Origin
Oakland, CA
Morning in Oakland on Friday
Local time
8:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
46.6 mi
75 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Inverness, CA
Sinitta Leunen
Trip Overview
The drive from Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA covers 46.6 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, John T. Knox Freeway, Eastshore Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 18.4 miles on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.71 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 46.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA covers 46.6 miles and takes about 1h 22m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard is the longest continuous segment at about 18.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.6 miles you will encounter 17 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 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Fre...
9
7.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
6
20 mi into trip
|
~28m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 1A
Toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
7
21.1 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Take the exit toward Central San Rafael
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 452
Toward Central San Rafael
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 Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Rafael along the way.
San Rafael
7.1 mi in
|
~11m
|
via I 580
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sir Francis Drake Boulevard | 18.4 mi | 37m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 12.9 mi | 17m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Bear Valley Road | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Fourth Street | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Center Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 4m |
| Red Hill Avenue | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
— 18.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Inverness, CA.
1
Start on 14th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
2
Turn right onto Castro Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Castro Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 980 East, CA 24: Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Hayward
4
Merge onto I 980
0.4 mi
·
25 sec
·
John B. Williams Freeway
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward
Use the slight right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Freeway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 580
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80; I 580
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
13 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 1A
Toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
11
Merge onto US 101
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Redwood Highway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 452
Toward Central San Rafael
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on Irwin Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Irwin Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto Fourth Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Fourth Street
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on Red Hill Avenue
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Red Hill Avenue
Use the straight lane.
16
Continue on Center Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Center Boulevard
17
Continue on Broadway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
18
At end of road, turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
15 mi
·
29 min
·
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
19
Turn right onto CA 1
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Shoreline Highway
20
Turn left onto Bear Valley Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Bear Valley Road
21
At end of road, turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
22
Turn left onto Argyle Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
Argyle Street
23
Arrive at destination
Argyle Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.3 mi from Oakland, CA · 34m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.3 miles from Oakland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Inverness, CA
The final approach into Inverness, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.71 one way
$21.42 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.04 | $22.07 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.33 | $22.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.29 | $20.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14 | 0 | $4.89 | $2.24 |
| Efficient EV | 11.7 | 0 | $4.08 | $1.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.6 | 0 | $6.52 | $2.98 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Inverness, CA
Morning in Inverness on Friday
Local time
8:23 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
19 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 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 Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA covers 46.6 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, John T. Knox Freeway, Eastshore Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.3 miles from Oakland, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.71 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.6 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Oakland, CA to Inverness, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Rafael along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Point Reyes National Seashore and Muir Woods National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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