Origin
Ben Lomond, CA
Afternoon in Ben Lomond on Thursday
Local time
3:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
7h 55m
Distance
402.8 mi
648 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$93
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 46m
★
6 AM
7h 55m
8 AM
8h 13m
10 AM
8h 1m
12 PM
8h 0m
3 PM
8h 2m
5 PM
8h 12m
8 PM
7h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ben Lomond, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA covers 402.8 miles and takes about 7h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highway 9, Graham Hill Road, Ocean Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $92.58 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
201.4 miles from Ben Lomond, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 57m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 55m. Total distance: 402.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 55m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 55m drive with frequent turns across 402.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 44 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highway 9 is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 55m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highway 9 | — | — |
| Graham Hill Road | — | — |
| Ocean Street | — | — |
| Plymouth Street | — | — |
| Cabrillo Highway | — | — |
| CA 152 | — | — |
| Main Street | — | — |
| East Beach Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Highway 9
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ben Lomond, CA and Riverside, CA.
1
Start on Glen Arbor Road
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Glen Arbor Road
2
Turn left onto Highway 9
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Highway 9
3
Turn left onto Graham Hill Road
5.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Graham Hill Road
4
Continue on Ocean Street
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
Ocean Street
5
Continue on Plymouth Street
282 ft
·
6 sec
·
Plymouth Street
6
Take the ramp straight
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
7
Merge slight left onto Cabrillo Highway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
8
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152: Watsonville, Gilroy
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 152: Watsonville, Gilroy
9
Continue on Main Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
10
Continue on Main Street
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Main Street
11
Turn left onto East Beach Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Beach Street
12
Turn right onto Blackburn Street
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
Blackburn Street
13
Turn left onto East Riverside Drive
223 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Riverside Drive
14
Continue on Riverside Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Road
15
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Riverside Road
92 ft
·
1 sec
·
Riverside Road
16
Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Road
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Riverside Road
17
Continue on Chittenden Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Chittenden Road
18
Take the exit slight right
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
19
Merge slight left onto El Camino Real
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
El Camino Real
20
Continue on South Valley Freeway
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
South Valley Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward CA 25 East
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
CA 25 East
22
At the end of the road, turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue
0.7 mi
·
58 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
23
Continue on Bloomfield Avenue
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Bloomfield Avenue
24
Turn right onto Pacheco Pass Highway
36 mi
·
42 min
·
Pacheco Pass Highway
25
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5: Los Angeles
26
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
181 mi
·
3 hr 14 min
·
Westside Freeway
27
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
28
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
29
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
30
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
31
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
32
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
33
Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 57 South: Santa Ana
34
Continue on Orange Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
35
Take the exit slight right toward CA 71: Corona
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 71: Corona
36
Continue on Chino Valley Freeway
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Chino Valley Freeway
37
Take the exit slight right toward CA 60 East: Riverside
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 60 East: Riverside
38
Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Pomona Freeway
39
Take the exit slight right toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue
40
Turn straight onto Mission Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
Mission Boulevard
41
Continue on Van Buren Boulevard
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard
42
Turn left onto Central Avenue
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Central Avenue
43
Turn sharp right
171 ft
·
13 sec
44
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 201.4 miles from Ben Lomond, CA, or about 3h 57m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 89 miles or 1h 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 201.4 miles or 3h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Riverside, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ben Lomond, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ben Lomond, CA
This is one driving day of about 402.8 miles and 7h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Ben Lomond, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 201.4 mi from Ben Lomond, CA · 3h 57m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
201 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 201.4 miles from Ben Lomond, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Riverside, CA
The final approach into Riverside, 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 Riverside, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$92.58 one way
$185.16 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
141 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $95.40 | $190.81 |
| premium | $6.18 | $97.96 | $195.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $88.93 | $177.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$93
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$118–$143
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 140.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 120.8 | 1 | $42.29 | $19.33 |
| Efficient EV | 100.7 | 1 | $35.25 | $16.11 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 161.1 | 2 | $56.39 | $25.78 |
Gas CO2
141 kg
EV CO2
47 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Destination
Riverside, CA
Afternoon in Riverside on Thursday
Local time
3:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
7h 55m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA covers 402.8 miles and takes about 7h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highway 9, Graham Hill Road, Ocean Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 201.4 miles from Ben Lomond, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $92.58 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 55m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Ben Lomond, CA to Riverside, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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