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Trip from Fort Bragg, CA to San Francisco, CA

Drive Time

3h 46m

Distance

171.3 mi

276 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$40

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 38 min
4 AM
3h 34m ★
6 AM
3h 46m
8 AM
4h 12m
10 AM
3h 55m
12 PM
3h 53m
3 PM
3h 57m
5 PM
4h 11m
8 PM
3h 39m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Fort Bragg, CA, CA

Fort Bragg, CA

Skyler Sion

Downtown San Francisco, CA, CA

San Francisco, CA

Abhishek Navlakha

Trip Overview

The drive from Fort Bragg, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 171.3 miles and takes about 3h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on CA 20, Fort Bragg-Willits Road, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 116.7 miles on CA 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $39.67 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

85.6 miles from Fort Bragg, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 55m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 3h 46m highway drive covering 171.3 miles, with most of the trip on CA 20 and Fort Bragg-Willits Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 116.7 miles on CA 20.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 116.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 20 and Fort Bragg-Willits Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near CA 1 / North Main Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 171.3 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 0.2 miles (CA 1 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 154.2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 18 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | CA 1 / North Main Street

Turn left onto CA 1 / North Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
7
154.2 mi into trip | ~3h 17m in | US 101 / Redwood Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Redwood Highway toward US 101: San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 101: San Francisco
6
168.3 mi into trip | ~3h 38m in | Divisadero Street

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
169.5 mi into trip | ~3h 41m in | Webster Street

Turn right onto Webster Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
170.6 mi into trip | ~3h 43m in | Oak Street

Turn left onto Oak Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 20 116.7 mi 2h 19m
Fort Bragg-Willits Road 26.8 mi 39m
Redwood Highway 11.7 mi 15m
Fort Bragg Road 6.3 mi 9m
Golden Gate Bridge 1.7 mi 2m
North Main Street 1.7 mi 3m
Presidio Parkway 1.6 mi 3m
South Main Street 1.2 mi 2m
Longest stretch: CA 20 — 116.7 mi, about 2h 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fort Bragg, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on this road

75 ft · 10 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto East Laurel Street

191 ft · 12 sec · East Laurel Street
3

Turn right onto North Franklin Street

466 ft · 24 sec · North Franklin Street
4

Turn right onto East Redwood Avenue

401 ft · 25 sec · East Redwood Avenue
5

Turn left onto CA 1

1.7 mi · 3 min · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
6

Turn left onto CA 20

27 mi · 39 min · Fort Bragg-Willits Road
Use the left lane.
7

Continue on CA 20

6.3 mi · 9 min · Fort Bragg Road
8

Turn right onto CA 20

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
9

Continue on CA 20

1.4 mi · 1 min · Redwood Highway
10

Take the ramp onto CA 20

117 mi · 2 hr 19 min · CA 20
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

10 mi · 13 min · Redwood Highway
Toward US 101: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on US 101

1.7 mi · 2 min · Golden Gate Bridge
13

Merge

34 ft · 0 sec
14

Keep slight left at fork

130 ft · 1 sec
15

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec
16

Continue on US 101; CA 1

1.6 mi · 3 min · Presidio Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on US 101

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18

Continue on US 101

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Lombard Street
19

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Divisadero Street
Use the right lane.
20

Turn left onto California Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · California Street
21

Turn right onto Webster Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Webster Street
Use the straight lane.
22

Turn left onto Oak Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
Use the left lane.
23

Turn right onto Gough Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gough Street
24

Turn slight left onto Market Street

183 ft · 15 sec · Market Street
Use the slight left lane.
25

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
26

Arrive at destination

Market Street

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 85.6 miles from Fort Bragg, CA, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 116.7 miles.

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 80 miles or 1h 48m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 85.6 miles or 1h 55m 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

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Fort Bragg, 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 Fort Bragg, CA

This is one driving day of about 171.3 miles and 3h 46m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Fort Bragg, 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.
The longest stretch is on CA 20 for about 116.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 85.6 mi from Fort Bragg, CA · 1h 55m into the drive

Downtown Windsor, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Windsor, CA

86 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

Windsor, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Windsor, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 85.6 miles from Fort Bragg, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before CA 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 116.7 miles.

Arriving in San Francisco, CA

The final approach into San Francisco, 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 Francisco, CA.

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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...

2 mi from route ~6 min detour Free near mile 171.3
Park Closure: Hyde Street Pier Closure
Caution: Sick Birds and Wildlife, H5N1
View on nps.gov
Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...

4 mi from route ~9 min detour $15 near mile 159.5
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...

5 mi from route ~13 min detour Free near mile 159.5
View on nps.gov
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free near mile 159.5
View on nps.gov
Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore

National Seashore

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 spec...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free near mile 141.7
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 147.6
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$39.67 one way

$79.34 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 60 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $40.91 $81.82
premium $6.24 $42.10 $84.21
diesel $5.64 $38.06 $76.11

Estimated Tolls: $9.00

Golden Gate Bridge $9.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$40

Tolls

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$74–$99

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 59.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $18 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 51.4 0 $17.99 $8.22
Efficient EV 42.8 0 $14.99 $6.85
EV Truck/SUV 68.5 0 $23.98 $10.96

Gas CO2

60 kg

EV CO2

20 kg (67% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 5 hours ago

Origin

Fort Bragg, CA

Morning in Fort Bragg on Monday

Local time

10:53 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Morning in San Francisco on Monday

Local time

10:53 AM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Partly Cloudy

NW 2 mph 8% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

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

2 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

3h 46m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Fort Bragg, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 171.3 miles and takes about 3h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 20, Fort Bragg-Willits Road, Redwood Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 85.6 miles from Fort Bragg, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $39.67 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 demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 171.3 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 0.2 miles (CA 1 / North Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 154.2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 168.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fort Bragg, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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