Origin
Santa Ana, CA
Late night in Santa Ana on Friday
Local time
3:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Palm Springs, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 51m
Distance
92.9 mi
150 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 44m
★
6 AM
1h 52m
8 AM
2h 8m
10 AM
1h 58m
12 PM
1h 56m
3 PM
1h 58m
5 PM
2h 7m
8 PM
1h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Palm Springs, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Palm Springs, CA covers 92.9 miles and takes about 1h 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Riverside Freeway, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Moreno Valley Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.9 miles on Riverside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.60 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46.5 miles from Santa Ana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 30.9 mi | 35m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 18.2 mi | 19m |
| Moreno Valley Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| CA 111 | 10.8 mi | 14m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 6.8 mi | 7m |
| Escondido Freeway | 4.4 mi | 5m |
| Moreno Valley Expressway | 2 mi | 2m |
| East 4th Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 30.9 mi, about 35m
Traffic on I-10
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 15 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~3,632 veh/hr typical · worst 4,963
Quietest
1 AM
~630 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 63 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana, CA and Palm Springs, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
260 ft
·
10 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Continue on West 1st Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West 1st Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Grand Avenue
4
Turn right onto East 4th Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
East 4th Street
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on Irvine Boulevard
406 ft
·
13 sec
·
Irvine Boulevard
6
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward CA 55 North
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto CA 55
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto CA 91
31 mi
·
35 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 65B
Toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 60
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Pomona Freeway
12
Continue on I 215; CA 60
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215; CA 60
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Escondido Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 60
16 mi
·
19 min
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
Exit 29
Toward CA 60 East: Indio
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on CA 60
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Moreno Valley Expressway
16
Continue on CA 60
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 10
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 111
11 mi
·
14 min
·
CA 111
Toward CA 111: Palm Springs
19
Turn left onto CA 111 Business
476 ft
·
13 sec
·
East Alejo Road
20
Arrive at destination
East Alejo Road
Trip Plan
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 46.5 miles from Santa Ana, CA, or about 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.9 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 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.5 miles or 56m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Palm Springs, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Santa Ana, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Santa Ana, CA
This is one driving day of about 92.9 miles and 1h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Santa Ana, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Riverside Freeway for about 30.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
46 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 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 46.5 miles from Santa Ana, 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 2.4 and 45.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
2.4 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Turn left toward CA 55 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 55 North
6
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
40.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
Take the exit toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio
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 65B
Toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indi...
6
45.2 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
I 215; CA 60 / Escondido Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 215; CA 60 / Escondido Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
45.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
CA 60 / Moreno Valley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 60 / Moreno Valley Freeway toward CA 60 East: Indio
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 29
Toward CA 60 East: Indio
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.60 one way
$41.19 round trip
$5.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
33 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.81 | $21.25 | $42.51 |
| premium | $5.98 | $21.88 | $43.77 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $20.48 | $40.96 |
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: 32.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 27.9 | 0 | $9.75 | $4.46 |
| Efficient EV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37.2 | 0 | $13.01 | $5.95 |
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (67% 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
Palm Springs, CA
Late night in Palm Springs on Friday
Local time
3:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
72°F
Riverside, CA
46 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
5 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 51m 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?
92.9 mi in 1h 51m, mostly highway — 30.9 mi of that is on Riverside Freeway.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.9 mi on Riverside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 92.9 miles you will encounter 14 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 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 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
2,567 ft
113 ft
Total Climb
2,454 ft
Total Descent
2,088 ft
Highest Point
2,567 ft
~66.4 mi in
Elevation Range
2,454 ft
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 Santa Ana, CA to Palm Springs, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Indio along the way.
Indio
40.3 mi in
|
~48m
About the Cities
Starting 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
Arriving in Palm Springs, CA
Full guide →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
- • Tahquitz Canyon — canyon located in California
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 51m. Total distance: 92.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.9 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 Palm Springs, 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 2.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.3 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 Palm Springs, 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, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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