Origin
Santa Ana, CA
Morning in Santa Ana on Thursday
Local time
10:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
26m
Distance
19.5 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Aliso Viejo, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA covers 19.5 miles and takes about 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on West 1st Street, South Main Street, East MacArthur Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 19.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 26m drive with frequent turns across 19.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West 1st Street 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA is easy. At 26m 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 Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West 1st Street | — | — |
| South Main Street | — | — |
| East MacArthur Boulevard | — | — |
| CA 55 South | — | — |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | — | — |
| I 405 South | — | — |
| San Diego Freeway | — | — |
| CA 133 South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West 1st Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana, CA and Aliso Viejo, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
259 ft
·
11 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Continue on West 1st Street
358 ft
·
17 sec
·
West 1st Street
3
Turn right onto South Main Street
3.1 mi
·
5 min
·
South Main Street
4
Turn left onto East MacArthur Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
East MacArthur Boulevard
5
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
CA 55 South: Newport Beach
6
Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
I 405 South
9
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
12
Take the exit slight right toward CA 133 South, CA 133 North: Laguna Beach
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
CA 133 South, CA 133 North: Laguna Beach
13
Keep slight right to continue on CA 133 South: Laguna Beach
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
CA 133 South: Laguna Beach
14
Merge slight left onto Laguna Freeway
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Laguna Freeway
15
Continue on Laguna Canyon Road
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Laguna Canyon Road
16
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 73 Toll North: El Toro Road
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
CA 73 Toll North: El Toro Road
17
Continue straight
1.0 mi
·
1 min
18
Merge slight left onto San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
19
Take the exit slight right toward Aliso Creek Road
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Aliso Creek Road
20
Turn right onto Aliso Creek Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Aliso Creek Road
21
Turn right onto Aliso Viejo Parkway
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
Aliso Viejo Parkway
22
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.48 one way
$8.96 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.62 | $9.24 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.74 | $9.48 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.31 | $8.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Aliso Viejo, CA
Morning in Aliso Viejo on Thursday
Local time
10:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
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
26m 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 Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA covers 19.5 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West 1st Street, South Main Street, East MacArthur Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.7 miles from Santa Ana, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.48 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.
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA is easy. At 26m 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 Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Santa Ana, CA to Aliso Viejo, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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