How far is Lake Wildwood, CA from Santa Ana, CA?
The driving distance from Lake Wildwood, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 480.1 miles (772.7 km), with a travel time of about 08h 12m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 421.8 miles (678.9 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 25m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 08h 12m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
City in Fresno County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Lake Wildwood and Santa Ana.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lake Wildwood and Santa Ana.
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1
Start on Waxwing Court
640 ft · 29 sec · Waxwing Court
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2
Turn right onto Hummingbird Drive
974 ft · 46 sec · Hummingbird Drive
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3
Turn left onto Swallow Way
1344 ft · 1 min · Swallow Way
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4
Turn left onto Chaparral Drive
2800 ft · 2 min · Chaparral Drive
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5
Turn left onto Lake Forest Drive
1724 ft · 1 min · Lake Forest Drive
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6
Turn right onto Lake Wildwood Drive
88 m · 18 sec · Lake Wildwood Drive
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7
Turn left onto Pleasant Valley Road
1.4 mi · 3 min · Pleasant Valley Road
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8
Turn left
7.5 mi · 9 min
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9
Take the exit slight right
1166 ft · 18 sec
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10
Merge slight left onto Golden Center Freeway
14.3 mi · 19 min · Golden Center Freeway
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11
Continue on Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Grass Valley Highway
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12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
33 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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13
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Grass Valley Highway
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14
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
32 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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15
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
5.6 mi · 9 min · Grass Valley Highway
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16
Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento
1346 ft · 33 sec
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17
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
16.8 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
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18
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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19
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
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20
Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway
3.7 mi · 4 min · Capital City Freeway
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21
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
1.9 mi · 2 min · Capital City Freeway
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22
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
803 ft · 15 sec
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23
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
1.3 km · 2 min
-
24
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Westside Freeway
-
25
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway
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26
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway
-
27
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
-
28
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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30
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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31
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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32
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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33
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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34
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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35
Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway
1656 ft · 22 sec
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36
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi · 3 min · North Broadway
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37
Turn left onto West 5th Street
639 ft · 17 sec · West 5th Street
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38
Turn right onto North Main Street
1209 ft · 31 sec · North Main Street
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39
Turn right onto West 1st Street
16 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
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40
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Lake Wildwood and Santa Ana.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi · 04h 14m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Lake Wildwood 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 Lake Wildwood to Santa Ana?
The road trip is about 480.1 miles (772.7 km) and usually takes 08h 12m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Coalinga is a useful midpoint, sitting about 241.3 miles from Lake Wildwood and 238.9 miles from Santa Ana.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 421.8 miles (678.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 58.3 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $97.73 one way or $195.45 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 150.5 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Lake Wildwood and Mostly Sunny near Santa Ana.
Stop Ideas Near Coalinga
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Coalinga.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Lemoore, California
Paso Robles station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Lake Wildwood and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 421.84 mi (678.88 km).
#1 Lake Wildwood
Census-designated place in Nevada County, California
| Population | 4,991 |
| Coordinates | 39.2329500, -121.2005100 |
| Altitude | 466 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Santa Ana
The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.
| Population | 331,301 |
| Coordinates | 33.7455700, -117.8678300 |
| Altitude | 35 |
| Country | United States |
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 773 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 15h 59m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 00m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 09h 36m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 00m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 51m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 05h 59m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $97.73 | $195.45 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $102.76 | $205.52 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $105.76 | $211.51 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $128.18 | $256.37 |
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 23, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.