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Trip from Cambria, 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

3h 52m

Distance

224.1 mi

361 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$52

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 40m ★
6 AM
3h 53m
8 AM
4h 18m
10 AM
4h 2m
12 PM
3h 59m
3 PM
4h 3m
5 PM
4h 17m
8 PM
3h 45m

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

Downtown Cambria, CA, CA

Cambria, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city and county seat of Alameda County, California, United States

Oakland, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Cambria, CA to Oakland, CA covers 224.1 miles and takes about 3h 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Village Lane, Burton Drive, Eton Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.51 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

112.1 miles from Cambria, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 52m. Total distance: 224.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 52m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 52m drive with frequent turns across 224.1 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Village Lane 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.

This is a straightforward 3h 52m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cambria, CA to Oakland, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Village Lane
Burton Drive
Eton Road
Main Street
Cabrillo Highway
Green Valley Road
US 101 North
El Camino Real

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Village Lane — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cambria, CA and Oakland, CA.

1

Start on Village Lane

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Village Lane
2

Continue on Village Lane

0.2 mi · 45 sec · Village Lane
3

Turn left onto Burton Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Burton Drive
4

Continue on Eton Road

0.4 mi · 48 sec · Eton Road
5

At the end of the road, turn right onto Main Street

0.2 mi · 27 sec · Main Street
6

Turn left onto Cabrillo Highway

2.3 mi · 3 min · Cabrillo Highway
7

Turn left onto Green Valley Road

17 mi · 23 min · Green Valley Road
8

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Green Valley Road

118 ft · 2 sec · Green Valley Road
9

Exit the roundabout onto Green Valley Road

4.6 mi · 6 min · Green Valley Road
10

Take the ramp left toward US 101 North: Paso Robles, Bakersfield

0.2 mi · 22 sec · US 101 North: Paso Robles, Bakersfield
11

Merge slight left onto El Camino Real

122 mi · 2 hr 19 min · El Camino Real
12

Continue on South Valley Freeway

26 mi · 30 min · South Valley Freeway
13

Keep slight left

12 mi · 14 min
14

Take the exit slight right toward I 880 North: Oakland

0.2 mi · 29 sec · I 880 North: Oakland
15

Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

7.3 mi · 8 min · Nimitz Freeway
16

Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway

13 mi · 14 min · Nimitz Freeway
17

Keep slight left

17 mi · 19 min
18

Take the exit slight right toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
19

Turn right onto Oak Street

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Oak Street
20

Turn left onto 12th Street

0.3 mi · 46 sec · 12th Street
21

Turn right onto Harrison Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Harrison Street
22

Turn left onto 14th Street

0.2 mi · 49 sec · 14th Street
23

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 112.1 miles from Cambria, CA, or about 1h 56m 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 49 miles or 50m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 112.1 miles or 1h 56m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 3h 10m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Cambria, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Cambria, CA

This is one driving day of about 224.1 miles and 3h 52m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Cambria, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 112.1 mi from Cambria, CA · 1h 56m into the drive

census-designated place in California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Castroville, CA

112 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

Lake Nacimiento, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Castroville, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 112.1 miles from Cambria, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Oakland, CA

The final approach into Oakland, 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 Oakland, 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

$51.51 one way

$103.02 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 78 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $53.08 $106.16
premium $6.18 $54.50 $109.00
diesel $5.61 $49.48 $98.96

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$52

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$77–$102

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 78.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 67.2 0 $23.53 $10.76
Efficient EV 56 0 $19.61 $8.96
EV Truck/SUV 89.6 1 $31.37 $14.34

Gas CO2

78 kg

EV CO2

26 kg (67% less)

Plan for 0 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Cambria, CA

Night in Cambria on Friday

Local time

9:44 PM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Oakland, CA

Night in Oakland on Friday

Local time

9:44 PM

PDT

Current temp

67°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

15 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 52m 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 Cambria, CA to Oakland, CA covers 224.1 miles and takes about 3h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Village Lane, Burton Drive, Eton Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 112.1 miles from Cambria, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $51.51 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

This is a straightforward 3h 52m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Cambria, CA to Oakland, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Cambria, CA to Oakland, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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