How far is Santa Ana, CA from Live Oak, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Ana, CA to Live Oak, CA is about 465.5 miles (749.1 km), with a travel time of about 08h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 436.2 miles (702 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
465.48 mi
08h 39m
Flight
436.18 mi
701.96 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Ana.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
436.18 mi
Kilometers
701.96 km
Flight Time
00h 52m

Driving Distance

Road route
465.48 mi
Kilometers
749.12 km
Drive Time
08h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Live Oak
Sun, May 31, 1:41 PM PDT
Return by in Santa Ana
Sun, May 31, 10:21 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Ana
2026-05-31T05:02
Arrive Live Oak
Sun, May 31, 1:41 PM PDT
Route Timing
08h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:39 PM to 4:09 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
6:42 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Santa Ana
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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
Huron
CA

Small city in Fresno County, California

From Santa Ana
232.9 mi
04h 19m
To Live Oak
232.6 mi
04h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
79°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
88°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Ana and Live Oak.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana and Live Oak.

  1. 1

    Start on West 1st Street

    576 ft · 16 sec · West 1st Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue

    615 ft · 14 sec · West Santa Clara Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1787 ft · 27 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    8.9 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    25.5 mi · 28 min · Westside Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway

    53.8 mi · 1 hr · Westside Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Highway

    7.5 mi · 9 min · Golden State Highway

  16. 16

    Continue on Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

    5 mi · 6 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    3.2 mi · 4 min

  18. 18

    Continue straight

    28.1 mi · 35 min

  19. 19

    Take the exit right

    30 m · 3 sec

  20. 20

    Turn slight left onto Larkin Road

    1363 ft · 37 sec · Larkin Road

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Larkin Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Ana and Live Oak.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
21 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
4.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
305 mi · 66%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 11%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 8%
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
36.3 mi · 8%
Santa Ana Freeway
26.9 mi · 6%
Golden State Highway
7.46 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 04h 02m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
08h 39m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+29.3 mi
436.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Huron
04h 19m from Santa Ana
Leave By
6:42 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Santa Ana and Sunny near Live Oak.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Live Oak?

The road trip is about 465.5 miles (749.1 km) and usually takes 08h 39m 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?

Huron is a useful midpoint, sitting about 232.9 miles from Santa Ana and 232.6 miles from Live Oak.

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

The direct path is about 436.2 miles (702 km), while the road route adds roughly 29.3 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 $94.78 one way or $189.57 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 146 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Santa Ana and Sunny near Live Oak.

Stop Ideas Near Huron

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Huron, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Huron.

BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

26 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
BUS

Kettleman City, California

28 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore, California

29 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Hanford station

43 mi away
200 Santa Fe Avenue #A

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Ana and Live Oak. Straight-line distance: 436.18 mi (701.96 km).

Santa Ana

#1 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
Photo coming soon

#2 Live Oak

City in Sutter County, California, United States

Population8,531
Coordinates39.2757200, -121.6599700
Altitude24
CountryUnited States
Start: Santa Ana (-117.86783, 33.74557)
End: Live Oak (-121.65997, 39.27572)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 749 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 38m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 48m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.43 gal
62.18 L · about $94.78
Round trip
$189.57
32.86 gal · 124.36 L
Estimated CO2
146 kg one way
Round trip: 292 kg / 644 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $94.78 $189.57
Mid-grade $6.07 $99.66 $199.33
Premium $6.24 $102.57 $205.14
Diesel $7.57 $124.33 $248.65

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 · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Ana and Live Oak. The current time is 05:02:36.

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.