Origin
Oakland, CA
Evening in Oakland on Friday
Local time
5:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oakland, CA to Cambria, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 28m
Distance
224 mi
361 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$51
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 15m
★
6 AM
4h 28m
8 AM
4h 55m
10 AM
4h 38m
12 PM
4h 35m
3 PM
4h 39m
5 PM
4h 54m
8 PM
4h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Cambria, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Oakland, CA to Cambria, CA covers 224 miles and takes about 4h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Harrison Street, 11th Street, Madison Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $51.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
112 miles from Oakland, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 14m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 28m. Total distance: 224 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 28m drive with frequent turns across 224 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Harrison Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 28m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Oakland, CA to Cambria, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Harrison Street | — | — |
| 11th Street | — | — |
| Madison Street | — | — |
| 5th Street | — | — |
| I 880 South | — | — |
| Nimitz Freeway | — | — |
| US 101 South | — | — |
| Bayshore Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Harrison Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Cambria, CA.
1
Start on 14th Street
0.2 mi
·
53 sec
·
14th Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Harrison Street
3
Turn left onto 11th Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
11th Street
4
Turn right onto Madison Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Madison Street
5
Turn left onto 5th Street
381 ft
·
9 sec
·
5th Street
6
Take the ramp straight toward I 880 South: San Jose
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 880 South: San Jose
7
Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway
9.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
8
Keep slight left
5.6 mi
·
6 min
9
Keep slight left
2.4 mi
·
2 min
10
Keep slight left
19 mi
·
21 min
11
Take the exit right toward US 101 South: Los Angeles
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 101 South: Los Angeles
12
Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway
39 mi
·
44 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
13
Continue on El Camino Real
10 mi
·
11 min
·
El Camino Real
14
Take the exit slight right
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
15
Merge slight left onto El Camino Real
111 mi
·
2 hr 7 min
·
El Camino Real
16
Take the exit slight right toward CA 46 West: Cambria, Hearst Castle
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
CA 46 West: Cambria, Hearst Castle
17
Turn right onto Green Valley Road
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Green Valley Road
18
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Green Valley Road
125 ft
·
2 sec
·
Green Valley Road
19
Exit the roundabout onto Green Valley Road
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Green Valley Road
20
Turn right onto Cabrillo Highway
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
21
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Main Street
22
Turn left onto Eton Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Eton Road
23
At the end of the road, turn left onto Eton Road
344 ft
·
8 sec
·
Eton Road
24
Continue on Burton Drive
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
Burton Drive
25
Turn right onto Village Lane
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Village Lane
26
Continue on Village Lane
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Village Lane
27
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 112 miles from Oakland, CA, or about 2h 14m into the drive.
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 49 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 112 miles or 2h 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cambria, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oakland, 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 Oakland, CA
This is one driving day of about 224 miles and 4h 28m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Oakland, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 112 mi from Oakland, CA · 2h 14m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
112 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 49 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 112 miles from Oakland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Cambria, CA
The final approach into Cambria, 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 Cambria, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$51.48 one way
$102.97 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
78 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $53.05 | $106.11 |
| premium | $6.18 | $54.47 | $108.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $49.46 | $98.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 67.2 | 0 | $23.52 | $10.75 |
| Efficient EV | 56 | 0 | $19.60 | $8.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 89.6 | 1 | $31.36 | $14.34 |
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Cambria, CA
Evening in Cambria on Friday
Local time
5:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°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
15 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
4h 28m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 Cambria, CA covers 224 miles and takes about 4h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Harrison Street, 11th Street, Madison Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 112 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 $51.48 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 28m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Oakland, CA to Cambria, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Oakland, CA to Cambria, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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