Origin
Rio Del Mar, CA
Night in Rio Del Mar on Friday
Local time
11:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 46m
Distance
147.2 mi
237 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$34
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 36m
★
6 AM
2h 47m
8 AM
3h 8m
10 AM
2h 54m
12 PM
2h 52m
3 PM
2h 55m
5 PM
3h 7m
8 PM
2h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rio Del Mar, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Laguna, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Trip Overview
The drive from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA covers 147.2 miles and takes about 2h 46m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Highland Drive, Aptos Beach Drive, Spreckels Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $33.83 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
73.6 miles from Rio Del Mar, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 23m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 46m. Total distance: 147.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 46m 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 2h 46m drive with frequent turns across 147.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 35 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Highland Drive 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA is easy. At 2h 46m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Highland Drive | — | — |
| Aptos Beach Drive | — | — |
| Spreckels Drive | — | — |
| Soquel Drive | — | — |
| State Park Drive | — | — |
| Cabrillo Highway | — | — |
| CA 17 North | — | — |
| Santa Cruz Highway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Highland Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rio Del Mar, CA and Laguna, CA.
1
Start on Rio del Mar Boulevard
295 ft
·
7 sec
·
Rio del Mar Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Highland Drive
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Highland Drive
3
Turn left onto Aptos Beach Drive
377 ft
·
11 sec
·
Aptos Beach Drive
4
Turn right onto Spreckels Drive
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Spreckels Drive
5
Turn slight right
82 ft
·
5 sec
6
Turn right onto Spreckels Drive
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
Spreckels Drive
7
Turn left onto Soquel Drive
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
·
Soquel Drive
8
Turn left onto State Park Drive
456 ft
·
11 sec
·
State Park Drive
9
Take the ramp straight
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
10
Merge slight left onto Cabrillo Highway
5.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
11
Take the exit slight right toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
12
Merge slight left onto Santa Cruz Highway
26 mi
·
34 min
·
Santa Cruz Highway
13
Continue straight
12 mi
·
13 min
14
Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Nimitz Freeway
15
Take the exit slight right toward Sacramento
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Sacramento
16
Take the exit straight toward I 680 North: Sacramento
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 680 North: Sacramento
17
Keep slight left to continue on I 680 North: Sacramento
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 680 North: Sacramento
18
Merge slight left
8.5 mi
·
9 min
19
Take the exit slight right toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
20
Merge slight right onto Isabel Avenue
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Isabel Avenue
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Stockton
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 580 East: Stockton
22
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
23
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
24
Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway
11 mi
·
11 min
·
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
25
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Westside Freeway
26
Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway
35 mi
·
37 min
·
Westside Freeway
27
Take the exit slight right toward Elk Grove Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Elk Grove Boulevard
28
Turn right onto Elk Grove Boulevard
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Elk Grove Boulevard
29
Turn left onto Foulks Ranch Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Foulks Ranch Drive
30
At the end of the road, turn right onto Laguna Park Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Laguna Park Drive
31
Turn right onto Seasons Drive
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Seasons Drive
32
Turn left onto November Drive
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
November Drive
33
At the end of the road, turn left onto Mapleview Way
154 ft
·
12 sec
·
Mapleview Way
34
Turn left onto Fall Breeze Court
184 ft
·
8 sec
·
Fall Breeze Court
35
Arrive at your destination
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 73.6 miles from Rio Del Mar, CA, or about 1h 23m 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 32 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73.6 miles or 1h 23m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Laguna, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Rio Del Mar, 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 Rio Del Mar, CA
This is one driving day of about 147.2 miles and 2h 46m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Rio Del Mar, 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 73.6 mi from Rio Del Mar, CA · 1h 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
74 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 73.6 miles from Rio Del Mar, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Laguna, CA
The final approach into Laguna, 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 Laguna, 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
$33.83 one way
$67.67 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $34.86 | $69.73 |
| premium | $6.18 | $35.80 | $71.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $32.50 | $65.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 44.2 | 0 | $15.46 | $7.07 |
| Efficient EV | 36.8 | 0 | $12.88 | $5.89 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 58.9 | 0 | $20.61 | $9.42 |
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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
Laguna, CA
Night in Laguna on Friday
Local time
11:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
44°F
San Jose, CA
74 mi in
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
20 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
2h 46m 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 Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA covers 147.2 miles and takes about 2h 46m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Highland Drive, Aptos Beach Drive, Spreckels Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 73.6 miles from Rio Del Mar, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $33.83 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA is easy. At 2h 46m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rio Del Mar, CA to Laguna, 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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