Origin
Brentwood, CA
Late night in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
4:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Brentwood, CA to Oakland, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
45.8 mi
74 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brentwood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Brentwood, CA to Oakland, CA is 45.8 miles and takes about 58m via CA 4, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip keeps you within the Pacific Coast region, traveling from one part of California to another. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on highways, making it a convenient option for a quick relocation or a simple transit between these two East Bay cities. Given its short duration and focus on main roads, this route is best suited for those prioritizing efficiency over extended sightseeing.
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 58m. Total distance: 45.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 82% of the journey utilizing major roadways like CA 4, CA 242, and CA 24. You'll encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.5 miles on CA 4, offering a consistent pace. The character of the drive is largely defined by these main arteries, designed for efficient travel. Expect a consistent flow of traffic as you transition from the more suburban feel of Brentwood towards the urban environment of Oakland.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 4 is the longest continuous segment at about 18.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 4 and CA 24. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 45.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21.9 miles (CA 242): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.8 miles (CA 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
3.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward CA 4 West: Martinez
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward CA 4 West: Martinez
8
21.9 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
CA 242
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord
8
29.8 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
CA 24
Take the exit onto CA 24 toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 46A
Toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Fran...
6
39.1 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
CA 24 / Caldecott Tunnel
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 24 / Caldecott Tunnel
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
8
44.9 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward 18th Street, 14th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1D
Toward 18th Street, 14th Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brentwood, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Concord, Lafayette and San Francisco.
Concord
21.9 mi in
|
~28m
|
via CA 242
Lafayette
29.8 mi in
|
~37m
|
via CA 24
San Francisco
29.8 mi in
|
~37m
|
via CA 24
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 4 | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| CA 24 | 9.4 mi | 11m |
| CA 242 | 4.6 mi | 4m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 4.5 mi | 5m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Sand Creek Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Caldecott Tunnel | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 14th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 4
— 18.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on Brentwood Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
42 sec
·
Brentwood Boulevard
2
Turn left onto 2nd Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
2nd Street
3
Continue on Second Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Second Street
4
Continue on O'Hara Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
O'Hara Avenue
5
Turn left onto Sand Creek Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Sand Creek Road
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Toward CA 4 West: Martinez
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto CA 4
18 mi
·
21 min
·
CA 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242
4.6 mi
·
4 min
·
CA 242
Toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 680
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto CA 24
9.4 mi
·
11 min
·
CA 24
Exit 46A
Toward CA 24 West: Oakland, Lafayette, San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 24
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Caldecott Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on CA 24
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 980
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
John B. Williams Freeway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 1D
Toward 18th Street, 14th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn straight onto Brush Street
0.2 mi
·
42 sec
·
Brush Street
16
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
17
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.9 mi from Brentwood, CA · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.9 miles from Brentwood, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Oakland, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Oakland, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.53 one way
$21.05 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.85 | $21.70 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.14 | $22.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.11 | $20.22 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.81 | $2.20 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.41 | $2.93 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Oakland, CA
Late night in Oakland on Saturday
Local time
4:39 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
58m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 Oakland, CA covers 45.8 miles and takes about 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 4, CA 24, CA 242. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.9 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 $10.53 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 45.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 21.9 miles (CA 242): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.8 miles (CA 24): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Brentwood, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Concord, Lafayette and San Francisco.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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