Origin
Nuevo, CA
Morning in Nuevo on Tuesday
Local time
6:47 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Nuevo, 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
1h 14m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Nuevo, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 55.5-mile drive from Nuevo to Santa Ana, California, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking about 1 hour and 14 minutes. The estimated fuel cost is around $13, making it an economical option. You'll spend about 64% of your time on highways, primarily navigating the CA 91 and Costa Mesa Freeway. This route is a straightforward, highway-focused journey within the Pacific Coast region, offering a practical way to travel between these two Southern California points. Given its relatively short duration and clear path, it's ideal for a quick transit or a day excursion without the need for an overnight stay.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Van Buren Boulevard | 11.4 mi | 17m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 6.9 mi | 7m |
| Riverside Freeway | 6.3 mi | 7m |
| Escondido Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Nuevo Road | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| East 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 91
— 16.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nuevo, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on Lakeview Avenue
80 ft
·
4 sec
·
Lakeview Avenue
2
Turn right onto Nuevo Road
4.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Nuevo Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on West Nuevo Road
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
West Nuevo Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 215 North: Riverside
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 215
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 25
Toward Van Buren Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn left onto Van Buren Boulevard
11 mi
·
17 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward CA 91 West
Use the left / uturn lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 91
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
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.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
15
Turn left onto Mabury Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Mabury Street
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
17
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Nuevo, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 10.8 and 53 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
10.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward Van Buren Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward Van Buren Boulevard
7
22.5 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Turn left toward CA 91 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
Toward CA 91 West
7
29.2 mi into trip
|
~41m 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
46.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m 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
53 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.76 one way
$25.51 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.15 | $26.29 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.50 | $26.99 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.25 | $24.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
6:47 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
7 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
1h 14m 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 highway-focused drive for this trip, with 64% of the journey utilizing major freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 16.7 miles on the CA 91, offering a consistent pace. This route is characterized by its efficiency, primarily consisting of freeway driving rather than winding scenic byways. You'll transition between major arteries like Van Buren Boulevard and the CA 91, eventually merging onto the Costa Mesa Freeway. The overall feel is one of smooth, direct travel designed for covering distance effectively.
64% 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: 16.7 mi on CA 91.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 91 and Van Buren Boulevard. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.8 miles in.
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 55.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
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 1h 14m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.7 miles on CA 91. 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 10.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 29.2 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 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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