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Trip from Middletown, CA to San Francisco, CA

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 58m

Distance

91.8 mi

148 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 26 min
4 AM
1h 50m ★
6 AM
1h 58m
8 AM
2h 16m
10 AM
2h 4m
12 PM
2h 3m
3 PM
2h 5m
5 PM
2h 15m
8 PM
1h 53m

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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consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

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Trip Overview

The drive from Middletown, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 91.8 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Saint Helena Highway South, Calistoga Street, Eastshore Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 21.7 miles on Saint Helena Highway South. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.10 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

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

45.9 miles from Middletown, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .

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Drive Character

Expect a 1h 58m drive with frequent turns across 91.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Saint Helena Highway South is the longest continuous segment at about 21.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 55.6 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 91.8 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 55.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 57.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 82 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

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

5
55.6 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in

Take the exit toward CA 37, I 80: Sacramento, San Francisco

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward CA 37, I 80: Sacramento, San Francisco
7
57.5 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in

Take the exit toward I 80: San Francisco

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 21A Toward I 80: San Francisco
6
82 mi into trip | ~1h 42m 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
83.5 mi into trip | ~1h 45m 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
90.4 mi into trip | ~1h 55m 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
Saint Helena Highway South 21.7 mi 25m
Calistoga Street 16.5 mi 24m
Eastshore Freeway 15.2 mi 17m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 11.2 mi 15m
Saint Helena Highway 6.8 mi 7m
Broadway Street 4 mi 4m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway 3.4 mi 3m
Main Street 2.4 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Saint Helena Highway South — 21.7 mi, about 25m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Main Street

68 ft · 8 sec · Main Street
2

Turn left onto CA 29

16 mi · 24 min · Calistoga Street
3

Continue on CA 29

1.0 mi · 1 min · Lincoln Avenue
4

Turn left onto CA 29; CA 128

6.8 mi · 7 min · Saint Helena Highway
5

Continue on CA 29; CA 128

2.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street
6

Continue on CA 29; CA 128

22 mi · 25 min · Saint Helena Highway South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on CA 12; CA 29

1.3 mi · 1 min · Napa–Vallejo Highway
8

Continue on CA 29

4.0 mi · 4 min · Broadway Street
9

Continue on CA 29

1.8 mi · 2 min · Sonoma Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
10

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward CA 37, I 80: Sacramento, San Francisco
11

Merge onto CA 37

1.7 mi · 1 min · CA 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 21A Toward I 80: San Francisco Use the slight right lane.
13

Merge onto I 80

5.0 mi · 5 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Continue on I 80

1.0 mi · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on I 80

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Eastshore Freeway
16

Continue on I 80

3.4 mi · 3 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on I 80

14 mi · 16 min · Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Eastshore Freeway
Toward San Francisco Use the slight left lane.
19

Merge onto I 80

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Turn slight left onto I 80

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
21

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
22

Continue on I 80

0.3 mi · 24 sec · Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
23

Continue on I 80

0.8 mi · 1 min · Route 80
Exit 2A Use the straight / slight left lanes.
24

Continue on I 80

0.4 mi · 32 sec · Route 80
Exit 1A Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 38 sec
Exit 1B Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Merge onto US 101

0.3 mi · 25 sec · Central Freeway
27

Continue on Octavia Boulevard

0.5 mi · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Turn right onto Market Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Market Street
Use the right lane.
29

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
30

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 45.9 miles from Middletown, CA, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.7 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 40m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 45.9 miles or 59m 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 35m

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 Middletown, 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 Middletown, CA

This is one driving day of about 91.8 miles and 1h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Middletown, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Saint Helena Highway South for about 21.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.9 mi from Middletown, CA · 59m into the drive

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

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Santa Rosa, CA

46 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.

Popular next leg

Santa Rosa, CA to San Francisco, CA

54.7 mi · 1h 14m

Pacing Suggestions

Richmond, CA

Fuel and coffee

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

Napa, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.9 miles from Middletown, 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.

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...

2 mi from route ~6 min detour Free near mile 76
View on nps.gov
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 91.8
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...

11 mi from route ~27 min detour Free near mile 63.3
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...

12 mi from route ~29 min detour Free near mile 91.8
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,...

12 mi from route ~30 min detour $15 near mile 91.8
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$21.10 one way

$42.20 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $21.74 $43.49
premium $6.18 $22.32 $44.65
diesel $5.61 $20.27 $40.54

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 32.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 27.5 0 $9.64 $4.41
Efficient EV 23 0 $8.03 $3.67
EV Truck/SUV 36.7 0 $12.85 $5.88

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (66% 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 1 day ago

Origin

Middletown, CA

Evening in Middletown on Tuesday

Local time

8:16 PM

PDT

Current temp

41°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Evening in San Francisco on Tuesday

Local time

8:16 PM

PDT

Current temp

65°F

Sunny

W 7 to 10 mph 0% chance 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

24 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 58m 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 Middletown, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 91.8 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Saint Helena Highway South, Calistoga Street, Eastshore Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 45.9 miles from Middletown, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.10 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 16 significant decision points across 91.8 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 55.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 57.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 82 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Middletown, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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