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Trip from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 15m

Distance

115.7 mi

186 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$27

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 6m ★
6 AM
2h 16m
8 AM
2h 35m
10 AM
2h 23m
12 PM
2h 21m
3 PM
2h 24m
5 PM
2h 34m
8 PM
2h 10m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in and county seat of Ventura County, California, United States

Ventura, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA covers 115.7 miles and takes about 2h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Sierra Avenue, CA 210 West, Foothill Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.59 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

57.8 miles from Fontana, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 7m into the drive .

About the Cities

Arriving in Ventura, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1782

Ventura is a city of 111,000 people (2020) in Ventura County, a region of California's Central Coast. Ventura mixes old charm with new modern facilities to blend a rich and wonderful background to living.

Top landmarks

  • Mission San Buenaventura — Spanish mission located in Ventura, California
  • Majestic Ventura Theatre — music venue and movie theater in Ventura, California, United States
  • Peirano Market — historic site in Ventura, 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 2h 15m. Total distance: 115.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 15m drive with frequent turns across 115.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sierra Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA is easy. At 2h 15m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Sierra Avenue
CA 210 West
Foothill Freeway
Ventura Freeway
I 5
I 5 North
CA 134 West
CA 134

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Sierra Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Ventura, CA.

1

Start on Merrill Avenue

207 ft · 6 sec · Merrill Avenue
2

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

3.0 mi · 4 min · Sierra Avenue
3

Take the ramp slight right toward CA 210 West

0.3 mi · 45 sec · CA 210 West
4

Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway

15 mi · 17 min · Foothill Freeway
5

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
6

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

2.4 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
7

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
8

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
9

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

20 mi · 23 min · Foothill Freeway
10

Keep slight left to continue on Ventura Freeway

6.4 mi · 7 min · Ventura Freeway
11

Keep slight right to continue on Ventura Freeway

1.1 mi · 1 min · Ventura Freeway
12

Keep slight right to continue on Ventura Freeway

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Ventura Freeway
13

Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento

0.4 mi · 24 sec · I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento
14

Keep slight right to continue on I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento, Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive

322 ft · 4 sec · I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento, Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive
15

Keep slight right to continue on CA 134 West: Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive

0.2 mi · 17 sec · CA 134 West: Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive
16

Keep slight left to continue on CA 134: Ventura

0.1 mi · 9 sec · CA 134: Ventura
17

Merge slight left onto Ventura Freeway

0.6 mi · 44 sec · Ventura Freeway
18

Keep slight right to continue on Ventura Freeway

1.9 mi · 2 min · Ventura Freeway
19

Keep slight right to continue on Ventura Freeway

0.8 mi · 53 sec · Ventura Freeway
20

Keep slight right to continue on Ventura Freeway

55 mi · 1 hr 3 min · Ventura Freeway
21

Keep slight left

3.6 mi · 4 min
22

Take the exit slight right toward California Street

0.2 mi · 32 sec · California Street
23

Turn right onto South California Street

200 ft · 8 sec · South California Street
24

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57.8 miles from Fontana, CA, or about 1h 7m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 25 miles or 29m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 57.8 miles or 1h 7m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 51m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ventura, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fontana, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Fontana, CA

This is one driving day of about 115.7 miles and 2h 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Fontana, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 57.8 mi from Fontana, CA · 1h 7m into the drive

neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hollywood, CA

58 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

Ontario, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hollywood, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 57.8 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Ventura, CA

The final approach into Ventura, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Ventura, CA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$26.59 one way

$53.19 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 41 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $27.40 $54.81
premium $6.18 $28.14 $56.27
diesel $5.61 $25.55 $51.09

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$27

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$52–$77

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 40.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 34.7 0 $12.15 $5.55
Efficient EV 28.9 0 $10.12 $4.63
EV Truck/SUV 46.3 0 $16.20 $7.40

Gas CO2

40 kg

EV CO2

14 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Fontana, CA

Late night in Fontana on Saturday

Local time

3:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Ventura, CA

Late night in Ventura on Saturday

Local time

3:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

14 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

2h 15m 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 Ventura, CA covers 115.7 miles and takes about 2h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Sierra Avenue, CA 210 West, Foothill Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 57.8 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 $26.59 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.

The drive from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA is easy. At 2h 15m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Fontana, CA to Ventura, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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