Drive Time
13h 30m
Distance
698 mi
1,123 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$95
one way
Photo: El Puerto de Santa María
The drive from Arcata, CA to Fontana, CA covers 698 miles and takes about 13h 30m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Redwood Highway, 14th Street, 4th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $94.81 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
349 miles from Arcata, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 45m into the drive .
At 698 miles and 13h 30m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Redwood Highway and 14th Street.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 14th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 4th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Broadway Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Willits Bypass | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| John T | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Eastshore Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 80 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Step-by-step road directions between Arcata, CA and Fontana, CA.
Start on the route
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
Take the exit slight right toward 14th Street
Turn left onto 14th Street
Take the ramp sharp left
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
Continue on 4th Street
Turn left onto Broadway Street
Continue on Redwood Highway
Continue on Willits Bypass
Continue on Redwood Highway
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
Keep slight right
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
Continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
Arrive at your destination
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 154 miles or 2h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 349 miles or 6h 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 349 miles or 6h 45m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 12h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fontana, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Arcata, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Arcata, CA
Aim for roughly 349 miles and 6.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 349 miles and 6.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 349 mi from Arcata, CA · 6h 45m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
230 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
461 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Hayward, CANight 1
349 mi · about 6.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Santa Rosa, CA after about 349 miles or 6.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 154 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 349 miles from Arcata, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 349 miles or 6.8 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
The final approach into Fontana, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Fontana, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fontana, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$94.81 one way
$189.61 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $3.85 | $105.80 | $211.60 |
| premium | $4.15 | $114.04 | $228.09 |
| diesel | $3.75 | $103.05 | $206.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$95
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$225–$335
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 244.2 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $73 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 209.4 | 2 | $73.29 | $33.50 |
| Efficient EV | 174.5 | 1 | $61.07 | $27.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 279.2 | 3 | $97.72 | $44.67 |
Gas CO2
244 kg
EV CO2
82 kg (66% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive. If you're planning ahead, check the forecast closer to your travel date.
Origin
Morning in Arcata on Saturday
Local time
8:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Destination
Morning in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
8:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Forecast unavailable right now
Along the Route
50°F
Hayward, CA
461 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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