Origin
Brentwood, CA
Morning in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
8:47 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Brentwood, CA to San Francisco, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
54.6 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 12m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 16m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brentwood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Brentwood, CA to San Francisco, CA is 54.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via CA 4, CA 24, and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you from the Pacific Coast region into the heart of the same region, offering a straightforward connection between these two California locales. The journey is predominantly highway-focused, making it a practical option for a quick trip or commute. With a relatively short duration and manageable distance, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
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
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
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 1h 12m. Total distance: 54.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with about 70% of the route utilizing major roadways like CA 4, CA 24, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. You'll experience stretches of consistent speed, including a notable 18.5-mile segment on CA 4 without interruption. The road generally maintains a high-speed character, facilitating efficient travel. As you approach San Francisco, expect the highway environment to continue, connecting you directly to the metropolitan area.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 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 21.9 miles in near CA 242.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.6 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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...
7
43.4 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, Hayward
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.
Toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, H...
8
44.1 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 580: San Francisco, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Sacramento
8
53.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
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 San Francisco, CA, road signs point toward Concord, Lafayette, Hayward and Sacramento.
Concord
21.9 mi in
|
~28m
|
via CA 242
Lafayette
29.8 mi in
|
~37m
|
via CA 24
Hayward
43.4 mi in
|
~54m
Sacramento
44.1 mi in
|
~55m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 4 | 18.5 mi | 21m |
| CA 24 | 9.4 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 6 mi | 9m |
| CA 242 | 4.6 mi | 4m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Sand Creek Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
CA 4
— 18.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, CA and San Francisco, 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
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 580 West, I 580 East: San Francisco, Hayward
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto I 580
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
17
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19A
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
18
Merge onto I 80
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
21
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
22
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
23
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
26
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
28
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
29
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.3 mi from Brentwood, CA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.3 miles from Brentwood, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
The final approach into San Francisco, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.55 one way
$25.10 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.93 | $25.86 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.28 | $26.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.05 | $24.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.78 | $2.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.64 | $3.49 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
San Francisco, CA
Morning in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
8:47 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
1h 12m 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 San Francisco, CA covers 54.6 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 4, CA 24, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.3 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 $12.55 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.6 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 43.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Brentwood, CA and San Francisco, CA, road signs point toward Concord, Lafayette, Hayward and Sacramento.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial and Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front 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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