Origin
Santa Clarita, CA
Morning in Santa Clarita on Saturday
Local time
6:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Clarita, CA to Anaheim, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 14m
Distance
57.8 mi
93 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Clarita, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Santa Clarita, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 57.8 miles and takes about 1h 14m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5 Truck, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25 miles on I 5 Truck. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.28 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Santa Clarita, CA
Full guide →Founded 1987
Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, with a population of 229,000 in 2020. It is generally considered to be a suburb of Greater Los Angeles. It consists of the neighborhoods of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. It is part of the Santa Clarita Valley, which also includes the unincorporated "satellite communities" of Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, and Agua Dulce.
Arriving in Anaheim, CA
Full guide →Founded 1857
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
- • Disneyland — American theme park in California owned by The Walt Disney Company
- • Disney California Adventure — theme park in California, part of Disneyland Resort
- • Soarin' — flight motion simulator attraction at Disney parks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 14m. Total distance: 57.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 14m 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.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 14m highway drive covering 57.8 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 Truck and Santa Ana Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 25 miles on I 5 Truck.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 5 Truck is the longest continuous segment at about 25 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,571 ft
72 ft
Total Climb
456 ft
Total Descent
1,513 ft
Highest Point
1,571 ft
~4.1 mi in
Elevation Range
1,499 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 Truck and Santa Ana Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.9 miles in near CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway.
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 57.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 4.9 miles (CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
4.9 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
5.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
8
34 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
7
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit toward Lincoln Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Santa Clarita, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Santa Ana
34 mi in
|
~43m
|
via I 5
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 Truck | 25 mi | 29m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 20.7 mi | 24m |
| Golden State Freeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Antelope Valley Freeway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| Newhall Avenue | 2 mi | 4m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Orchard Village Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Lyons Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5 Truck
— 25 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Clarita, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on Newhall Avenue
451 ft
·
21 sec
·
Newhall Avenue
2
Turn right onto 16th Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
16th Street
3
Turn left onto Orchard Village Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Village Road
4
Turn left onto Lyons Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lyons Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Newhall Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Newhall Avenue
6
Enter roundabout onto Newhall Avenue
73 ft
·
2 sec
·
Newhall Avenue
7
Continue on Newhall Avenue
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Newhall Avenue
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 2
Toward CA 14 South: Los Angeles
9
Merge onto CA 14
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 14
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Antelope Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
16
Merge onto I 5
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
20
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
21
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.9 mi from Santa Clarita, CA · 37m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.9 miles from Santa Clarita, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Anaheim, CA
The final approach into Anaheim, 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
$13.28 one way
$26.57 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.69 | $27.38 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.06 | $28.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.76 | $25.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.3 | 0 | $6.07 | $2.77 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.06 | $2.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.1 | 0 | $8.09 | $3.70 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Anaheim, CA
Morning in Anaheim on Saturday
Local time
6:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Sunny
SW 5 to 15 mph
16% chance
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
18 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
1h 14m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Santa Clarita, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 57.8 miles and takes about 1h 14m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5 Truck, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State 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 28.9 miles from Santa Clarita, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.28 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 57.8 miles you will encounter 17 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 4.9 miles (CA 14 / Antelope Valley Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Santa Clarita, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 72 ft to 1,571 ft elevation with about 456 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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