Origin
Tujunga, CA
Late night in Tujunga on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tujunga, CA to Irvine, 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 11m
Distance
57.6 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tujunga, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 57.6-mile drive from Tujunga, CA to Irvine, CA is a straightforward, highway-focused journey perfect for a single day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 11 minutes. You'll primarily be on the Santa Ana Freeway, Glendale Freeway, and Golden State Freeway, with 87% of the route being on these major highways. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $13. Given its relatively short distance and highway-centric nature, this route is designed for efficient travel between the Pacific Coast regions of Southern California. It's a practical option if you're looking to get from point A to point B without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 28.6 mi | 33m |
| Glendale Freeway | 7 mi | 8m |
| Golden State Freeway | 6 mi | 7m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| San Diego Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Foothill Freeway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Foothill Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Lowell Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 28.6 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tujunga, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on Valmont Street
67 ft
·
7 sec
·
Valmont Street
2
Turn left onto Commerce Avenue
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Commerce Avenue
3
Turn left onto Foothill Boulevard
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Lowell Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lowell Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 210 East: Pasadena
6
Merge onto I 210
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19
Toward CA 2 South: Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto Hillard Avenue
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
Hillard Avenue
Toward CA 2 South
9
Merge onto CA 2
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Glendale Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
Toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 5 South: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 5
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
16
Merge onto I 5
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South
21
Merge onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 103
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto CA 55
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6B
Toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Toward I 405 South
28
Merge onto I 405
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Arrive at destination
I 405
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.8 miles from Tujunga, 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 275 decision points cluster between mile 5.1 and 19.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward CA 2 South: Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19
Toward CA 2 South: Los Angeles
7
13.2 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento
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.
Toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles,...
8
13.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Golden State Freeway, Los Ang...
7
13.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
8
19.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.24 one way
$26.48 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.64 | $27.29 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.01 | $28.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.72 | $25.43 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.05 | $2.76 |
| Efficient EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23 | 0 | $8.06 | $3.69 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Tuesday
Local time
3:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV
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
21 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 11m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway experience on this route, with an 87% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 28.6 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway, offering a consistent flow of traffic for a significant portion of your journey. This drive is characterized by its focus on speed and efficiency rather than winding scenic byways. You'll be navigating major freeways for most of the time, so prepare for a steady pace and the typical conditions of Southern California's freeway system.
87% 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: 28.6 mi on Santa Ana Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Glendale Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.1 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 57.6 miles you will encounter 27 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 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Tujunga, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Ana and Broadway.
Los Angeles
13.2 mi in
|
~18m
Sacramento
13.2 mi in
|
~18m
Santa Ana
19.1 mi in
|
~26m
|
via I 5
Broadway
46.3 mi in
|
~58m
About the Cities
Arriving in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
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 11m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.6 miles on Santa Ana 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 Irvine, 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 5.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Irvine, 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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