Traveling from Palm Springs to Anaheim covers 89.9 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 36 minutes. This straightforward journey transitions you from the desert landscape into the heart of the Pacific Coast region. Since the drive is short, it works perfectly as a single-day trip, meaning you do not need to factor in overnight stops. Budget roughly $21 for fuel to cover the distance comfortably. It is an efficient connection between two major California hubs, making it ideal for travelers who want to minimize time behind the wheel.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
45.2 miles from Palm Springs, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
17.9 mi
19m
Riverside Freeway
17.5 mi
20m
CA 91
16.7 mi
19m
Moreno Valley Freeway
16.5 mi
20m
North Palm Canyon Drive
11 mi
14m
Escondido Freeway
3.9 mi
4m
Moreno Valley Expressway
2 mi
2m
East Lincoln Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
— 17.9 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palm Springs, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on East Alejo Road
469 ft·19 sec·East Alejo Road
2
Turn right onto CA 111 Business
11 mi·14 min·North Palm Canyon Drive
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on I 10
18 mi·19 min·Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi·13 sec
Exit 93Toward CA 60 West: RiversideUse the slight left lane.
5
Continue on CA 60
0.5 mi·33 sec·Moreno Valley Freeway
6
Continue on CA 60
2.0 mi·2 min·Moreno Valley Expressway
Use the straight lane.
7
Continue on CA 60
16 mi·20 min·Moreno Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 215; CA 60
3.9 mi·4 min·Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
1.5 mi·3 min
Exit 34BToward CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach CitiesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto CA 91
13 mi·15 min·Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·20 sec
Exit 50Toward Main StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on CA 91
17 mi·19 min·CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 91
4.0 mi·4 min·Riverside Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 30Toward State College BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left onto North State College Boulevard
1.0 mi·1 min·North State College Boulevard
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Turn right onto East Lincoln Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·East Lincoln Avenue
17
Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard
470 ft·25 sec·South Anaheim Boulevard
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right
200 ft·14 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For the smoothest experience, plan your departure around local traffic patterns, as this 89.9-mile route relies entirely on local roads. Since there are no designated stops required for this 1 hour and 36 minute trip, you have the flexibility to drive straight through or break it up based on your personal comfort. Keep your $21 fuel budget in mind before you leave Palm Springs to avoid unnecessary stops along the way. Because this is a turn-heavy drive, double-check your GPS navigation settings before pulling out of your starting location. This flexibility is your biggest advantage, so feel free to adjust your departure time to avoid the heaviest congestion on these local stretches.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 45.2 miles from Palm Springs, CA, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 45.2 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anaheim, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palm Springs, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Palm Springs, CA
This is one driving day of about 90.3 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Palm Springs, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway for about 17.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 87.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive
Turn right onto CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
29 mi into trip|~33m in
Take the exit toward CA 60 West: Riverside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 93
Toward CA 60 West: Riverside
8
51.7 mi into trip|~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach Cities
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 34B
Toward CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach Cities
7
66.6 mi into trip|~1h 19m 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
7
87.5 mi into trip|~1h 44m in
Take the exit toward State College Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 30
Toward State College Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.75 one way
$41.51 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$21.39
$42.78
premium
$6.18
$21.96
$43.92
diesel
$5.61
$19.94
$39.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.1
0
$9.48
$4.33
Efficient EV
22.6
0
$7.90
$3.61
EV Truck/SUV
36.1
0
$12.64
$5.78
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Palm Springs, CA
Late night
in Palm Springs on Tuesday
Local time
1:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Anaheim, CA
Late night
in Anaheim on Tuesday
Local time
1:57 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
SE 0 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 17 at 7:10PM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
61°F
Riverside, CA
45 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
14 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 50m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. You will navigate a mix of North Palm Canyon Drive, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, and CA 60 West to reach your destination. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a route that requires your full attention on local roads and surface streets. The personality of this drive is functional and grounded, shifting through varied traffic patterns as you move toward the coast. Staying alert is key, as the route demands consistent navigation through these turn-heavy segments.
63% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway and Riverside Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 90.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 0.1 miles (CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
2,574 ft158 ft
Total Climb
2,095 ft
Total Descent
2,416 ft
Highest Point
2,574 ft
~26.3 mi in
Elevation Range
2,416 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 Palm Springs, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Beach Cities along the way.
Palm Springs is a resort city in the California desert. It became a destination during the 1950s and 1960s when Hollywood movie stars flocked there in droves. Nowadays, the area offers entertainment for all ages, although the most common demographics consists of retirees. Palm Springs offers a wealth of indoor and outdoor activities. Known for its hiking, mid-century modern architecture, stunning natural beauty and sparkling pools, Palm Springs has the perfect blend of outdoor activities and casual relaxation.
Palm Springs is a favorite for gay travelers, naturist communities, and many other people.
Top landmarks
•Palm Springs Art Museum — art museum in Palm Springs, California
•Twin Palms — historic house in California, United States
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
•Disneyland — American theme park in California owned by The Walt Disney Company
•Disney California Adventure — theme park in California, part of Disneyland Resort
•Soarin' — flight motion simulator attraction at Disney parks
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 50m. Total distance: 90.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (63%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. 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 Anaheim, 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 0.1 miles (CA 111 Business / North Palm Canyon Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 29 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 51.7 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 Anaheim, CA before heading back.
