Origin
Oakland, CA
Night in Oakland on Friday
Local time
11:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakland, CA to Tara Hills, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
16.9 mi
27 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 29m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 29m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Tara Hills, CA
Anthony Brown
Trip Overview
Oakland, CA to Tara Hills, CA is 16.9 miles and takes about 24 minutes via Eastshore Freeway and MacArthur Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive entirely within California, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. Expect a quick transit that focuses on efficient travel rather than extensive sightseeing. Given its brevity, this route is ideal for a quick transfer or an easy addition to a larger travel plan in the Bay Area.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 16.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 81% of the route utilizing freeways. You'll spend most of your time on the Eastshore Freeway and MacArthur Freeway, experiencing a fast-paced commute. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 11.5 miles on the Eastshore Freeway, allowing for a consistent pace. While primarily a highway experience, the final portion on Shawn Drive will transition you to local roads as you approach your destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eastshore Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Eastshore Freeway and MacArthur Freeway. 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
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 16.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
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 80 / Eastshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 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...
8
7.1 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 80 / Eastshore Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Eastshore Freeway toward I 80 East: Vallejo, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 East: Vallejo, Sacramento
7
15.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Appian Way
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 21
Toward Appian Way
7
15.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
|
Tara Hills Drive
Turn left onto Tara Hills Drive
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.
Between Oakland, CA and Tara Hills, CA, road signs point toward Hayward and Sacramento.
Hayward
1.2 mi in
|
~2m
Sacramento
7.1 mi in
|
~11m
|
via I 80
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eastshore Freeway | 11.5 mi | 13m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Shawn Drive | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 14th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| John B. Williams Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Tara Hills Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Appian Way | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Castro Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eastshore Freeway
— 11.5 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Tara Hills, 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 left at fork onto I 80
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Toward I 80 East: Vallejo, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Eastshore Freeway
Exit 21
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Exit 21
Toward Appian Way
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto Appian Way
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
Appian Way
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto Tara Hills Drive
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Tara Hills Drive
Use the left lane.
14
Turn left onto Shawn Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Shawn Drive
15
Turn right onto Flannery Road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Flannery Road
16
Arrive at destination
Flannery Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.88 one way
$7.77 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.00 | $8.01 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.11 | $8.22 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.73 | $7.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 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 | 5.1 | 0 | $1.77 | $0.81 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.48 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.37 | $1.08 |
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
Tara Hills, CA
Night in Tara Hills on Friday
Local time
11:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
21 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
24m 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 Tara Hills, CA covers 16.9 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eastshore Freeway, MacArthur Freeway, Shawn Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.5 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 $3.88 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 13 decision points packed into just 16.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 24m.
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 80 / Eastshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Oakland, CA and Tara Hills, CA, road signs point toward Hayward and Sacramento.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Muir Woods National Monument. There are 5 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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