficient EV 15.3 0 $5.36 $2.45
EV Truck/SUV 24.5 0 $8.58 $3.92

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 16, 2026

Origin

Fontana, CA

Late night in Fontana on Sunday

Local time

4:54 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

Destination

San Juan Capistrano, CA

Late night in San Juan Capistrano on Sunday

Local time

4:54 AM

PDT

Current temp

67°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

7 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 17m 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?

This 61.3-mile route offers a mixed driving experience, balancing fast-paced highway segments with more localized travel. With 59% of the journey spent on highways, you will encounter a variety of road conditions as you transition between the inland areas of Fontana and the coastal destination. You should be prepared for a consistent flow of traffic, particularly during the longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.3 miles on the San Diego Freeway. The character of the road shifts as you move from the major corridors onto connecting routes, requiring you to stay alert behind the wheel. Expect a practical, utility-focused drive that prioritizes efficiency over long, meandering scenic detours.

59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.3 mi on San Diego Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 7.4 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 61.3 miles you will encounter 25 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 7.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,235 ft 118 ft

Total Climb

913 ft

Total Descent

2,031 ft

Highest Point

1,235 ft

Elevation Range

1,118 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Fontana, CA to San Juan Capistrano, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Diego along the way.

San Diego

7.4 mi in | ~9m

About the Cities

Starting in Fontana, CA

Full guide →

Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.

Arriving in San Juan Capistrano, CA

Full guide →

San Juan Capistrano is a city in Orange 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 17m. Total distance: 61.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.3 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 San Juan Capistrano, 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 7.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 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 San Juan Capistrano, 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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