Origin
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
Afternoon in La Cañada Flintridge on Friday
Local time
1:34 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Cañada Flintridge, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Cañada Flintridge, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 40.9-mile drive from La Cañada Flintridge, CA to Santa Ana, CA is a straightforward trip, estimated to take about 55 minutes. It's best suited as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. The route primarily utilizes major freeways, with about 79% of the journey on highways, including significant portions of the Santa Ana Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. You can expect a fuel cost of around $9 for this drive. Given its relatively short distance and highway focus, this trip is ideal for a quick transit between these two Pacific Coast communities.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 40.9-mile journey. The majority of your travel will be on the Santa Ana Freeway and Long Beach Freeway, making up 79% of the route. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.7 miles on the Santa Ana Freeway. While efficient, this profile suggests a predominantly high-speed, freeway-centric experience rather than one with frequent scenic detours or varied road types. You'll primarily be navigating the Southern California freeway system.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 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 23.7 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 early in the drive near Foothill Boulevard.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 18 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Foothill Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.8 miles (Long Beach Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Foothill Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto Foothill Boulevard
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
9
3.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
Long Beach Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto Long Beach Freeway toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard, Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25A
Toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard,...
7
14.1 mi into trip
|
~22m 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
38.2 mi into trip
|
~50m 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
8
39 mi into trip
|
~51m 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 La Cañada Flintridge, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Pasadena and Broadway.
Pasadena
3.8 mi in
|
~5m
|
via Long Beach Freeway
Broadway
38.2 mi in
|
~50m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 23.7 mi | 27m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Fremont Avenue | 3.3 mi | 7m |
| Foothill Freeway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| North Broadway | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Valley Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Pasadena Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Saint John Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 23.7 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Cañada Flintridge, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on this road
100 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto Foothill Boulevard
454 ft
·
16 sec
·
Foothill Boulevard
3
Continue on Foothill Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Foothill Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 210 East: Pasadena
5
Merge onto I 210
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto Long Beach Freeway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Exit 25A
Toward Del Mar Boulevard, California Boulevard, Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on South Saint John Avenue
0.4 mi
·
41 sec
·
South Saint John Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn straight onto South Pasadena Avenue
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
·
South Pasadena Avenue
9
At end of road, turn left onto Columbia Street
173 ft
·
7 sec
·
Columbia Street
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto Fremont Avenue
3.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Fremont Avenue
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto West Valley Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Valley Boulevard
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto I 710
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the left lane.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 18
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 5
23 mi
·
27 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Main Street North, Broadway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West 5th Street
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Main Street
Use the right lane.
21
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
Use the right lane.
22
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.5 mi from La Cañada Flintridge, CA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from La Cañada Flintridge, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Santa Ana, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.40 one way
$18.80 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.69 | $19.37 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.95 | $19.89 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Afternoon in Santa Ana on Friday
Local time
1:34 PM
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
1 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
55m 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 La Cañada Flintridge, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 40.9 miles and takes about 55m 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, Fremont Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.5 miles from La Cañada Flintridge, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.40 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 18 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 55m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Foothill Boulevard): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.8 miles (Long Beach Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between La Cañada Flintridge, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward Pasadena and Broadway.
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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