Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Susanville, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

11h 38m

Distance

603 mi

970 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$139

one way

EV Charging

Good

10 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min

4 AM

11h 28m ★

6 AM

11h 38m

8 AM

11h 59m

10 AM

11h 46m

12 PM

11h 44m

3 PM

11h 47m

5 PM

11h 58m

8 PM

11h 32m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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county seat and city of Orange County, California, United States

Santa Ana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Lassen County, California, United States

Susanville, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Susanville, CA covers 603 miles and takes about 11h 38m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, Deer Creek Highway, CA 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 304.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $138.60 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

301.5 miles from Santa Ana, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 34m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Westside Freeway	304.9 mi	5h 29m
Deer Creek Highway	52.3 mi	1h 9m
CA 70	52 mi	1h
Golden State Freeway	50 mi	57m
I 5 Truck	37.7 mi	43m
CA 36	29.5 mi	40m
Santa Ana Freeway	26.9 mi	31m
State Highway 36 East	18.1 mi	26m

Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 304.9 mi, about 5h 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana, CA and Susanville, CA.

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 15 sec · West 1st Street

Turn right onto North Broadway

1.5 mi · 2 min · North Broadway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue

0.1 mi · 14 sec · West Santa Clara Avenue

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 26 sec · this road

Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles Use the left / straight / right lanes.

Merge onto I 5

8.9 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

25 mi · 29 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck

Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway

Keep left at fork onto I 5

54 mi · 59 min · Westside Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99

7.5 mi · 8 min · Golden State Highway

Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on CA 99

5.0 mi · 5 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70

22 mi · 25 min · CA 70

Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Turn right onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 38 sec · 5th Street

Turn left onto B Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · B Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on CA 70

30 mi · 35 min · CA 70

Use the left lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149

5.7 mi · 6 min · CA 149

Use the straight lane.

Merge onto CA 99

9.5 mi · 11 min · CA 99

Use the straight lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec

Toward CA 32: Orland, Chester

Turn right onto CA 32

52 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Deer Creek Highway

Use the right lane.

At end of road, turn right onto CA 36; CA 89

18 mi · 26 min · State Highway 36 East

Enter roundabout onto CA 36

92 ft · 6 sec · CA 36

Continue on CA 36

29 mi · 39 min · CA 36

Turn right onto Foss Street

61 ft · 2 sec · Foss Street

Arrive at destination

Foss Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 301.5 miles from Santa Ana, CA, or about 5h 34m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 304.9 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 133 miles or 2h 33m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 301.5 miles or 5h 34m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 301.5 miles or 5h 34m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 10h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Susanville, 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.

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Santa Ana, CA

Aim for roughly 302 miles and 5.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Susanville, CA

Aim for roughly 302 miles and 5.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 133 miles from Santa Ana, CA.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 304.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in and county seat of Stanislaus County, California, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Modesto, CA

199 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Chico, CA

398 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Chico, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Lincoln, CA

302 mi · about 5.8h in

A practical overnight split lands near Lincoln, CA after about 302 miles or 5.8 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 133 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Turlock, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 301.5 miles from Santa Ana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 304.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 302 miles or 5.8 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

T&A Restaurant | Tapatios Taquería

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Susanville, California

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 603

Hours: 10 am–8 pm

+15302572233

Visit website

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Orange, California

2.8 mi

Top Coffee Stop

Brot Coffee

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Orange, California

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+17146029894

Visit website

T&A Restaurant | Tapatios Taquería

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 603

Susanville, California

Hours: 10 am–8 pm

+15302572233

Visit website

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour $20 to $30

Orange, California

Hours: 11 am–12 pm

+17147873925

Visit website

Muchá! Comida Chapina

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.7 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20 mile 43.1

North Hollywood, California

Hours: 8 am–9 pm

+18185034511

Visit website

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour Moderately mile 43.1

Universal City, California

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+18185099463

Visit website

Utopia European Caffe

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour $10 to $20

Tustin, California

Hours: 8:30 am–9:30 pm

+17143525789

Visit website

NEP Cafe - Fountain Valley

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.6 mi from route ~12 min detour $20 to $30

Fountain Valley, California

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+17145168121

Visit website

Memphis Cafe

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.9 mi from route ~12 min detour $20 to $30

Costa Mesa, California

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+17144327685

Visit website

Arc Food & Libations

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour $50 to $10

Costa Mesa, California

Hours: 4–11 pm

+19495005561

Visit website

Brot Coffee

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~7 min detour $10 to $20

Orange, California

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+17146029894

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 43.1

Burbank, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 43.1

Burbank, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3 mi from route ~7 min detour

Tustin, California

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+19498850111

Visit website

Tustin Area Historical Society

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour

Tustin, California

Hours: 10 am–3 pm

+17147315701

Visit website

Universal Studio Tour

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 43.1

Universal City, California

Hours: 8 am–10 pm

+18008648377

Visit website

UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art | Costa Mesa

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~10 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~10 min detour

Costa Mesa, California

Hours: 11 am–6 pm

+17147802130

Visit website

Casa Adobe de San Rafael and Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 43.1

Glendale, California

Hours: 8 am–6 pm

+18185482184

Visit website

Mission Escape Games

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.8 mi from route ~12 min detour

Anaheim, California

Hours: 11 am–12 pm

+16572345625

Visit website

Griffith Park Trails

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 43.1

Los Angeles, California

Hours: 7 am–9 pm

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 434 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North Broadway

Turn right onto North Broadway

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

56.6 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

116.6 mi into trip | ~2h 16m in | I 5 / Westside Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 North

421.5 mi into trip | ~7h 45m in | CA 99 / Golden State Highway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...

434 mi into trip | ~7h 59m in | CA 70

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70 toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, Oroville

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$138.60 one way

$277.19 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 211 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$142.82	$285.64
premium	$6.18	$146.64	$293.29
diesel	$5.61	$133.13	$266.27

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$139

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$269–$379

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 211 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

10 DC fast chargers · Coverage: good

Holiday Inn SNA - GRANDHI17 LLC

Santa Ana, CA

EVGATEWAY

8 DCFC

SOCO & The OC Mix - Tesla Supercharger

Costa Mesa, CA

Tesla

8 DCFC

Metro Pointe

Costa Mesa, CA

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

Bristol Plaza - Santa Ana

Santa Ana, CA

eVgo Network

4 DCFC

Walmart 2517 (Santa Ana, CA)

Santa Ana, CA

Electrify America

3 DCFC

Courtyard by Marriott Costa Mesa

Santa Ana, CA

eVgo Network

2 DCFC

Larwin Square

Tustin, CA

eVgo Network

2 DCFC

SOUTHCOASTPLAZA WEST DCFC 03

Costa Mesa, CA

ChargePoint Network

1 DCFC

eVgo Network: 4 ChargePoint Network: 3 Electrify America: 1 EVGATEWAY: 1 Tesla: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $63 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	180.9	2	$63.32	$28.94
Efficient EV	150.8	1	$52.76	$24.12
EV Truck/SUV	241.2	3	$84.42	$38.59

Gas CO2

211 kg

EV CO2

71 kg (66% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 15, 2026

Origin

Santa Ana, CA

Morning in Santa Ana on Sunday

Local time

7:24 AM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Susanville, CA

Morning in Susanville on Sunday

Local time

7:24 AM

PDT

Current temp

32°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

40 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

11h 38m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

603 mi / 11h 38m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Westside Freeway.

89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 304.9 mi on Westside Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Deer Creek Highway. 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 North Broadway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 603 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 56.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 116.6 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Santa Ana, CA and Susanville, CA, road signs point toward Marysville, Oroville and Chester.

Marysville

421.5 mi in | ~7h 45m | via CA 99

Oroville

434 mi in | ~7h 59m | via CA 70

Chester

502.9 mi in | ~9h 21m

About the Cities

Starting 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).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 304.9 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 302 miles on day one.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Susanville, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

Not recommended in a single day. At 11.6 hours each way, a round trip means 23.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Susanville, CA before the return drive.

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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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