How far is Foothill Ranch, CA from Santa Ana, CA?

The driving distance from Foothill Ranch, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 16.5 miles (26.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 22m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 12.6 miles (20.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 45m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
16.55 mi
00h 22m
Flight
12.58 mi
20.24 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Foothill Ranch.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
12.58 mi
Kilometers
20.24 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.55 mi
Kilometers
26.63 km
Drive Time
00h 22m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 22m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Santa Ana
Sun, Apr 19, 3:06 AM PDT
Return by in Foothill Ranch
Sun, Apr 19, 3:29 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Foothill Ranch
2026-04-19T02:43
Arrive Santa Ana
Sun, Apr 19, 3:06 AM PDT
Route Timing
00h 22m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:23 AM to 7:23 PM PDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:44 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Foothill Ranch
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
North Tustin
CA

Census-designated place in Orange County, California

From Foothill Ranch
7.8 mi
00h 11m
To Santa Ana
8.8 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Sunday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph S
Destination
78°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Foothill Ranch and Santa Ana.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Foothill Ranch and Santa Ana.

  1. 1

    Start on Flores

    114 m · 22 sec · Flores

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Santa Maria

    632 ft · 35 sec · Santa Maria

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Alton Parkway

    1.2 km · 2 min · Alton Parkway

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward CA 241 Toll North

    2385 ft · 58 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Foothill Transportation Corridor

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Foothill Transportation Corridor

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 133 South: Laguna Beach

    1.1 mi · 1 min

  7. 7

    Continue on Eastern Transportation Corridor

    2965 ft · 39 sec · Eastern Transportation Corridor

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Irvine Boulevard

    1661 ft · 26 sec

  9. 9

    Turn right onto Irvine Boulevard

    5.1 mi · 8 min · Irvine Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Red Hill Avenue

    2650 ft · 57 sec · Red Hill Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Bryan Avenue

    1478 ft · 29 sec · Bryan Avenue

  12. 12

    Continue on East Main Street

    1362 ft · 29 sec · East Main Street

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Newport Avenue

    2258 ft · 46 sec · Newport Avenue

  14. 14

    Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1127 ft · 17 sec

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  16. 16

    Take the exit slight right toward First Street, Fourth Street

    768 ft · 10 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on First Street

    1147 ft · 15 sec

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Mabury Street

    88 m · 10 sec · Mabury Street

  19. 19

    Turn right onto East 1st Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · East 1st Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Foothill Ranch and Santa Ana.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
121.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Irvine Boulevard
5.46 mi · 33%
Foothill Transportation Corridor
2.53 mi · 15%
East 1st Street
1.39 mi · 8%
CA 133 South
1.11 mi · 7%
Santa Ana Freeway
1 mi · 6%
Alton Parkway
0.75 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Irvine Boulevard

Turn right onto Irvine Boulevard

5.14 mi · 00h 08m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 22m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
12.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
North Tustin
00h 11m from Foothill Ranch
Leave By
7:44 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving Foothill Ranch and Mostly Sunny near Santa Ana.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Foothill Ranch to Santa Ana?

The road trip is about 16.5 miles (26.6 km) and usually takes 00h 22m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

North Tustin is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.8 miles from Foothill Ranch and 8.8 miles from Santa Ana.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 12.6 miles (20.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.9 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:44 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.35 one way or $6.69 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny around Foothill Ranch and Mostly Sunny near Santa Ana.

Stop Ideas Near North Tustin

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around North Tustin and the surrounding midpoint area.
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Stay option 11.3 mi away

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Anaheim , CA
1600 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802, United States
Rating 4.7/5 9,122 reviews Hotel,Resort hotel
Newport Beach Municipal Operations
Scenic stop 11.2 mi away

Newport Beach Municipal Operations

Newport Beach , CA
592 Superior Ave, Newport Beach, CA 92663, United States
Rating 5.0/5 1 reviews City government office,Government office,Park
City of Lake Forest
Practical stop 6.4 mi away

City of Lake Forest

North Tustin
Rating 4.8/5 12 reviews Government office,Service establishment
City of Tustin Parks & Recreation
Meeting point 3.9 mi away

City of Tustin Parks & Recreation

Tustin , CA
300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780, United States
Rating 5.0/5 4 reviews City government office

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to North Tustin.

RAIL

Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center

6 mi away
1000 East Santa Ana Boulevard
RAIL

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center

9 mi away
2150 East Katella Avenue
RAIL

Irvine Transportation Center

10 mi away
15215 Barranca Parkway
RAIL

Fullerton Transportation Center

17 mi away
120 East Santa Fe Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Foothill Ranch and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 12.58 mi (20.24 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Foothill Ranch

City in California, United States of America

Population11,698
Coordinates33.6864100, -117.6608800
Altitude270
CountryUnited States
Santa Ana

#2 Santa Ana

The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.

Population331,301
Coordinates33.7455700, -117.8678300
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Start: Flores (-117.660153, 33.686773)
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 27 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.58 gal
2.21 L · about $3.35
Round trip
$6.69
1.16 gal · 4.42 L
Estimated CO2
5.2 kg one way
Round trip: 10.3 kg / 23 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.35 $6.69
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.52 $7.04
Premium $6.24 $3.62 $7.24
Diesel $7.57 $4.39 $8.78

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Foothill Ranch and Santa Ana. The current time is 02:43:57.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.