Origin
Glendale, CA
Morning in Glendale on Tuesday
Local time
9:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Glendale, CA to Santa Ana, 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
50m
Distance
40.3 mi
65 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 58m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Glendale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Glendale, CA to Santa Ana, CA is 40.3 miles and takes about 50m via Santa Ana Freeway/Golden State Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within California's Pacific Coast region, primarily utilizing major freeways. Expect a straightforward, largely urban drive connecting two Southern California cities. It's a short enough trip to complete in one day, making it ideal for a quick transfer or a day trip extension.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 26 mi | 30m |
| Golden State Freeway | 10 mi | 12m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Colorado Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Colorado Street Freeway Extension | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 26 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Glendale, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on South Brand Boulevard
43 ft
·
3 sec
·
South Brand Boulevard
2
Turn right
211 ft
·
20 sec
3
Turn left onto West Colorado Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Colorado Street
4
Turn left onto Colorado Street Freeway Extension
0.6 mi
·
38 sec
·
Colorado Street Freeway Extension
Toward I 5
Use the left lane.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
6
Merge onto I 5
8.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the right lane.
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Glendale, 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 10.3 and 39.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
10.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
6
37.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
37.5 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
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.
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
8
38.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Main Street North, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
6
39.9 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
West 5th Street
Turn left onto West 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.26 one way
$18.53 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.55 | $19.09 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.80 | $19.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.90 | $17.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.23 | $1.93 |
| Efficient EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.64 | $2.58 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Santa Ana, CA
Morning in Santa Ana on Tuesday
Local time
9:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°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
1 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
50m 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 drive is mostly highway, with 91% of the 40.3 miles on freeways like the Santa Ana Freeway and Golden State Freeway. You'll encounter a significant 26-mile stretch on the Santa Ana Freeway without exiting. Surface streets will likely be encountered near the beginning and end of your trip. Expect frequent exits and merges typical of urban freeway driving.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26 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 Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 miles in near I 5 / Golden State 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 14 decision points packed into just 40.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 10.3 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Glendale, CA to Santa Ana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Broadway along the way.
Broadway
37.5 mi in
|
~45m
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
Top landmarks
- • Yost Theater — historic movie theater and hotel building in Santa Ana, California, later used b...
- • Santa Ana Fire Station Headquarters No. 1 — fire station in Santa Ana, United States of America
- • Rankin's — historic building in Santa Ana, California, United States
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 50m. Total distance: 40.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26 miles on Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana, 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 10.3 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.3 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Santa Ana, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. 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 Santa Ana, CA
More trips to Santa Ana, CA
Explore more options from Glendale, CA or browse trips ending in Santa Ana, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.