Trip from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA

Drive Time

2h 33m

Distance

127.5 mi

205 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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San Diego, CA

Lindsey Willard

Trip Overview

The drive from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA covers 127.5 miles and takes about 2h 33m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on West Broadway, 1st Avenue, I 5 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.53 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

63.7 miles from San Diego, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 33m drive with frequent turns across 127.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

West Broadway is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA is easy. At 2h 33m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
West Broadway	Unavailable	Refreshing
1st Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 5 North	Unavailable	Refreshing
San Diego Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Bake Parkway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Jamboree Road	Unavailable	Refreshing
El Camino Real	Unavailable	Refreshing
Newport Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: West Broadway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Monrovia, CA.

Start on Front Street

26 ft · 6 sec · Front Street

Turn left onto West Broadway

289 ft · 12 sec · West Broadway

Turn left onto 1st Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · 1st Avenue

Take the ramp left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

0.2 mi · 25 sec · I 5 North: Los Angeles

Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

13 mi · 15 min · San Diego Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

36 mi · 43 min · San Diego Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

18 mi · 20 min · San Diego Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

7.4 mi · 8 min · San Diego Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway

1.6 mi · 1 min · Bake Parkway

Keep slight right

6.0 mi · 6 min

Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Jamboree Road

Continue straight

0.1 mi · 11 sec

Turn right onto Jamboree Road

0.1 mi · 18 sec · Jamboree Road

Turn left onto El Camino Real

2.2 mi · 4 min · El Camino Real

Turn left onto Newport Avenue

358 ft · 14 sec · Newport Avenue

Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

0.2 mi · 17 sec · I 5 North: Los Angeles

Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

1.7 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

9.4 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

8.6 mi · 9 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward I 605 South, I 605 North: San Gabriel River Freeway

0.3 mi · 36 sec · I 605 South, I 605 North: San Gabriel River Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on I 605 North

0.3 mi · 39 sec · I 605 North

Merge slight left onto San Gabriel River Freeway

16 mi · 17 min · San Gabriel River Freeway

Take the exit slight left toward I 210 West: Pasadena, Foothill Freeway

0.7 mi · 52 sec · I 210 West: Pasadena, Foothill Freeway

Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway

1.6 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway

Take the exit slight right toward Myrtle Avenue

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Myrtle Avenue

Continue on East Central Avenue

407 ft · 14 sec · East Central Avenue

Turn right onto South Myrtle Avenue

0.8 mi · 1 min · South Myrtle Avenue

Turn right onto East Lime Avenue

0.1 mi · 27 sec · East Lime Avenue

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.

Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 63.7 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 36m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 63.7 miles or 1h 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 6m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Monrovia, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA

This is one driving day of about 127.5 miles and 2h 33m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Diego, CA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63.7 mi from San Diego, CA · 1h 16m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Irvine, CA

64 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

Santa Ana, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Irvine, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.7 miles from San Diego, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Monrovia, CA

The final approach into Monrovia, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Monrovia, CA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.53 one way

$59.05 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 45 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$30.45	$60.90
premium	$6.24	$31.34	$62.68
diesel	$5.64	$28.33	$56.65

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$55–$80

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	38.3	$13.39	$6.12
Efficient EV	31.9	$11.16	$5.10
EV Truck/SUV	51	$17.85	$8.16

Gas CO2

45 kg

EV CO2

15 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

San Diego, CA

Afternoon in San Diego on Sunday

Local time

12:28 PM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Monrovia, CA

Afternoon in Monrovia on Sunday

Local time

12:28 PM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

20 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 33m 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 San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA covers 127.5 miles and takes about 2h 33m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are West Broadway, 1st Avenue, I 5 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 63.7 miles from San Diego, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.53 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.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

The drive from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA is easy. At 2h 33m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from San Diego, CA to Monrovia, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.