Origin
Dixon, CA
Late night in Dixon on Wednesday
Local time
5:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Dixon, CA to San Diego, CA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
9h 49m
Distance
524.3 mi
844 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$121
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 41m
★
6 AM
9h 50m
8 AM
10h 8m
10 AM
9h 56m
12 PM
9h 54m
3 PM
9h 57m
5 PM
10h 7m
8 PM
9h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dixon, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dixon, CA to San Diego, CA covers 524.3 miles and takes about 9h 49m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, San Diego Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 296.5 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $120.51 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
262.2 miles from Dixon, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 46m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
At 524.3 miles and 9h 49m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 37 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 296.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 17.9 miles in near US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 32 significant decision points across 524.3 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 17.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 32 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
9
17.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 82
Toward Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe
8
21.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Redding, Los Angeles
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 4A
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Redding, Los Angel...
9
21.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
8
380.5 mi into trip
|
~6h 57m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
8
405.5 mi into trip
|
~7h 27m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Dixon, CA and San Diego, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, Broadway and Riverside.
Santa Ana
405.5 mi in
|
~7h 27m
|
via I 5
Broadway
432.7 mi in
|
~7h 59m
Riverside
439.9 mi in
|
~8h 9m
|
via Jamboree Road
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 296.5 mi | 5h 19m |
| I 5 Truck | 83.3 mi | 1h 36m |
| San Diego Freeway | 76.5 mi | 1h 29m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 35 mi | 40m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Golden State Freeway | 5.3 mi | 6m |
| Yolo Causeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Capital City Freeway | 3.3 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 296.5 mi, about 5h 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dixon, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on West A Street
224 ft
·
11 sec
·
West A Street
2
Turn left onto CA 113
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
North 1st Street
3
Take the ramp onto CA 113
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
CA 113
4
Merge onto I 80; CA 113
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on I 80
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Yolo Causeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 50; I 80 Business
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Exit 82
Toward Sacramento, South Lake Tahoe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 North, I 5 South: Redding, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 4A
Toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 5
59 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
48 sec
·
Westside Freeway
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
237 mi
·
4 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
18
Merge onto I 5
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
Toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South
23
Merge onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 102
Toward Newport Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
27
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Newport Avenue
Use the right lane.
28
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Walnut Avenue
29
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
0.5 mi
·
37 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Toward CA 261 Toll North: Jamboree Road, Riverside
Use the left lane.
30
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 5 South
31
Merge onto I 5
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Merge onto I 5
76 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit 17
Toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward Front Street, Civic Center
36
Continue on Front Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
37
Arrive at destination
Front Street
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 262.2 miles from Dixon, CA, or about 4h 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 296.5 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 115 miles or 2h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 262.2 miles or 4h 46m 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 262.2 miles or 4h 46m
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 8h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Diego, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Dixon, 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 Dixon, CA
Aim for roughly 262 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into San Diego, CA
Aim for roughly 262 miles and 4.9 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 115 miles from Dixon, 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 296.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 262.2 mi from Dixon, CA · 4h 46m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
173 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
346 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 Los Angeles, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
262 mi · about 4.9h in
A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 262 miles or 4.9 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 115 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 262.2 miles from Dixon, 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 296.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 262 miles or 4.9 hours on the road.
Arriving in San Diego, CA
The final approach into San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach San Diego, 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
$120.51 one way
$241.01 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
183 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $124.18 | $248.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $127.50 | $255.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $115.76 | $231.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$121
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$251–$361
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 183.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $55 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 157.3 | 1 | $55.05 | $25.17 |
| Efficient EV | 131.1 | 1 | $45.88 | $20.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 209.7 | 2 | $73.40 | $33.56 |
Gas CO2
183 kg
EV CO2
61 kg (67% 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
San Diego, CA
Late night in San Diego on Wednesday
Local time
5:14 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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.
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
12 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
9h 49m 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 Dixon, CA to San Diego, CA covers 524.3 miles and takes about 9h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, San Diego Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
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 262 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 262.2 miles from Dixon, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $120.51 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 32 significant decision points across 524.3 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 17.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Dixon, CA and San Diego, CA, road signs point toward Santa Ana, Broadway and Riverside.
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