Origin
Daly City, CA
Evening in Daly City on Wednesday
Local time
8:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Daly City, CA to Fontana, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
8h 5m
Distance
432.7 mi
696 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$99
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 57m
★
6 AM
8h 5m
8 AM
8h 22m
10 AM
8h 11m
12 PM
8h 9m
3 PM
8h 12m
5 PM
8h 21m
8 PM
8h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Daly City, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Daly City, CA to Fontana, CA covers 432.7 miles and takes about 8h 5m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, Foothill Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $99.45 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
216.4 miles from Daly City, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 1m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 8h 5m highway drive covering 432.7 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and Foothill Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 224.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Foothill Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.7 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 432.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 30 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
6.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward 6th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 57
Toward 6th Street
7
7.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
7.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right / right lanes.
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
8
14.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-St...
8
386.9 mi into trip
|
~7h 10m in
|
I 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino,...
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 Daly City, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Ventura along the way.
Ventura
386.9 mi in
|
~7h 10m
|
via I 210
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 224.4 mi | 4h |
| Foothill Freeway | 67 mi | 1h 17m |
| I 5 Truck | 58.4 mi | 1h 6m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 15.9 mi | 18m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| John F Foran Freeway | 3 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 224.4 mi, about 4h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Daly City, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Hillcrest Drive
194 ft
·
11 sec
·
Hillcrest Drive
2
Turn right onto Mission Circle
332 ft
·
15 sec
·
Mission Circle
3
Turn right onto Bepler Street
299 ft
·
20 sec
·
Bepler Street
4
Turn left onto CA 82
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
San Jose Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 280 North: Civic Center, Bay Bridge
6
Merge onto I 280
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
John F Foran Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 280
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Southern Embarcadero Freeway
Exit 54B
Toward I 280 North: Downtown San Francisco, Sixth Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 57
Toward 6th Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn right onto Brannan Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Brannan Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
5th Street
Use the left lane.
11
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Use the slight right / right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 80
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Route 80
13
Continue on I 80
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Use the slight right lane.
15
Merge onto I 580
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
16
Merge onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
11 mi
·
11 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
20
Merge onto I 5
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
Exit 161A
Toward I 210 East: Pasadena
Use the slight right lane.
24
Continue on I 210
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura
Use the slight right lane.
26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 67
Toward Sierra Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
33
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
205 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
Use the left lane.
34
Arrive at destination
Merrill Avenue
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.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 216.4 miles from Daly City, CA, or about 4h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 95 miles or 1h 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 216.4 miles or 4h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 216.4 miles or 4h 1m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 54m
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 Daly City, 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.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Daly City, CA
Aim for roughly 216 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 216 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 95 miles from Daly City, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 224.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 216.4 mi from Daly City, CA · 4h 1m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
216 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Barstow, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
216 mi · about 4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Barstow, CA after about 216 miles or 4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 95 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 216.4 miles from Daly City, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 224.4 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 216 miles or 4 hours on the road.
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.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fontana, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$99.45 one way
$198.91 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
151 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $102.49 | $204.97 |
| premium | $6.18 | $105.23 | $210.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $95.53 | $191.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$99
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$229–$339
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 151.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 129.8 | 1 | $45.43 | $20.77 |
| Efficient EV | 108.2 | 1 | $37.86 | $17.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 173.1 | 2 | $60.58 | $27.69 |
Gas CO2
151 kg
EV CO2
51 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.
Destination
Fontana, CA
Evening in Fontana on Wednesday
Local time
8:20 PM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Barstow, CA
216 mi in
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
28 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
8h 5m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Daly City, CA to Fontana, CA covers 432.7 miles and takes about 8h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, Foothill Freeway, I 5 Truck. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 216 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 216.4 miles from Daly City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $99.45 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 432.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Daly City, CA to Fontana, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Ventura along the way.
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