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Trip from Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

7h 20m

Distance

389.2 mi

626 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
7h 10m ★
6 AM
7h 20m
8 AM
7h 41m
10 AM
7h 28m
12 PM
7h 25m
3 PM
7h 29m
5 PM
7h 40m
8 PM
7h 14m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Brentwood, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Fontana, CA, CA

Fontana, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA covers 389.2 miles and takes about 7h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Oak Street, Brentwood Boulevard, Byron Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $52.86 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

194.6 miles from Brentwood, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 40m into the drive .

About the Cities

Starting in Brentwood, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1837

Brentwood is an affluent, suburban city in eastern Contra Costa County, California with a popular downtown for visitors coming from the Sacramento Valley to the county. It serves as one of the eastern gateways to the East Bay, along with Livermore. Many in the city are commuters.

Top landmarks

  • Stone House of John Marsh — historic stone house in Contra Costa County, California

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 20m. Total distance: 389.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 20m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 7h 20m drive with frequent turns across 389.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Oak Street 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 3/10

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 20m, 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 Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Oak Street
Brentwood Boulevard
Byron Highway
Byron-Bethany Road
Byron Road
Mountain House Parkway
International Parkway
William Elton Brown Freeway

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Oak Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on Brentwood Boulevard

66 ft · 9 sec · Brentwood Boulevard
2

Turn left onto Oak Street

98 ft · 10 sec · Oak Street
3

Turn left

305 ft · 24 sec
4

Turn right onto Brentwood Boulevard

3.7 mi · 5 min · Brentwood Boulevard
5

Continue on Byron Highway

1.4 mi · 2 min · Byron Highway
6

Turn right onto Byron Highway

6.7 mi · 10 min · Byron Highway
7

Continue on Byron-Bethany Road

1.5 mi · 2 min · Byron-Bethany Road
8

Continue on Byron Road

1.8 mi · 2 min · Byron Road
9

Turn right onto Mountain House Parkway

2.7 mi · 4 min · Mountain House Parkway
10

Continue on International Parkway

1.0 mi · 1 min · International Parkway
11

Continue on Mountain House Parkway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Mountain House Parkway
12

Take the ramp left

0.2 mi · 30 sec
13

Merge slight left onto William Elton Brown Freeway

8.1 mi · 8 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
14

Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
15

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

224 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
16

Keep slight right

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min
17

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.0 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
18

Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 210 East: Pasadena
19

Continue on Foothill Freeway

24 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway
20

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

19 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway
21

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

2.9 mi · 3 min · Foothill Freeway
22

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
23

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
24

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
25

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

16 mi · 18 min · Foothill Freeway
26

Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Sierra Avenue
27

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

3.0 mi · 5 min · Sierra Avenue
28

Turn left onto Merrill Avenue

207 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
29

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 194.6 miles from Brentwood, CA, or about 3h 40m 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 86 miles or 1h 37m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 194.6 miles or 3h 40m 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 12m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fontana, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, CA

This is one driving day of about 389.2 miles and 7h 20m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Brentwood, 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 194.6 mi from Brentwood, CA · 3h 40m into the drive

city in Los Angeles County, California, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Santa Clarita, CA

195 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

Turlock, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 86 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Clarita, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 194.6 miles from Brentwood, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fontana, CA

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.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$52.86 one way

$105.73 round trip

$3.45/gal 25.4 MPG avg 136 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $3.85 $58.99 $117.99
premium $4.15 $63.59 $127.18
diesel $3.75 $57.46 $114.92

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 136.2 kg one way.

Driving Electric?

About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 116.8 1 $40.87 $18.68
Efficient EV 97.3 1 $34.06 $15.57
EV Truck/SUV 155.7 1 $54.49 $24.91

Gas CO2

136 kg

EV CO2

46 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Brentwood, CA

Late night in Brentwood on Saturday

Local time

3:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Destination

Fontana, CA

Late night in Fontana on Saturday

Local time

3:17 AM

PDT

Current temp

76°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.

Road read

7h 20m 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 Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA covers 389.2 miles and takes about 7h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Oak Street, Brentwood Boulevard, Byron Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 194.6 miles from Brentwood, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $52.86 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 20m, 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 Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Brentwood, CA to Fontana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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