Origin
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Tuesday
Local time
2:34 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irvine, CA to Yorba Linda, 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
28m
Distance
22.2 mi
36 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Yorba Linda, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
This 22.2-mile drive from Irvine to Yorba Linda, California, is a short trip that can easily be completed in about 28 minutes, making it perfect for a single day. The route primarily utilizes the Costa Mesa Freeway and San Diego Freeway, with a portion on South Lakeview Avenue, offering a highway-focused experience. With a projected fuel cost of $5, this drive is quite economical. Since it's a quick journey, you won't need to worry about overnight stays, and you can expect a straightforward drive through the Pacific Coast region of California.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| San Diego Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South Lakeview Avenue | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| Lakeview Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Riverside Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Jeffrey Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Yorba Linda Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Santa Ana Canyon Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Costa Mesa Freeway
— 11.5 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irvine, CA and Yorba Linda, CA.
1
Start on I 405
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 4
Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Jeffrey Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 405
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 55 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 55
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 91
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Riverside Freeway
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 35
Toward Lakeview Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Santa Ana Canyon Road
493 ft
·
12 sec
·
Santa Ana Canyon Road
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Lakeview Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lakeview Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on South Lakeview Avenue
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Lakeview Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Yorba Linda Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Yorba Linda Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
Yorba Linda Boulevard
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.4 and 18.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 4
Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
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 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
7
6.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 55 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 55 North
7
18.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward Lakeview Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 35
Toward Lakeview Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.10 one way
$10.21 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.26 | $10.52 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.40 | $10.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.90 | $9.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.33 | $1.07 |
| Efficient EV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.94 | $0.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Yorba Linda, CA
Late night in Yorba Linda on Tuesday
Local time
2:34 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
28m 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 drive that's predominantly on highways, with 79% of the journey taking place on freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.5 miles along the Costa Mesa Freeway. This route offers a consistent, fast-paced feel for most of its duration, allowing you to cover ground efficiently. While mainly highway, the inclusion of South Lakeview Avenue provides a brief transition before reaching your destination.
79% 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: 11.5 mi on Costa Mesa Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Costa Mesa 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 1.4 miles in.
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 22.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
Arriving in Yorba Linda, CA
Full guide →Founded 1967
Yorba Linda is a city in Orange County and a suburb of Los Angeles in Southern California. Its most famous resident was Richard Nixon. His birthplace is a National Historic Landmark, at his presidential library and museum located there.
Top landmarks
- • Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum — library, museum, and campus in Yorba Linda, California, USA
- • Birthplace of Richard Nixon — historic house in 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 28m. Total distance: 22.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Costa Mesa 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 Yorba Linda, 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 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 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 Yorba Linda, 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 Yorba Linda, CA
Explore more options from Irvine, CA or browse trips ending in Yorba Linda, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.