Traveling from Maywood to San Diego covers 114.6 miles and takes approximately 1 hour and 59 minutes of drive time. Because this journey stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California, you will remain in a familiar coastal environment for the duration of the trip. Given the total distance and manageable duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. You should budget about $16 for fuel to complete the trip. Since there are no designated stops planned along the way, it functions best as a straightforward, point-to-point transit. Whether you are heading south for business or leisure, this drive offers a practical way to connect these two Southern California locations without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.6 miles from Maywood, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 20m. Total distance: 115.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route relies on surface streets like Atlantic Boulevard and Slauson Avenue. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend the entire time navigating local infrastructure rather than open freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 0 miles on Atlantic Boulevard, confirming that you will be making frequent turns and adjustments throughout the 114.6-mile journey. This character makes the drive feel more like an extended urban navigation experience than a traditional highway road trip. Prepare for a constant rhythm of stop-and-go traffic and intersection management as you transition from the Maywood area toward your San Diego destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 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 76.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Santa Ana Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 115.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 21 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
3.6 mi into trip|~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
7
23.7 mi into trip|~30m 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
7
27.5 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the exit toward Newport Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 102
Toward Newport Avenue
8
30.8 mi into trip|~40m in|Jamboree Road
Turn left onto Jamboree Road toward CA 261 Toll North: Jamboree Road, Riverside
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward CA 261 Toll North: Jamboree Road, Rivers...
8
114.4 mi into trip|~2h 18m in
Take the exit toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
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 17
Toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Maywood, CA and San Diego, CA, road signs point toward Broadway, Santa Ana and Riverside.
Broadway
23.7 mi in|~30m
Santa Ana
23.7 mi in|~30m
Riverside
30.8 mi in|~40m|via Jamboree Road
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
San Diego Freeway
76.5 mi
1h 29m
Santa Ana Freeway
28.9 mi
33m
Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
East Slauson Avenue
2.2 mi
4m
Slauson Avenue
1.4 mi
2m
Front Street
0.5 mi
1m
Jamboree Road
0.5 mi
<1m
Newport Avenue
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 76.5 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maywood, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on this road
78 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Atlantic Boulevard
153 ft·7 sec·Atlantic Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Slauson Avenue
1.4 mi·2 min·Slauson Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on East Slauson Avenue
2.2 mi·4 min·East Slauson Avenue
5
Take the ramp
176 ft·4 sec
Toward I 5 South: Santa AnaUse the straight / left lanes.
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·21 sec·this road
Toward I 5 South: Santa Ana
7
Merge onto I 5
20 mi·22 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi·16 sec·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.8 mi·57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa AnaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·10 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·12 sec
Toward I 5 South
12
Merge onto I 5
0.8 mi·54 sec·Santa Ana Freeway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi·52 sec·Santa Ana Freeway
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.2 mi·1 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 102Toward Newport AvenueUse the slight right lane.
16
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
0.4 mi·44 sec·Newport Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi·4 min·Walnut Avenue
18
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
0.5 mi·37 sec·Jamboree Road
Toward CA 261 Toll North: Jamboree Road, RiversideUse the left lane.
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·21 sec
Toward I 5 South
20
Merge onto I 5
5.5 mi·6 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi·55 sec·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto I 5
76 mi·1 hr 29 min·San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 17Toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·14 sec
Toward Front Street, Civic Center
25
Continue on Front Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Front Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
26
Arrive at destination
Front Street
Trip Plan
Planning your departure time is essential when relying on local roads, as traffic patterns on Atlantic and Slauson avenues can significantly impact your two-hour travel time. Since the route is entirely local and features no planned stops, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before you leave to cover the $16 estimated cost. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, allowing you to adjust your pace based on real-time traffic conditions rather than being locked into a rigid highway schedule. Keep a close eye on your navigation system, as the lack of highway stretches means you will be relying on local signage and turn-by-turn directions for the full 114.6 miles. Staying alert for frequent turns will be your primary challenge, so plan for a focused drive rather than a passive cruise.
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 57.6 miles from Maywood, CA, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 76.5 miles.
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 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.6 miles or 1h 12m 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 55m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Diego, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Maywood, 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 Maywood, CA
This is one driving day of about 115.2 miles and 2h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Maywood, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on San Diego Freeway for about 76.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.6 mi from Maywood, CA
· 1h 12m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo climbed out of his boat and onto shore, becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Cabrillo National Monument not only...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
$20
near mile 115.2
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.6
0
$12.10
$5.53
Efficient EV
28.8
0
$10.08
$4.61
EV Truck/SUV
46.1
0
$16.13
$7.37
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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 17, 2026
Origin
Maywood, CA
Night
in Maywood on Thursday
Local time
10:18 PM
PDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Diego, CA
Night
in San Diego on Thursday
Local time
10:18 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Partly Sunny
SW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
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
5 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 20m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Maywood, CA to San Diego, CA covers 115.2 miles and takes about 2h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, Walnut 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 57.6 miles from Maywood, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.48 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 demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 115.2 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Maywood, CA and San Diego, CA, road signs point toward Broadway, Santa Ana and Riverside.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Cabrillo National Monument.
