How far is Signal Hill, CA from Santa Ana, CA?

The driving distance from Signal Hill, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.7 miles (28.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 55m 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
21.62 mi
00h 27m
Flight
17.7 mi
28.49 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Signal Hill.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.7 mi
Kilometers
28.49 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
21.62 mi
Kilometers
34.79 km
Drive Time
00h 27m

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 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Santa Ana
Sat, May 30, 5:22 PM PDT
Return by in Signal Hill
Sat, May 30, 5:50 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Signal Hill
2026-05-30T16:55
Arrive Santa Ana
Sat, May 30, 5:22 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:28 AM to 7:28 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:34 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Signal Hill
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

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 Signal Hill
10.4 mi
00h 13m
To Santa Ana
11.2 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 3:00 PM PDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph WSW
Destination
75°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 10:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Signal Hill and Santa Ana.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Signal Hill and Santa Ana.

  1. 1

    Start on East Willow Street

    592 ft · 20 sec · East Willow Street

  2. 2

    Continue on East Willow Street

    1.7 mi · 3 min · East Willow Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 405 South

    1272 ft · 33 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

    3.7 mi · 4 min · San Diego Freeway

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    2.3 mi · 3 min · San Diego Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Garden Grove Freeway

    9.8 mi · 11 min · Garden Grove Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South: Santa Ana

    1550 ft · 20 sec · Garden Grove Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Santa Ana, Broadway, Main Street

    1342 ft · 18 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Broadway, Main Street

    2460 ft · 32 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway

    1656 ft · 22 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto North Broadway

    1.3 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  12. 12

    Turn left onto West 5th Street

    639 ft · 17 sec · West 5th Street

  13. 13

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    1209 ft · 31 sec · North Main Street

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West 1st Street

    16 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Signal Hill 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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
69.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Garden Grove Freeway
9.95 mi · 46%
San Diego Freeway
5.99 mi · 28%
East Willow Street
1.83 mi · 8%
North Broadway
1.27 mi · 6%
Broadway
0.47 mi · 2%
I 5 South
0.4 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Garden Grove Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Garden Grove Freeway

9.81 mi · 00h 11m

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 27m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
17.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Westminster
00h 13m from Signal Hill
Leave By
7:34 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Signal Hill and Sunny near Santa Ana.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Signal Hill to Santa Ana?

The road trip is about 21.6 miles (34.8 km) and usually takes 00h 27m 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 10.4 miles from Signal Hill and 11.2 miles from Santa Ana.

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

The direct path is about 17.7 miles (28.5 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 7:34 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.38 one way or $8.77 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Signal Hill and Sunny near Santa Ana.

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 10.9 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 11 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 9 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 Signal Hill and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 17.7 mi (28.49 km).

Signal Hill

#1 Signal Hill

City in Orange County, California, USA

Population11,280
Coordinates33.8044600, -118.1678500
Altitude45
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: East Willow Street (-118.16785, 33.804462)
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 35 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 43m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 32m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 25m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 21m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 18m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.76 gal
2.89 L · about $4.38
Round trip
$8.77
1.52 gal · 5.78 L
Estimated CO2
6.8 kg one way
Round trip: 13.5 kg / 30 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $4.38 $8.77
Mid-grade $6.07 $4.61 $9.22
Premium $6.24 $4.74 $9.49
Diesel $7.57 $5.75 $11.50

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 30, 2026

There is no time difference between Signal Hill and Santa Ana. The current time is 16:55:02.

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.