How far is Santa Ana, CA from Seal Beach, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Ana, CA to Seal Beach, CA is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 25m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 51m 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
18.21 mi
00h 25m
Flight
13.61 mi
21.91 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Ana.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.61 mi
Kilometers
21.91 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
18.21 mi
Kilometers
29.3 km
Drive Time
00h 25m

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 25m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Seal Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 12:06 AM PDT
Return by in Santa Ana
Sun, Apr 19, 12:32 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Ana
2026-04-18T23:41
Arrive Seal Beach
Sun, Apr 19, 12:06 AM PDT
Route Timing
00h 25m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:38 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Santa Ana
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
Westminster
CA

A city in Orange County, California.

From Santa Ana
9.1 mi
00h 12m
To Seal Beach
9.1 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
80°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
Seal Beach Weather
CA
Live fallback forecast
57°F
Tonight
Using Rossmoor as the closest live forecast in the Orange County weather hub.

Mostly Cloudy

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 10:00 PM PDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Ana and Seal Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana and Seal Beach.

  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

    1510 ft · 20 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 22 West: Long Beach

    2856 ft · 1 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 22 West: Long Beach

    126 m · 9 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Garden Grove Freeway

    10.2 mi · 12 min · Garden Grove Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on San Diego Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Seal Beach Boulevard, Los Alamitos Boulevard

    1374 ft · 42 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Seal Beach Boulevard

    2.9 mi · 5 min · Seal Beach Boulevard

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Pacific Coast Highway

    2498 ft · 57 sec · Pacific Coast Highway

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1310 ft · 33 sec · Main Street

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Main Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Ana and Seal Beach.

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
14 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
76.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Garden Grove Freeway
10.2 mi · 56%
Seal Beach Boulevard
3.16 mi · 17%
North Broadway
1.47 mi · 8%
San Diego Freeway
1.17 mi · 6%
CA 22 West
0.62 mi · 3%
Pacific Coast Highway
0.47 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Garden Grove Freeway

Merge slight left onto Garden Grove Freeway

10.2 mi · 00h 12m

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 25m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.6 mi
13.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Westminster
00h 12m from Santa Ana
Leave By
7:38 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Santa Ana and Mostly Cloudy near Seal Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Seal Beach?

The road trip is about 18.2 miles (29.3 km) and usually takes 00h 25m 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?

Westminster is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.1 miles from Santa Ana and 9.1 miles from Seal Beach.

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

The direct path is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.6 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 7:38 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.69 one way or $7.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Santa Ana and Mostly Cloudy near Seal Beach.

Stop Ideas Near Westminster

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 Westminster and the surrounding midpoint area.
Newport Beach Municipal Operations
Scenic stop 10 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 Tustin Parks & Recreation
Meeting point 9.4 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
The City of Orange
Nearby stop 7.5 mi away

The City of Orange

Orange , CA
300 E Chapman Ave, Orange, CA 92866, United States
Rating 5.0/5 15 reviews Business center

Transit and Meeting Points

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

RAIL

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center

12 mi away
2150 East Katella Avenue
RAIL

Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center

14 mi away
1000 East Santa Ana Boulevard
RAIL

Fullerton Transportation Center

14 mi away
120 East Santa Fe Avenue
BUS

Long Beach, California

17 mi away
601 North Long Beach Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Ana and Seal Beach. Straight-line distance: 13.61 mi (21.91 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
Seal Beach

#2 Seal Beach

City in Organg County, California, United States

Population23,887
Coordinates33.7414100, -118.1047900
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Start: Santa Ana (-117.86783, 33.74557)
End: Seal Beach (-118.10479, 33.74141)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 29 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 36m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 27m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 18m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 15m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.64 gal
2.43 L · about $3.69
Round trip
$7.38
1.28 gal · 4.86 L
Estimated CO2
5.7 kg one way
Round trip: 11.4 kg / 25 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.69 $7.38
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.88 $7.76
Premium $6.24 $4.00 $7.99
Diesel $7.57 $4.84 $9.69

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 Santa Ana and Seal Beach. The current time is 23:41:11.

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.