Origin
Valencia, CA
Late night in Valencia on Friday
Local time
2:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Valencia, CA to Anaheim, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
62.5 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Valencia, CA
Wikii Heiwa
Trip Overview
The drive from Valencia, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 62.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m 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 $14.37 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 17m highway drive covering 62.5 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 16 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.
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 1.5 miles in.
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 62.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Turn left toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
6
9.6 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
13.7 mi into trip
|
~17m 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
38.7 mi into trip
|
~46m 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
60.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m 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 Valencia, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Santa Ana
38.7 mi in
|
~46m
|
via I 5
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 Truck | 25 mi | 29m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 20.7 mi | 24m |
| Golden State Freeway | 13.4 mi | 15m |
| The Old Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| West Lincoln Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| South Anaheim Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Thornton Lane | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5 Truck
— 25 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valencia, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on this road
333 ft
·
26 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
75 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto Thornton Lane
159 ft
·
9 sec
·
Thornton Lane
4
Turn right onto The Old Road
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
The Old Road
5
Turn left
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the left lane.
6
Merge onto I 5; CA 126
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
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.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
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.
11
Merge onto I 5
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
15
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.2 mi from Valencia, CA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.2 miles from Valencia, 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
$14.37 one way
$28.73 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.80 | $29.61 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.20 | $30.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.80 | $27.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 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 | 18.8 | 0 | $6.56 | $3.00 |
| Efficient EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25 | 0 | $8.75 | $4.00 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Anaheim, CA
Late night in Anaheim on Friday
Local time
2:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Partly Sunny
SW 0 to 10 mph
0% 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
3 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 17m 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 Valencia, CA to Anaheim, CA covers 62.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m 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 31.2 miles from Valencia, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.37 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 62.5 miles you will encounter 14 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9.6 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Valencia, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
How this page is built
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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