Hertz Car Hire
Santa Ana

The Hertz hire facility is located off-airport and is reachable by a dedicated shuttle. After you collect your luggage from the carousel, follow the overhead signs for Ground Transportation or Rental Car Shuttles. These signs will lead you to the lower level of the terminal where the Ground Transportation Centre is. Look for the clearly marked stop for the Hertz shuttle, which runs frequently to take you on the short trip to the main rental lot.

To avoid the peak of the evening rush, consider pausing briefly inside the terminal after you land. Rather than heading straight for the shuttle, use the loo, grab a drink, or relax for 15–20 minutes. This allows the initial surge of passengers from your flight to clear from the shuttle stop and rental counter. By staggering your arrival at the Hertz lot, you’ll often encounter shorter queues and a more relaxed pickup process.

A realistic time allowance from deplaning at SNA to driving away in your hire car is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. This estimate accounts for walking through the terminal, waiting for luggage at baggage reclaim, and taking the shuttle to the off-site rental centre. If you are travelling with children or have oversized bags, or if several flights arrive together, it’s sensible to add a little extra buffer. Planning for this timeframe helps ensure a calm start to your visit to Orange County.

For the most straightforward drive to Disneyland, take the CA-55 North from the airport area and then merge onto the I-5 North, which is the primary route to the resort. This route is very well signed with numerous signs for the Disneyland Resort exits, making it easy to follow. It allows you to bypass the more complex interchange where the I-405 and SR-22 meet, which can be intimidating for drivers unfamiliar with the area.

For a more relaxed arrival, stopping to check in to your Costa Mesa accommodation first is recommended. The drive from SNA to most parts of Costa Mesa is very short and mainly uses surface streets, allowing you to avoid immediate motorway traffic. Once you’ve unloaded your luggage and taken a moment to refresh, you can drive to Huntington Beach at your leisure. This approach splits the journey and helps you avoid tackling coastal traffic right after a long flight.

Driving to Laguna Beach from SNA on a weekend afternoon typically involves significant traffic, especially as you approach the coast. The main slowdowns usually begin on Laguna Canyon Road (SR-133) as it narrows from a highway into a two-lane road winding through the canyon. Expect the final few miles to be very slow, with congestion peaking at the junction with Pacific Coast Highway. It’s best to budget extra time for the journey and enjoy the scenic, albeit slow, final approach.

To simplify hotel check-in in Newport Beach, try to navigate to a side street or the hotel’s specific parking entrance rather than its main PCH address. Many hotels have designated loading zones or garage entrances on less-trafficked streets like Balboa Boulevard or adjacent residential roads. Using your sat-nav to route you directly to the parking structure can help you bypass the heaviest coastal traffic. This makes unloading luggage a calmer experience than stopping on the busy main highway.

For drivers unfamiliar with the region’s motorways, the most direct and easiest route to downtown Los Angeles is to take the I-5 North. From the SNA area you can access the I-5 via the CA-55 North. While the I-5 can be heavily trafficked, it is a straight run to downtown LA with clear overhead signage for the appropriate exits. To make the drive less stressful, try to plan your travel outside the morning and evening peak commute hours.

The most effective meet-up plan for a group arriving on separate flights is to designate a specific baggage carousel as your rendezvous point. Have everyone collect their luggage and then gather at that pre-selected carousel inside the terminal. Once your entire party is accounted for, you can all proceed together to the rental car shuttle stop. This strategy prevents confusion and ensures no one is left waiting alone at the kerb or the off-site rental facility.

To ensure a stress-free start to your cruise, plan to leave the SNA area at least four to five hours before your ship’s final boarding call. This generous cushion accounts for the hire car pickup process, potential delays on the I-405, and navigating the Port of Long Beach. Arriving with plenty of time to spare allows you to drop off your luggage, return the car if needed, and board your ship in a relaxed and orderly fashion.

During a major conference, the exits and main roads closest to the Anaheim Convention Centre become extremely congested. For a less hectic approach, consider using a route that relies more on surface streets for the final miles. For example, you could take the CA-55 North to the SR-22 West, then exit at The City Drive. From there, navigate north on surface streets to approach the convention centre from the south or east, bypassing the main jams on Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue.

To minimise time spent on surface-street traffic, the best route to Knott’s Berry Farm is to stay on the freeways as long as possible. From the SNA area, take the I-5 North to the CA-91 West. You can then exit directly onto Beach Boulevard and head south for a very short distance to the park’s entrance. This all-freeway approach helps you avoid the numerous traffic lights and congestion common on major arteries like Katella Avenue or Lincoln Avenue.

When leaving the SNA rental car area, the most challenging part is often navigating the junctions on MacArthur Boulevard to get onto the correct freeway. The series of turns and lane choices required to access the I-405 or CA-55 can be confusing for first-time visitors. It’s crucial to have your sat-nav active before you start driving and to pay close attention to the overhead signs. A missed turn here can easily send you the wrong way, so a little preparation goes a long way.

For easy grocery shopping after your flight, look for large shopping centres in Irvine or Costa Mesa, just a few minutes from SNA. Plazas along MacArthur Boulevard or Bristol Street, such as The District at Tustin Legacy, feature major grocery stores with spacious, easy-to-navigate car parks. These suburban-style centres are designed for high traffic and are much simpler to handle in a hire car than smaller urban markets, making them a stress-free first stop.

For a late arrival at SNA, the most convenient neighbourhoods for a first-night stay are Irvine, Costa Mesa, and the area around the airport in Santa Ana itself. All of these locations are within a short 10–15 minute drive from the rental car facility on well-lit main roads. Choosing a hotel in one of these nearby communities allows you to get settled quickly and safely without having to navigate unfamiliar freeways or dark coastal roads after a long day of travel.

Parking a standard SUV in popular beach towns like Laguna Beach or on the Balboa Peninsula can be quite challenging, as street spaces are often narrow and fill up fast. To make it noticeably easier, plan to arrive early in the morning, ideally before 10am at weekends. Alternatively, head straight for a public car park or a pay lot, which are better equipped to handle larger vehicles and save you the frustration of circling for a rare street spot.

The most straightforward and low-stress route to the UC Irvine campus is to use major surface streets instead of the freeway. From the airport area, take MacArthur Boulevard south and then turn onto Campus Drive. This road leads you directly into the heart of the university, bypassing the often-congested motorway interchanges and confusing roundabouts near the I-405. This direct path is well signed and perfect for a relaxed arrival for your campus visit.

For the easiest visit to South Coast Plaza, approach the mall from Bristol Street and plan to park in one of the large, multi-level parking structures. These offer better availability and access than the surface lots. When you’re ready to leave, try exiting the car park onto a side street like Sunflower Avenue or Bear Street. This allows you to bypass the heavily congested ring road around the mall and merge more easily onto the main roads.

To efficiently visit both Crystal Cove and Laguna Beach, start your day at Crystal Cove State Park, arriving early to secure parking in one of the lots off the PCH. After enjoying the park, continue driving south on the PCH into downtown Laguna Beach. Find a spot in a central public car park, such as those near Main Beach, and leave your car there. You can then explore Laguna’s shops, galleries and beaches on foot, which avoids the hassle of moving your car multiple times.

For most first-time visitors, driving from SNA to the Catalina ferry terminal in Dana Point is the easier and more straightforward option. The route primarily involves taking the I-5 South, which has clear and prominent signage for the Dana Point Harbor exit. In contrast, the terminal in Newport Beach is located on the busy Balboa Peninsula and requires navigating more local traffic and can be trickier to find. The drive to Dana Point is typically a simpler, freeway-based journey.

The most direct route to San Diego is to take the I-405 South from the airport area until it merges into the I-5 South. To avoid tolls, simply stay in the main, general-purpose lanes for the entire trip. The toll lanes, often called Express Lanes, are clearly marked with signage and separated by a physical barrier. As long as you do not intentionally enter these designated lanes, your journey will be toll-free on this standard route.

To enjoy a coastal drive without constant parking frustration, adopt a 'park once, explore on foot' approach in each town. Start in Huntington Beach and park in a main lot near the pier for a couple of hours. Then drive to Newport Beach and park in the Balboa Pier area to explore the Fun Zone. Finally, head to Laguna Beach and use a central parking structure to walk around the Main Beach area. This strategy minimises driving time and maximises your enjoyment at each stop.

The most efficient route from SNA to Fullerton is to use the freeways to cover the majority of the distance. Take the CA-55 North to the CA-91 West, which will take you directly into the Fullerton area. This all-freeway path is generally much faster and involves less stop-and-go driving than navigating a long series of surface streets like Harbor Boulevard or Euclid Street. It's a more direct and less stressful option for reaching your destination.

For a low-stress Disneyland rope-drop morning, plan to leave your Santa Ana or Costa Mesa hotel approximately 75 minutes before the park’s scheduled opening. This provides a comfortable buffer to account for morning traffic on the I-5 North and the time it takes to navigate into the parking structure. Arriving this early ensures you'll be on the tram and at the front gates with time to spare, turning a potentially frantic rush into a calm and exciting start to your day.

Visitors are often surprised by the strict enforcement of speed limits in school zones and residential neighbourhoods, particularly in Irvine and Newport Beach. These areas have lower speed limits that are actively monitored, especially during morning and afternoon school hours. Additionally, be aware of intersections with red-light cameras on main roads like Jamboree Road and MacArthur Boulevard. Paying close attention to posted speed limits is the best way to ensure a safe and uneventful drive.

When unloading at a beach rental on a narrow street, the best strategy is to have one person stay with the car while another quickly moves the luggage. Find a safe spot to pull over temporarily, even if it means briefly double-parking. Unload all the bags onto the pavement or property first. Once the car is empty, the driver can immediately go find a legal parking space while the rest of the party takes the luggage inside.

To get to Malibu from SNA while minimising traffic delays, plan to leave after the peak morning rush, ideally between 10am and 1pm. The most reliable route is the I-405 North. Continue on the 405 past LAX and take the I-10 West towards Santa Monica. The I-10 will end and transition into the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), which you take north along the coast directly to Malibu. This route keeps you on major motorways for the longest possible time.

The most direct route to Universal Studios is taking the I-5 North toward Los Angeles. The key is to stay on the I-5 through the downtown LA interchange, then transition to the CA-134 West. The exit for Universal Studios Boulevard is clearly signed from the 134. A common mistake occurs at the complex I-5/I-110 interchange; drivers should stay in the middle-to-left lanes and follow signs for I-5 North (Sacramento) to avoid being diverted.

For families with children, beaches with large, dedicated car parks are far more convenient. Corona del Mar State Beach in Newport Beach and Aliso Beach Park in Laguna Beach are excellent choices. Both offer spacious, paid car parks located right next to the sand, toilets and other amenities. This allows for easy unloading of beach gear and eliminates the stress of searching for limited and often distant street parking.

The Hertz rental lot provides the ideal space to organise your bulky equipment without pressure. Once you have your assigned vehicle, take a few minutes in the parking bay to load your gear. You can fold down seats, arrange bags and secure items like pushchairs or surfboards before you even start the engine. This is far more relaxed and safer than trying to manage everything at a busy terminal kerb.

For a well-paced day trip to Joshua Tree, plan your route from SNA via the CA-91 East to the I-10 East. A perfect place to stop and break up the drive is the Palm Springs area, which is about two-thirds of the way there. You can grab lunch, stretch your legs and experience a bit of the desert oasis culture. From there, it's a much shorter and more manageable final drive up to the park's main entrances, making the whole journey more enjoyable.

To drive to Legoland in Carlsbad, your most direct route is the I-405 South, which merges into the I-5 South. The primary traffic bottleneck often occurs in the stretch between Irvine and San Clemente. To minimise delays, plan to begin your drive either before 7am or after 9.30am to avoid the heaviest morning commute. The route itself is very straightforward, with clear signs directing you to the Legoland exit.

When driving on the I-405 or SR-55 near the airport, the key is to be assertive and match the speed of traffic as you merge. These freeways have a fast pace and relatively short on-ramps. Use your indicator early, check your blind spots carefully and accelerate confidently to blend in with the flow of traffic. Local drivers expect this, so being decisive is safer than hesitating at the end of a ramp.

For an early morning flight, plan to arrive at the Hertz rental return lot at least two hours before your flight’s departure. If your flight is during the peak 6am to 9am window, it's wise to add an extra 30 minutes to that timeline. This buffer accounts for potential morning commute traffic, the car return process and the shuttle ride back to the terminal, ensuring you have ample time for check-in and security without any last-minute rushing.

To avoid missing the rental car return, set your sat-nav to the airport's main address: 18601 Airport Way, Santa Ana, CA 92707. As you get close, ignore the signs for departures and arrivals and instead follow the specific overhead signs for 'Rental Car Return.' The entrance is a dedicated turn-off from the main airport loop road. Paying close attention to these specific signs is the key to avoiding a frustrating circle around the terminal.

For a multi-hotel trip, pack a smaller overnight bag with just the essentials for each one- or two-night stay. This allows you to leave your larger suitcases securely in the boot of the car. When you arrive at each new hotel, you only need to bring in the small bag. This strategy saves you the effort of hauling all your luggage in and out at every stop and makes the check-in and check-out process much faster and smoother.

A good plan is to spend the afternoon at Fashion Island, where parking is plentiful and often free. After you've finished shopping, drive to a viewpoint in Newport Coast or Corona del Mar for the sunset, such as Lookout Point. This keeps you on the mainland side of the bay, allowing you to enjoy coastal views without getting stuck in the heavy traffic that builds on the Balboa Peninsula as people leave the beach.

The most straightforward route for a first-time driver is to take the I-405 North from the airport area. You will travel for about 10–15 minutes before taking the exit for Seal Beach Boulevard. Head west on Seal Beach Boulevard towards the ocean. This major road will take you directly to the Pacific Coast Highway, right at the entrance to Seal Beach, and provides easy access to the nearby Naples area, keeping you on major, well-signed roads.

During Santa Ana wind events, be prepared for strong, sudden gusts of wind, especially on motorway overpasses and exposed coastal roads. It's important to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel. If there are active wildfires, smoke can significantly reduce visibility, similar to dense fog, so you should use your headlights and increase your following distance. Always check local news or the Caltrans website for any potential road closures in canyon areas before you travel.