Origin
Penn Valley, CA
Afternoon in Penn Valley on Thursday
Local time
1:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
9h 32m
Distance
573 mi
922 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$132
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 24m
★
6 AM
9h 33m
8 AM
9h 50m
10 AM
9h 39m
12 PM
9h 37m
3 PM
9h 40m
5 PM
9h 49m
8 PM
9h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Penn Valley, CA
Stephen Leonardi
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA covers 573 miles and takes about 9h 32m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Lasso Loop, Horton Street, Penn Valley Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $131.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
286.5 miles from Penn Valley, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 46m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
9h 32m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 573 miles and 9h 32m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Lasso Loop and Horton Street.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 49 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Lasso Loop is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 32m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 32m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lasso Loop | — | — |
| Horton Street | — | — |
| Penn Valley Drive | — | — |
| Eric Rood Memorial Expressway | — | — |
| Golden Center Freeway | — | — |
| Grass Valley Highway | — | — |
| I 80 West | — | — |
| Alan S | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Lasso Loop
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Penn Valley, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on Willow Lane
397 ft
·
23 sec
·
Willow Lane
2
Turn left onto Lasso Loop
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Lasso Loop
3
Turn right onto Horton Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Horton Street
4
At the end of the road, turn right onto Penn Valley Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Penn Valley Drive
5
At the end of the road, turn left onto Penn Valley Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Penn Valley Drive
6
Turn right onto Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
7
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
8
Merge slight left onto Golden Center Freeway
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Golden Center Freeway
9
Continue on Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
108 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
11
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
12
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
105 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
13
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
5.6 mi
·
9 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
14
Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 80 West: Sacramento
15
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
16
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
17
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Capital City Freeway
18
Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Capital City Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Capital City Freeway
20
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
·
I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
21
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 South: Los Angeles
22
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi
·
1 hr 5 min
·
Westside Freeway
23
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
0.8 mi
·
49 sec
·
Westside Freeway
24
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi
·
4 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
25
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
26
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
27
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
28
Keep slight left
25 mi
·
29 min
29
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
30
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
31
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
32
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
33
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
34
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
I 5 South
35
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
36
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
37
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
38
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Newport Avenue
39
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Newport Avenue
40
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Walnut Avenue
41
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
Jamboree Road
42
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 5 South
43
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
44
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
45
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
76 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
San Diego Freeway
46
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
47
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center
48
Continue on Front Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
49
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 286.5 miles from Penn Valley, CA, or about 4h 46m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 126 miles or 2h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 286.5 miles or 4h 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 286.5 miles or 4h 46m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Diego, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Penn Valley, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Penn Valley, CA
Aim for roughly 287 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into San Diego, CA
Aim for roughly 287 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 126 miles from Penn Valley, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 286.5 mi from Penn Valley, CA · 4h 46m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
189 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
378 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Los Angeles, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
287 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Bakersfield, CA after about 287 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 126 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 286.5 miles from Penn Valley, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 287 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
Arriving in San Diego, CA
The final approach into San Diego, 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 Diego, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach San Diego, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$131.70 one way
$263.40 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
201 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $135.72 | $271.43 |
| premium | $6.18 | $139.35 | $278.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $126.51 | $253.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$132
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$262–$372
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 200.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 171.9 | 2 | $60.17 | $27.50 |
| Efficient EV | 143.3 | 1 | $50.14 | $22.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 229.2 | 2 | $80.22 | $36.67 |
Gas CO2
200 kg
EV CO2
67 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 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
San Diego, CA
Afternoon in San Diego on Thursday
Local time
1:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
10 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
9h 32m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA covers 573 miles and takes about 9h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Lasso Loop, Horton Street, Penn Valley Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 287 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 286.5 miles from Penn Valley, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $131.70 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 32m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Penn Valley, CA to San Diego, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Diego, CA
More from Penn Valley, CA
More trips to San Diego, CA
Explore more options from Penn Valley, CA or browse trips ending in San Diego, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
Explore maps for Penn Valley, CA or San Diego, CA on MapSof.net.