Origin
Menlo Park, CA
Night in Menlo Park on Wednesday
Local time
9:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Menlo Park, CA to Hillsborough Park, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
28m
Distance
17.5 mi
28 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Menlo Park, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Menlo Park, CA to Hillsborough Park, CA covers 17.5 miles and takes about 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Junipero Serra Freeway, Valparaiso Avenue, Alameda de las Pulgas for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 10.9 miles on Junipero Serra Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.02 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
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
8.8 miles from Menlo Park, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a 28m highway drive covering 17.5 miles, with most of the trip on Junipero Serra Freeway and Valparaiso Avenue. The longest continuous stretch is about 10.9 miles on Junipero Serra Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Junipero Serra Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Junipero Serra Freeway and Valparaiso Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CA 82 / El Camino Real.
Route Complexity
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 82 / El Camino Real): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 82 / El Camino Real
Turn right onto CA 82 / El Camino Real
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
16.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
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.
Exit 36
Toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
7
16.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
Golf Course Drive
Turn right onto Golf Course Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
6
16.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
Hayne Road
Enter roundabout onto Hayne Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Junipero Serra Freeway | 10.9 mi | 12m |
| Valparaiso Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Alameda de las Pulgas | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Woodside Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Hayne Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| El Camino Real | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Sandra Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| San Raymundo Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Junipero Serra Freeway
— 10.9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park, CA and Hillsborough Park, CA.
1
Start on this road
121 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
38 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn left onto Merrill Street
260 ft
·
18 sec
·
Merrill Street
4
Turn left onto Santa Cruz Avenue
308 ft
·
14 sec
·
Santa Cruz Avenue
5
Turn right onto CA 82
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
El Camino Real
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto Valparaiso Avenue
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Valparaiso Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Alameda de las Pulgas
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Alameda de las Pulgas
8
Turn left onto CA 84
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodside Road
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto I 280
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Junipero Serra Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 36
Toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
170 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Black Mountain Road, Hayne Road
13
Turn right onto Golf Course Drive
377 ft
·
9 sec
·
Golf Course Drive
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Continue on Hayne Road
287 ft
·
9 sec
·
Hayne Road
Use the straight / left lanes.
15
Enter roundabout onto Hayne Road
153 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hayne Road
16
Continue on Hayne Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Hayne Road
17
Turn left onto Sandra Road
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Sandra Road
18
Continue on San Raymundo Road
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
San Raymundo Road
19
Arrive at destination
San Raymundo Road
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 8.8 miles from Menlo Park, CA, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.9 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 17.5 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 8.8 miles or 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hillsborough Park, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Menlo Park, CA.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Menlo Park, CA
This is one driving day of about 17.5 miles and 28m.
At 17.5 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Junipero Serra Freeway for about 10.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 8.8 mi from Menlo Park, CA · 16m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 17.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 8.8 miles from Menlo Park, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hillsborough Park, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Hillsborough Park, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.02 one way
$8.04 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.14 | $8.29 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.26 | $8.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.86 | $7.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| Efficient EV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.53 | $0.70 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7 | 0 | $2.45 | $1.12 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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.
Destination
Hillsborough Park, CA
Night in Hillsborough Park on Wednesday
Local time
9:01 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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
28m 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 Menlo Park, CA to Hillsborough Park, CA covers 17.5 miles and takes about 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Junipero Serra Freeway, Valparaiso Avenue, Alameda de las Pulgas. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.8 miles from Menlo Park, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.02 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 short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 17.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 82 / El Camino Real): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Menlo Park, CA to Hillsborough Park, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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