Origin
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Saturday
Local time
5:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irvine, CA to Brentwood, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 16m
Distance
387.7 mi
624 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$89
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 6m
★
6 AM
7h 16m
8 AM
7h 38m
10 AM
7h 24m
12 PM
7h 22m
3 PM
7h 25m
5 PM
7h 37m
8 PM
7h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Brentwood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Irvine, CA to Brentwood, CA covers 387.7 miles and takes about 7h 16m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on University Drive, Jeffrey Road, I 405 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $89.11 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
193.9 miles from Irvine, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 38m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
Arriving in Brentwood, CA
Full guide →Founded 1837
Brentwood is an affluent, suburban city in eastern Contra Costa County, California with a popular downtown for visitors coming from the Sacramento Valley to the county. It serves as one of the eastern gateways to the East Bay, along with Livermore. Many in the city are commuters.
Top landmarks
- • Stone House of John Marsh — historic stone house in Contra Costa County, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 16m. Total distance: 387.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 16m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 16m drive with frequent turns across 387.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
University Drive 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
3/10
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 7h 16m, 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 Irvine, CA to Brentwood, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Drive | — | — |
| Jeffrey Road | — | — |
| I 405 North | — | — |
| San Diego Freeway | — | — |
| CA 55 South | — | — |
| CA 55 North | — | — |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | — | — |
| I 5 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
University Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irvine, CA and Brentwood, CA.
1
Start on San Diego Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
2
Take the exit slight right toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Jeffrey Road
4
Take the ramp slight right toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 North: Los Angeles
5
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
6
Take the exit slight right toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
7
Keep slight right to continue on CA 55 North
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
CA 55 North
8
Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Costa Mesa Freeway
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
I 5 North: Santa Ana
11
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
12
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
14
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
17
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
18
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
19
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
14 mi
·
14 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
23
Keep slight right to continue on Patterson Pass Road
289 ft
·
7 sec
·
Patterson Pass Road
24
Turn straight onto Mountain House Parkway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Mountain House Parkway
25
Turn right onto International Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
International Parkway
26
Continue on Mountain House Parkway
2.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Mountain House Parkway
27
At the end of the road, turn left onto Byron Road
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Byron Road
28
Continue on Byron-Bethany Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Byron-Bethany Road
29
Continue on Byron Highway
6.7 mi
·
10 min
·
Byron Highway
30
At the end of the road, turn left
1.4 mi
·
2 min
31
Continue on Brentwood Boulevard
3.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Brentwood Boulevard
32
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 193.9 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 3h 38m into the drive.
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 85 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 193.9 miles or 3h 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brentwood, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Irvine, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Irvine, CA
This is one driving day of about 387.7 miles and 7h 16m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 85 miles from Irvine, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 193.9 mi from Irvine, CA · 3h 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
194 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 85 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 193.9 miles from Irvine, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brentwood, CA
The final approach into Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$89.11 one way
$178.22 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
136 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $91.83 | $183.65 |
| premium | $6.18 | $94.28 | $188.57 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $85.60 | $171.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$89
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$114–$139
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 135.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 116.3 | 1 | $40.71 | $18.61 |
| Efficient EV | 96.9 | 1 | $33.92 | $15.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 155.1 | 1 | $54.28 | $24.81 |
Gas CO2
136 kg
EV CO2
45 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
Brentwood, CA
Late night in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
5:35 AM
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.
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
7h 16m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Irvine, CA to Brentwood, CA covers 387.7 miles and takes about 7h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are University Drive, Jeffrey Road, I 405 North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 193.9 miles from Irvine, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $89.11 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 7h 16m, 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 Irvine, CA to Brentwood, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Irvine, CA to Brentwood, 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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