Origin
Van Nuys, CA
Late night in Van Nuys on Tuesday
Local time
3:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Van Nuys, CA to Fontana, 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 19m
Distance
64.3 mi
103 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 32m
10 AM
1h 24m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 16m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Van Nuys, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Planning a drive from Van Nuys, CA, to Fontana, CA? This trip covers 64.3 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 19 minutes. It's a straightforward, single-day journey with an estimated fuel cost of $15. The route sticks to main local roads, so expect a turn-heavy experience rather than an open highway cruise. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region throughout your drive, making it a convenient local excursion. This short distance makes it perfectly suited for a day trip with no need for overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Foothill Freeway | 41.4 mi | 47m |
| Ventura Freeway | 14 mi | 16m |
| Sierra Avenue | 3 mi | 4m |
| Victory Boulevard | 2.6 mi | 5m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Merrill Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Foothill Freeway
— 41.4 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Van Nuys, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Victory Boulevard
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Victory Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward CA 170 South: Los Angeles, Hollywood Freeway
3
Merge onto CA 170
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward CA 134: Ventura Freeway, Pasadena
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto CA 134
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
0.7 mi
·
51 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 210
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 67
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
20
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 32.1 miles from Van Nuys, 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 195 decision points cluster between mile 5.2 and 60.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5.2 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward CA 134: Ventura Freeway, Pasadena
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 CA 134: Ventura Freeway, Pasadena
6
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
7.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.4 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134 / Ventura Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
60.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Sierra Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 67
Toward Sierra Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.78 one way
$29.56 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.23 | $30.46 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.64 | $31.27 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.20 | $28.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.3 | 0 | $6.75 | $3.09 |
| Efficient EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.63 | $2.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.7 | 0 | $9.00 | $4.12 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (64% 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
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Tuesday
Local time
3:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
SW 0 to 15 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
53°F
Pasadena, CA
32 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 19m 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?
This route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll navigate city streets and make frequent turns. With 0% highway share, you won't encounter long stretches of high-speed freeway driving. Instead, anticipate a more engaged driving experience that requires constant attention to navigation and traffic signals. The absence of a 'longest stretch' metric further emphasizes the continuous nature of turns and intersections throughout the 64.3-mile journey. Be prepared for varying speed limits and local traffic conditions.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.4 mi on Foothill Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Foothill Freeway and Ventura Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.2 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 64.3 miles you will encounter 19 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 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (CA 134 / Ventura 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.
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 Van Nuys, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Pasadena along the way.
Pasadena
5.2 mi in
|
~9m
About the Cities
Starting in Van Nuys, CA
Full guide →Van Nuys is a prominent neighborhood in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, a part of the city of Los Angeles in Southern California. Although there are few tourist attractions here, Van Nuys serves as a civic and commercial center for the Valley.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern 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 19m. Total distance: 64.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 41.4 miles on Foothill 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 Fontana, 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 5.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.9 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.4 miles (CA 134 / Ventura Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Fontana, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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