Origin
Fontana, CA
Night in Fontana on Friday
Local time
11:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 52m
Distance
473.6 mi
762 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$109
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 44m
★
6 AM
8h 52m
8 AM
9h 8m
10 AM
8h 58m
12 PM
8h 56m
3 PM
8h 59m
5 PM
9h 8m
8 PM
8h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Rosa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, CA covers 473.6 miles and takes about 8h 52m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Sierra Avenue, CA 210 West, Foothill Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $108.85 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
236.8 miles from Fontana, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 26m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 52m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 8h 52m drive with frequent turns across 473.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sierra Avenue 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
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 52m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sierra Avenue | — | — |
| CA 210 West | — | — |
| Foothill Freeway | — | — |
| Golden State Freeway | — | — |
| Westside Freeway | — | — |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | — | — |
| Arthur H | — | — |
| MacArthur Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Sierra Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fontana, CA and Santa Rosa, CA.
1
Start on Merrill Avenue
207 ft
·
6 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
2
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Sierra Avenue
3
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 210 West
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
CA 210 West
4
Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Foothill Freeway
5
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
6
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
7
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
8
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Foothill Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Foothill Freeway
11
Keep slight right
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
12
Merge slight right
1.0 mi
·
1 min
13
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
14
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
16
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
17
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
18
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
22
Continue on Eastshore Freeway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
23
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
24
Keep slight left to continue on US 101 North: San Rafeal
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
·
US 101 North: San Rafeal
25
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
37 mi
·
43 min
·
Redwood Highway
26
Take the exit slight right toward Third Street, Downtown
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Third Street, Downtown
27
Keep slight right to continue on Third Street, Downtown
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Third Street, Downtown
28
Turn right onto 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
3rd Street
29
Turn left onto B Street
328 ft
·
18 sec
·
B Street
30
Turn right onto 4th Street
446 ft
·
12 sec
·
4th Street
31
Arrive at your destination
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 236.8 miles from Fontana, CA, or about 4h 26m into the drive.
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 104 miles or 1h 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 236.8 miles or 4h 26m 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 236.8 miles or 4h 26m
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 7h 44m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Rosa, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fontana, 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 Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 237 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Santa Rosa, CA
Aim for roughly 237 miles and 4.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 104 miles from Fontana, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 236.8 mi from Fontana, CA · 4h 26m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
237 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 Manteca, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
237 mi · about 4.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Manteca, CA after about 237 miles or 4.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 104 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 236.8 miles from Fontana, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 237 miles or 4.4 hours on the road.
Arriving in Santa Rosa, CA
The final approach into Santa Rosa, 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 Santa Rosa, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Santa Rosa, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$108.85 one way
$217.71 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
166 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $112.17 | $224.34 |
| premium | $6.18 | $115.17 | $230.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $104.56 | $209.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$109
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$239–$349
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 165.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $50 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 142.1 | 1 | $49.73 | $22.73 |
| Efficient EV | 118.4 | 1 | $41.44 | $18.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 189.4 | 2 | $66.30 | $30.31 |
Gas CO2
166 kg
EV CO2
55 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
Santa Rosa, CA
Night in Santa Rosa on Friday
Local time
11:27 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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.
Road read
8h 52m 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 Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, CA covers 473.6 miles and takes about 8h 52m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sierra Avenue, CA 210 West, Foothill 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 237 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 236.8 miles from Fontana, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $108.85 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 52m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Fontana, CA to Santa Rosa, 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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