Trip from Laguna, CA to Kensington, CA

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

1h 48m

Distance

88 mi

142 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$20

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

1h 41m ★

6 AM

1h 49m

8 AM

2h 5m

10 AM

1h 54m

12 PM

1h 53m

3 PM

1h 55m

5 PM

2h 4m

8 PM

1h 44m

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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Laguna, CA

Tori Pezzulla❤️

Kensington, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Laguna, CA to Kensington, CA covers 88 miles and takes about 1h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, South Sacramento Freeway, Eastshore Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.1 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.23 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.

Midpoint

44 miles from Laguna, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 48m. Total distance: 88 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 48m drive with frequent turns across 88 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 50.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Laguna Boulevard.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 88 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (Laguna Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 12.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

0.8 mi into trip | ~2m in | Laguna Boulevard

Turn right onto Laguna Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

12.2 mi into trip | ~16m in

Take the exit toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe

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. Toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, S...

12.7 mi into trip | ~17m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 West: San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 50 West: San Francisco

83 mi into trip | ~1h 38m in

Take the exit toward McBryde Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 17 Toward McBryde Avenue

83.2 mi into trip | ~1h 39m in | McBryde Avenue

Turn left onto McBryde Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

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 Laguna, CA to Kensington, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Lake Tahoe along the way.

Lake Tahoe

12.2 mi in | ~16m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway	50.1 mi	58m
South Sacramento Freeway	9.9 mi	11m
Eastshore Freeway	6.1 mi	6m
Capital City Freeway	5 mi	5m
Yolo Causeway	3.9 mi	4m
Arlington Boulevard	3.7 mi	6m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway	3.4 mi	3m
Laguna Boulevard	1.2 mi	2m

Longest stretch: Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway — 50.1 mi, about 58m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Laguna, CA and Kensington, CA.

Start on Fall Breeze Court

183 ft · 10 sec · Fall Breeze Court

Turn right onto Mapleview Way

155 ft · 10 sec · Mapleview Way

Turn right onto November Drive

0.1 mi · 25 sec · November Drive

Turn left onto Seasons Drive

0.3 mi · 48 sec · Seasons Drive

Turn left onto Bruceville Road

0.3 mi · 42 sec · Bruceville Road

Turn right onto Laguna Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Laguna Boulevard

Use the right lane.

Continue on Bond Road

0.2 mi · 15 sec · Bond Road

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Toward CA 99 North: Sacramento

Merge onto CA 99

9.9 mi · 11 min · South Sacramento Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 33 sec

Toward US 50 West, US 50 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.8 mi · 1 min

Toward US 50 West: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 50

5.0 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80

3.9 mi · 4 min · Yolo Causeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80

50 mi · 58 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80

1.0 mi · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Eastshore Freeway

Continue on I 80

3.4 mi · 3 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80

5.7 mi · 6 min · Eastshore Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 37 sec

Exit 17 Toward McBryde Avenue Use the slight right lane.

Turn left onto McBryde Avenue

0.3 mi · 36 sec · McBryde Avenue

Use the left lane.

Continue on McBryde Avenue

293 ft · 7 sec · McBryde Avenue

Turn right onto Arlington Boulevard

3.7 mi · 6 min · Arlington Boulevard

Continue on Arlington Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · Arlington Avenue

Continue on Arlington Avenue

345 ft · 12 sec · Arlington Avenue

Arrive at destination

Arlington Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 44 miles from Laguna, CA, or about 53m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.1 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 19 miles or 24m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 44 miles or 53m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 29m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Laguna, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Laguna, CA

This is one driving day of about 88 miles and 1h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Laguna, CA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 50.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 44 mi from Laguna, CA · 53m into the drive

city in and county seat of Solano County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fairfield, CA

44 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

Sacramento, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Vacaville, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44 miles from Laguna, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Kensington, CA

The final approach into Kensington, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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.

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...

3 mi from route ~9 min detour Free near mile 84.9

View on nps.gov

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...

10 mi from route ~26 min detour Free near mile 88

View on nps.gov

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...

11 mi from route ~27 min detour Free near mile 72.8

View on nps.gov

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,...

15 mi from route ~37 min detour $15 near mile 81.9

View on nps.gov

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...

17 mi from route ~42 min detour Free near mile 81.9

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.23 one way

$40.45 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$20.84	$41.69
premium	$6.18	$21.40	$42.80
diesel	$5.61	$19.43	$38.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$20

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$45–$70

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 30.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	26.4	$9.24	$4.22
Efficient EV	22	$7.70	$3.52
EV Truck/SUV	35.2	$12.32	$5.63

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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 as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Laguna, CA

Night in Laguna on Thursday

Local time

11:48 PM

PDT

Current temp

69°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kensington, CA

Night in Kensington on Thursday

Local time

11:48 PM

PDT

Current temp

47°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.

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

22 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

1h 48m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Laguna, CA to Kensington, CA covers 88 miles and takes about 1h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, South Sacramento Freeway, Eastshore Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 44 miles from Laguna, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $20.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

On the drive from Laguna, CA to Kensington, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Lake Tahoe along the way.

Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.

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