The drive from Maxwell, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 122.9 miles and takes about 2h 22m 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, I 505, Westside Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 33.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.25 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
61.4 miles from Maxwell, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 6m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 22m. Total distance: 122.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 22m highway drive covering 122.9 miles, with most of the trip on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I 505. The longest continuous stretch is about 33.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 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 33.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I 505. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 33 miles in near I 505.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 122.9 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 33 miles (I 505): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 66.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 113.1 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
33 mi into trip|~36m in|I 505
Keep slight right at fork onto I 505 toward I 505 South: Winters, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 505 South: Winters, San Francisco
8
66.2 mi into trip|~1h 11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
6
113.1 mi into trip|~2h 6m in|Eastshore Freeway
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward San Francisco
6
114.6 mi into trip|~2h 8m in|I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
121.5 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
33.9 mi
41m
I 505
33.2 mi
35m
Westside Freeway
32.4 mi
34m
Eastshore Freeway
15.2 mi
17m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.4 mi
3m
Route 80
1.4 mi
2m
Carquinez Bridge
1 mi
1m
Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 33.9 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Maxwell, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Maxwell Colusa Road
0.4 mi·39 sec·Maxwell Colusa Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
3
Merge onto I 5
32 mi·34 min·Westside Freeway
4
Keep slight right at fork onto I 505
33 mi·35 min·I 505
Toward I 505 South: Winters, San FranciscoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 1AToward I 80 West: San FranciscoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 80
28 mi·32 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi·1 min·Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Eastshore Freeway
9
Continue on I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 80
14 mi·16 min·Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Eastshore Freeway
Toward San FranciscoUse the slight left lane.
12
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
15
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
16
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi·1 min·Route 80
Exit 2AUse the straight / slight left lanes.
17
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi·32 sec·Route 80
Exit 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 1BToward US 101 North: Golden Gate BridgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi·25 sec·Central Freeway
20
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi·42 sec·Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434BToward Octavia Boulevard, Fell StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Market Street
Use the right lane.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Market Street
23
Arrive at destination
Market Street
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 61.4 miles from Maxwell, CA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 33.9 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 27 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.4 miles or 1h 6m 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 52m
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 Maxwell, 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 Maxwell, CA
This is one driving day of about 122.9 miles and 2h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Maxwell, 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 33.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 61.4 mi from Maxwell, CA
· 1h 6m into the drive
The midpoint is around 61.4 miles from Maxwell, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
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
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 123.1
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
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 106.1
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
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 93.4
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 123.1
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,...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
$15
near mile 123.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.25 one way
$56.50 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$29.11
$58.22
premium
$6.18
$29.89
$59.78
diesel
$5.61
$27.13
$54.27
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.9
0
$12.90
$5.90
Efficient EV
30.7
0
$10.75
$4.92
EV Truck/SUV
49.2
0
$17.21
$7.87
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 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 as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Maxwell, CA
Late night
in Maxwell on Friday
Local time
3:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Francisco, CA
Late night
in San Francisco on Friday
Local time
3:32 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
26 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
2h 22m 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 Maxwell, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 122.9 miles and takes about 2h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, I 505, Westside Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 61.4 miles from Maxwell, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.25 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 122.9 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 33 miles (I 505): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 66.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 113.1 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Maxwell, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
