Origin
Redlands, CA
Late night in Redlands on Friday
Local time
3:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Redlands, 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
1h 6m
Distance
53.9 mi
87 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Redlands, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Redlands, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 53.9 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Riverside Freeway, CA 91, Costa Mesa Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.7 miles on Riverside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.39 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 53.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 6m highway drive covering 53.9 miles, with most of the trip on Riverside Freeway and CA 91. The longest continuous stretch is about 19.7 miles on Riverside Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Riverside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Riverside Freeway and CA 91. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 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 53.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
6.6 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
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 I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barsto...
7
6.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 215 South: Riverside
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
7
27.6 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
8
44.5 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
8
51.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
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 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Redlands, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.
San Bernardino
6.6 mi in
|
~8m
Barstow
6.6 mi in
|
~8m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Freeway | 19.7 mi | 22m |
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 6.9 mi | 7m |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | 6 mi | 6m |
| East 1st Street | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| East 4th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Orange Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Mabury Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Riverside Freeway
— 19.7 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Redlands, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on East Citrus Avenue
19 ft
·
4 sec
·
East Citrus Avenue
2
Turn right onto Orange Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Orange Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 10 West: Los Angeles
4
Merge onto I 10
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the slight right lane.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 215: Riverside, San Bernardino, Barstow
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 215 South: Riverside
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 215
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on CA 91
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Exit 34B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11B
Toward Fourth Street, Irvine Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
14
Turn left onto Mabury Street
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Mabury Street
Use the left lane.
15
Turn right onto East 1st Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East 1st Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Arrive at destination
West 1st Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.9 mi from Redlands, CA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Redlands, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
The final approach into Santa Ana, 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
$12.39 one way
$24.78 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.77 | $25.53 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.11 | $26.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.90 | $23.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.72 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.55 | $3.45 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Santa Ana, CA
Late night in Santa Ana on Friday
Local time
3:01 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 6m 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 Redlands, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 53.9 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Riverside Freeway, CA 91, Costa Mesa 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 26.9 miles from Redlands, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.39 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 53.9 miles you will encounter 13 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Redlands, CA and Santa Ana, CA, road signs point toward San Bernardino and Barstow.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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