Origin
Altadena, CA
Evening in Altadena on Thursday
Local time
8:03 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Altadena, CA to Irvine, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
49.1 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Altadena, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 49.1-mile drive from Altadena, CA to Irvine, CA is designed as a straightforward, single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 6 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via the Santa Ana Freeway, Long Beach Freeway, and Costa Mesa Freeway, with 78% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $11. Given its manageable distance and duration, this drive is easily accomplished in one go, allowing for flexibility in your day. The route keeps you within the Pacific Coast region of California, offering a consistent feel throughout.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 78% of the route utilizing major freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 26.3 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway. This means you'll experience a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. The character of the road is predominantly that of an urban freeway, designed for efficient travel between these Southern California communities.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 26.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 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 49.1 miles you will encounter 25 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 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.3 miles (Long Beach Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 25 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
3.6 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard
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 13B
Toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard
7
4.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Long Beach Freeway
Merge onto Long Beach Freeway toward I 710 South
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25A
Toward I 710 South
7
13.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 18
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
7
37.8 mi into trip
|
~53m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
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 Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
7
41.5 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 103
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Altadena, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward Broadway and Santa Ana.
Broadway
37.8 mi in
|
~53m
Santa Ana
37.8 mi in
|
~53m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 26.3 mi | 30m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Fremont Avenue | 3.3 mi | 7m |
| San Diego Freeway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| North Lake Avenue | 2.6 mi | 6m |
| West Valley Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Pasadena Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 26.3 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Altadena, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on North Lake Avenue
2.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Lake Avenue
Use the left lane.
2
Turn right onto East Maple Street
39 ft
·
0 sec
·
East Maple Street
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 210 West: San Fernando
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
4
Merge onto I 210
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 134
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 13B
Toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto Long Beach Freeway
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
·
Long Beach Freeway
Exit 25A
Toward I 710 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on South Saint John Avenue
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Saint John Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn straight onto South Pasadena Avenue
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
South Pasadena Avenue
10
At end of road, turn left onto Columbia Street
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Columbia Street
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto Fremont Avenue
3.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Fremont Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto West Valley Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Valley Boulevard
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto I 710
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 18
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto I 5
23 mi
·
27 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South
20
Merge onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 103
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Merge onto CA 55
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 6B
Toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Toward I 405 South
27
Merge onto I 405
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Arrive at destination
I 405
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.5 mi from Altadena, CA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Altadena, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Irvine, CA
The final approach into Irvine, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.29 one way
$22.57 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.63 | $23.26 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.94 | $23.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.84 | $21.68 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.16 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.30 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.87 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Evening in Irvine on Thursday
Local time
8:03 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
2 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 6m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Altadena, CA to Irvine, CA covers 49.1 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, Long Beach Freeway, Costa Mesa Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.5 miles from Altadena, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.29 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.1 miles you will encounter 25 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.3 miles (Long Beach Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Altadena, CA and Irvine, CA, road signs point toward Broadway and Santa Ana.
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