Origin
Santa Ana, CA
Night in Santa Ana on Thursday
Local time
9:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Ana, CA to Silver Lake, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
45m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Ana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Silver Lake, CA
Robert So
Trip Overview
The drive from Santa Ana, CA to Silver Lake, CA covers 36 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, North Broadway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.2 miles on Santa Ana Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.27 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 45m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 45m highway drive covering 36 miles, with most of the trip on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 31.2 miles on Santa Ana Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 11 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Santa Ana Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 31.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Santa Ana Freeway and Hollywood Freeway. 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 North Broadway.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Broadway
Turn right onto North Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
11 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
28.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.9 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward Silver Lake Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5B
Toward Silver Lake Boulevard
6
35.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Silver Lake Boulevard
Turn right onto Silver Lake Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana Freeway | 31.2 mi | 37m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| North Broadway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Silver Lake Boulevard | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| West Santa Clara Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West 1st Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Ana Freeway
— 31.2 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana, CA and Silver Lake, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto North Broadway
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West Santa Clara Avenue
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
this road
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
8.9 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 101
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 5B
Toward Silver Lake Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Silver Lake Boulevard
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Silver Lake Boulevard
Use the right lane.
11
Arrive at destination
Silver Lake Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 18 mi from Santa Ana, CA · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Santa Ana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Silver Lake, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Silver Lake, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.27 one way
$16.55 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.53 | $17.05 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.75 | $17.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.95 | $15.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Silver Lake, CA
Night in Silver Lake on Thursday
Local time
9:55 PM
PDT
Current temp
78°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
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
45m 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 Silver Lake, CA covers 36 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Santa Ana Freeway, Hollywood Freeway, North Broadway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18 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 $8.27 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 short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Broadway): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 28.9 miles (US 101 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Santa Ana, CA to Silver Lake, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Explore more options from Santa Ana, CA or browse trips ending in Silver Lake, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.