Origin
Dana Point, CA
Late night in Dana Point on Friday
Local time
5:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
64.8 mi
104 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 30m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dana Point, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA covers 64.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on San Diego Freeway, Eastern Transportation Corridor, Riverside Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 11.9 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 64.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA covers 64.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 40 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Diego Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.4 miles in near I 5 Truck.
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 64.8 miles you will encounter 36 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 14.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 36 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
14.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Bake Parkway
8
33.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
8
56.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 109
Toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
8
56.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 109B
Toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
8
63 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Sierra Avenue North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward Sierra Avenue North
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 Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
San Bernardino
56.3 mi in
|
~1h 13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 11.9 mi | 13m |
| Eastern Transportation Corridor | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Riverside Freeway | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| San Bernardino Freeway | 5.7 mi | 6m |
| Foothill Transportation Corridor | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Corona Freeway | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| I 5 Truck | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Ontario Freeway | 3.1 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 11.9 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dana Point, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Golden Lantern Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Golden Lantern Street
2
Turn left onto Del Prado Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Del Prado Avenue
3
Turn right onto PCH
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Pacific Coast Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Del Obispo Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Del Obispo Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Stonehill Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Stonehill Drive
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
7
Merge onto I 5
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 95
Toward CA 133 North: Riverside
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto CA 133 Toll
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Exit 14B
Toward CA 241 North: Riverside
14
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
5.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Foothill Transportation Corridor
15
Merge onto CA 241 Toll
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Eastern Transportation Corridor
16
Keep slight right at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 39A
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto CA 91
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto CA 31
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
South Main Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Continue on Hamner Avenue
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Hamner Avenue
21
Turn right onto East Yuma Drive
204 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Yuma Drive
Use the right lane.
22
Continue on Hidden Valley Parkway
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Hidden Valley Parkway
Use the straight lane.
23
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 15 North: Barstow
Use the left lane.
24
Merge onto I 15
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 100
Toward Sixth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn left onto 6th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
6th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
27
Turn right onto Hamner Avenue
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Hamner Avenue
Use the right lane.
28
Turn right onto Limonite Avenue
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Limonite Avenue
Use the right lane.
29
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Use the right lane.
30
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 15 North
Use the right lane.
31
Merge onto I 15
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Corona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Continue on I 15
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Ontario Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 109
Toward I 10: Los Angeles, San Bernardino
Use the slight right lane.
34
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 109B
Toward I 10 East: San Bernadino
Use the slight right lane.
35
Merge onto I 10
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
36
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 64
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
12 sec
Toward Sierra Avenue North
Use the left lane.
38
Turn slight left onto Sierra Avenue
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
39
Turn right onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
40
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.4 mi from Dana Point, CA · 40m into the drive
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 32.4 miles from Dana Point, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
The final approach into Fontana, 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
$14.89 one way
$29.79 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.35 | $30.70 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.76 | $31.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.31 | $28.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
| Efficient EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.07 | $4.15 |
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Fontana, CA
Late night in Fontana on Friday
Local time
5:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°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.
Road read
1h 24m 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 Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA covers 64.8 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Eastern Transportation Corridor, Riverside Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.4 miles from Dana Point, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.89 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 64.8 miles you will encounter 36 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 14.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Dana Point, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Bernardino along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Fontana, CA
More trips to Fontana, CA
Explore more options from Dana Point, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.