Origin
Hawthorne, CA
Late night in Hawthorne on Saturday
Local time
2:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hawthorne, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
35.6 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hawthorne, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Hawthorne, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 35.6 miles and takes about 44m 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, Garden Grove Freeway, Hawthorne Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 20.5 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 44m highway drive covering 35.6 miles, with most of the trip on San Diego Freeway and Garden Grove Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 20.5 miles on San Diego Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 15 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 20.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Garden Grove Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.9 miles in near CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 22.9 miles (CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.7 miles (CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 33 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
22.9 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway toward CA 22 East: Garden Grove
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 21
Toward CA 22 East: Garden Grove
7
32.7 mi into trip
|
~39m in
|
CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway
Take the exit onto CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14C
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
10
33 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Broadway, Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 14C; 105B
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Broadway, Main Str...
8
33.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Broadway, Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Broadway, Main Street
8
33.7 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Main Street North, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hawthorne, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Broadway and Main Street North.
Broadway
33 mi in
|
~39m
Main Street North
33.7 mi in
|
~40m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 20.5 mi | 23m |
| Garden Grove Freeway | 10.1 mi | 11m |
| Hawthorne Boulevard | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West 5th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| West El Segundo Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 20.5 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hawthorne, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on West El Segundo Boulevard
46 ft
·
6 sec
·
West El Segundo Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Hawthorne Boulevard
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 405 South: Long Beach
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 405
18 mi
·
21 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 22
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Garden Grove Freeway
Exit 21
Toward CA 22 East: Garden Grove
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto CA 22
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
Garden Grove Freeway
Exit 14C
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 14C; 105B
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana, Broadway, Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the left lane.
12
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the right lane.
15
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.18 one way
$16.36 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.43 | $16.86 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.66 | $17.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.86 | $15.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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 Ana, CA
Late night in Santa Ana on Saturday
Local time
2:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
44m 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 Hawthorne, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 35.6 miles and takes about 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Garden Grove Freeway, Hawthorne Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 17.8 miles from Hawthorne, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.18 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 is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 35.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 44m.
The main spots that need attention: at 22.9 miles (CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.7 miles (CA 22 / Garden Grove Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 33 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Hawthorne, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Broadway and Main Street North.
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.
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