Origin
Fontana, CA
Morning in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
9:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fontana, CA to Santa Monica, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
65.8 mi
106 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 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Monica, CA
Bjorn Pierre
Trip Overview
Fontana, CA to Santa Monica, CA is 65.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 18 minutes via the San Bernardino Freeway and Santa Monica Freeway, with a fuel budget near $15 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive primarily takes you across Southern California's Inland Empire and into the Los Angeles basin, offering a typical highway-focused experience. Expect to spend most of your time on major freeways, making this a straightforward transit rather than a journey filled with scenic detours. It's a practical option if you need to get from one part of the greater Los Angeles area to another efficiently.
About the Cities
Arriving in Santa Monica, CA
Full guide →Founded 1769
Anchoring the Westside of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is a beachfront city popular with tourists for its expansive beach and its famous pier, which are among the most popular coastal attractions in Southern California. Within the city, visitors will find a number of urban shopping districts and plenty of restaurants and nightlife.
Top landmarks
- • Santa Monica Pier — Pier in Santa Monica, California, USA
- • Muscle Beach — outdoor acrobatics and gymnastics platform
- • Pacific Park — amusement park in Santa Monica, California, United States
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 18m. Total distance: 65.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 94% of the route utilizing major freeways. You'll be traveling on the San Bernardino Freeway and the Santa Monica Freeway for the majority of your trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.5 miles on the San Bernardino Freeway. While largely a consistent freeway experience, the transition between these major arteries is seamless, maintaining a steady pace for most of the journey. Be prepared for typical urban freeway conditions.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Bernardino Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Bernardino Freeway and Santa Monica Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 34.8 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 65.8 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 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 27 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
34.8 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway
7
35 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 605 South: San Bernardino
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 605 South: San Bernardino
8
37.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward CA 60 East, CA 60 West: Pomona Freeway, Pomona, Los Angeles
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 19
Toward CA 60 East, CA 60 West: Pomona Freeway,...
9
37.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 60 West: Los Angeles, Pomona Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 60 West: Los Angeles, Pomona Freeway
8
52.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
|
I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10 / Santa Monica Freeway toward Hoover Street, Vermont Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Hoover Street, Vermont Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fontana, CA and Santa Monica, CA, road signs point toward Pomona and Los Angeles.
Pomona
37.7 mi in
|
~44m
Los Angeles
37.7 mi in
|
~44m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino Freeway | 23.5 mi | 27m |
| Santa Monica Freeway | 15.3 mi | 18m |
| Pomona Freeway | 11.7 mi | 13m |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes | 9.3 mi | 9m |
| San Gabriel River Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Sierra Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Lincoln Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Olympic Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Bernardino Freeway
— 23.5 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Santa Monica, CA.
1
Start on Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
2
Turn left onto Sierra Avenue
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 10
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 EXPR
9.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 10
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 31A
Toward I 605: San Gabriel River Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 605 South: San Bernardino
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Merge onto I 605
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Gabriel River Freeway
21
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 19
Toward CA 60 East, CA 60 West: Pomona Freeway, Pomona, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward CA 60 West: Los Angeles, Pomona Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Merge onto CA 60
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Continue on CA 60
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Exit 1A
Toward I 10 West: Santa Monica
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto I 10
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 10
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Santa Monica Freeway
Toward Hoover Street, Vermont Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 1B
Toward CA 1 South: Lincoln Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Turn straight onto Olympic Boulevard
478 ft
·
14 sec
·
Olympic Boulevard
29
Turn right onto US 66 Hist
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
30
Arrive at destination
US 66 Hist
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 32.9 mi from Fontana, CA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
33 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 32.9 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Santa Monica, CA
The final approach into Santa Monica, 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
$15.12 one way
$30.25 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
23 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.58 | $31.17 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.00 | $32.00 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.53 | $29.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 23 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 | 19.7 | 0 | $6.91 | $3.16 |
| Efficient EV | 16.5 | 0 | $5.76 | $2.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 26.3 | 0 | $9.21 | $4.21 |
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
Santa Monica, CA
Morning in Santa Monica on Saturday
Local time
9:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Pasadena, CA
33 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
11 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 18m 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 Fontana, CA to Santa Monica, CA covers 65.8 miles and takes about 1h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Bernardino Freeway, Santa Monica Freeway, Pomona 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 32.9 miles from Fontana, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.12 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 65.8 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 34.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Fontana, CA and Santa Monica, CA, road signs point toward Pomona and Los Angeles.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Santa Monica, CA
More trips to Santa Monica, CA
Explore more options from Fontana, CA or browse trips ending in Santa Monica, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.