Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
70.8 mi
114 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Ladera Ranch, CA
Stephen Leonardi
The drive from San Diego, CA to Ladera Ranch, CA covers 70.8 miles and takes about 1h 28m 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, Antonio Parkway, La Pata Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 59.4 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $16.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 70.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 1h 28m highway drive covering 70.8 miles, with most of the trip on San Diego Freeway and Antonio Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 59.4 miles on San Diego Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Antonio Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 1st Avenue.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.8 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 0.1 miles (1st Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Avenida Vista Hermosa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from San Diego, CA to Ladera Ranch, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Avenida Vista Hermosa along the way.
Avenida Vista Hermosa
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 59.4 mi | 1h 9m |
| Antonio Parkway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| La Pata Avenue | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| Avenida Vista Hermosa | 2 mi | 3m |
| Avenida la Pata | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 1st Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Sienna Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Crown Valley Parkway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Ladera Ranch, CA.
Start on Front Street
Turn left onto West Broadway
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Take the exit
Turn right onto Avenida Vista Hermosa
Turn left onto Avenida la Pata
Continue on La Pata Avenue
Continue on Antonio Parkway
Turn left onto Crown Valley Parkway
Turn right onto Sienna Parkway
Turn right onto Walden Street
Turn right onto Laurelhurst Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.4 mi from San Diego, CA · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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.
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35.4 miles from San Diego, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Ladera Ranch, 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.
Regular Gas
$16.27 one way
$32.55 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.77 | $33.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.22 | $34.44 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.63 | $31.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.2 | 0 | $7.43 | $3.40 |
| Efficient EV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.19 | $2.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.3 | 0 | $9.91 | $4.53 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Diego on Friday
Local time
1:47 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Partly Sunny
Destination
Late night in Ladera Ranch on Friday
Local time
1:47 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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. National park proximity is from the NPS API. 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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