Origin
Loma Linda, CA
Late night in Loma Linda on Sunday
Local time
1:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Loma Linda, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
48.2 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Loma Linda, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Loma Linda to Santa Ana covers 48.3 miles, making for a quick one-hour journey across the Pacific Coast region. You will primarily navigate via Barton Road, East Washington Street, and the Riverside Freeway to reach your destination. Because the travel time is so brief, this trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day excursion. Budgeting about $7 for fuel should cover the entire distance comfortably. It is a straightforward route that functions well for commuters or anyone looking to move between these two California cities without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 18.8 mi | 21m |
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 6.9 mi | 7m |
| East Washington Street | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| East 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Barton Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| East 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mabury Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 18.8 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Loma Linda, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on Anderson Street
30 ft
·
6 sec
·
Anderson Street
2
Turn left onto Barton Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Barton Road
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on East Washington Street
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Washington Street
Use the left lane.
4
Continue on East Washington Street
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
East Washington Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 215
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CA 91
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
13
Turn left onto Mabury Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Mabury Street
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 24.1 miles from Loma Linda, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 46.7 — 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
|
Barton Road
Turn left onto Barton Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
22 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
8
38.9 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
8
45.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
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 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
6
46.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Mabury Street
Turn left onto Mabury Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.08 one way
$22.16 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.42 | $22.83 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.72 | $23.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.64 | $21.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| Efficient EV | 12.1 | 0 | $4.22 | $1.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.08 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Late night in Santa Ana on Sunday
Local time
1:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°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
59m 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 rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will spend 0% of your time on major highways, as the route relies heavily on local thoroughfares and surface streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is 0 miles on Barton Road, meaning you should be prepared for frequent stops and navigation adjustments. As you transition from Loma Linda toward Santa Ana, the character of the road remains consistent, favoring local connectivity over high-speed travel. This is an active driving experience that requires you to stay engaged with the local road network throughout the hour-long trip.
88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.8 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and CA 91. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Barton Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 48.2 miles you will encounter 10 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 (Barton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Loma Linda, CA
Full guide →Loma Linda is a small city in San Bernardino County, Southern California. It has approximately 25,000 people and is adjacent to San Bernardino and Redlands.
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Full guide →Santa Ana is a city in Orange County, Southern California and is the county seat of that county.
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 59m. Total distance: 48.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 18.8 miles on Riverside 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: near the start (Barton Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 22 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
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