Origin
Capitola, CA
Afternoon in Capitola on Thursday
Local time
2:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Capitola, CA to Felton, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
18m
Distance
11.7 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 17m
★
6 AM
0h 18m
8 AM
0h 21m
10 AM
0h 19m
12 PM
0h 19m
3 PM
0h 20m
5 PM
0h 21m
8 PM
0h 17m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Capitola, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Felton, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Capitola, CA to Felton, CA covers 11.7 miles and takes about 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Mount Hermon Road, Cabrillo Highway, Santa Cruz Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.8 miles on Mount Hermon Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.69 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 18m. Total distance: 11.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 18m drive with frequent turns across 11.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mount Hermon Road is the longest continuous segment at about 3.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Capitola Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 11.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Capitola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Capitola Avenue
Turn right onto Capitola Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
4 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
5
4.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CA 17 / Santa Cruz Highway
Merge onto CA 17 / Santa Cruz Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
11.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
CA 9 / Highway 9
Turn sharp left onto CA 9 / Highway 9
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Capitola, CA to Felton, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Oakland along the way.
Oakland
4 mi in
|
~5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Hermon Road | 3.8 mi | 7m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| Santa Cruz Highway | 3 mi | 3m |
| Bay Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Capitola Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Graham Hill Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Highway 9 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Riverview Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Mount Hermon Road
— 3.8 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Capitola, CA and Felton, CA.
1
Start on Riverview Drive
34 ft
·
5 sec
·
Riverview Drive
2
Continue on Riverview Drive
215 ft
·
18 sec
·
Riverview Drive
3
Turn right onto Capitola Avenue
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Capitola Avenue
4
Turn left onto Bay Avenue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Bay Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
6
Merge onto CA 1
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
8
Merge onto CA 17
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Cruz Highway
Use the straight lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
Toward Mount Hermon Road
10
Continue on CA 17 Business
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Mount Hermon Road
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto Graham Hill Road
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Graham Hill Road
12
Turn sharp left onto CA 9
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Highway 9
13
Arrive at destination
CA 9
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.69 one way
$5.38 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.77 | $5.54 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.85 | $5.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.58 | $5.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
| Efficient EV | 2.9 | 0 | $1.02 | $0.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Felton, CA
Afternoon in Felton on Thursday
Local time
2:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°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.
Temperature spread
9 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
18m 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 Capitola, CA to Felton, CA covers 11.7 miles and takes about 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mount Hermon Road, Cabrillo Highway, Santa Cruz Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.8 miles from Capitola, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.69 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 11.7 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (Capitola Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.7 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Capitola, CA to Felton, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Oakland along the way.
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