Skip to main content

Trip from Rio Dell, CA to San Francisco, CA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

1h 32m

Distance

64.3 mi

103 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 25m ★
6 AM
1h 32m
8 AM
1h 46m
10 AM
1h 37m
12 PM
1h 36m
3 PM
1h 38m
5 PM
1h 46m
8 PM
1h 28m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in Humboldt County, California, United States of America

Rio Dell, CA

Wikimedia Commons

consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 64.3-mile journey from Rio Dell to San Francisco takes approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes and is easily manageable as a single-day trip. You'll primarily travel on the Redwood Highway and Gravenstein Highway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $15, this route offers a straightforward drive. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so expect a consistent coastal feel. This drive is a good option if you're looking for a relatively quick transition between Northern California destinations.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

32.2 miles from Rio Dell, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with only about a third of the journey on higher-speed highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 39.9 miles on the Redwood Highway. As you progress, the roads will transition, offering a mix of experiences. This isn't a high-speed interstate cruise; rather, it's a more engaged drive that requires your attention, especially as you navigate through local areas.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 29 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Redwood Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 39.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Rio Vista Road.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 64.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Rio Vista Road): Navigation decision point; at 47.2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 17 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Rio Vista Road

Turn right onto Rio Vista Road

Navigation decision point

7
47.2 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | US 101 / Redwood Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Redwood Highway toward US 101: San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 101: San Francisco
6
61.3 mi into trip | ~1h 24m in | Divisadero Street

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
62.6 mi into trip | ~1h 27m in | Webster Street

Turn right onto Webster Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
63.6 mi into trip | ~1h 29m in | Oak Street

Turn left onto Oak Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Redwood Highway 39.9 mi 48m
Gravenstein Highway 7.6 mi 11m
Gravenstein Highway North 5.7 mi 8m
Golden Gate Bridge 1.7 mi 2m
Presidio Parkway 1.6 mi 3m
Mirabel Road 1.4 mi 2m
Webster Street 1 mi 2m
North Main Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Redwood Highway — 39.9 mi, about 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Rio Dell, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on Westside Road

136 ft · 10 sec · Westside Road
2

Turn right onto Rio Vista Road

93 ft · 4 sec · Rio Vista Road
3

Continue on Rio Vista Road

0.2 mi · 50 sec · Rio Vista Road
4

Continue on Rio Vista Road

325 ft · 15 sec · Rio Vista Road
5

At end of road, turn right onto River Road

0.7 mi · 1 min · River Road
6

Turn right onto Mirabel Road

1.4 mi · 2 min · Mirabel Road
Use the right lane.
7

At end of road, turn left onto CA 116

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Front Street
8

Continue on CA 116

5.7 mi · 8 min · Gravenstein Highway North
9

Continue on CA 116

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Healdsburg Avenue
10

Continue on CA 116

0.8 mi · 1 min · North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
11

Continue on CA 116

7.6 mi · 11 min · Gravenstein Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Take the ramp onto CA 116

0.3 mi · 36 sec · CA 116
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco Use the right lane.
13

Merge onto US 101; CA 116

30 mi · 34 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

10 mi · 13 min · Redwood Highway
Toward US 101: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Continue on US 101

1.7 mi · 2 min · Golden Gate Bridge
16

Merge

34 ft · 0 sec
17

Keep slight left at fork

130 ft · 1 sec
18

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec
19

Continue on US 101; CA 1

1.6 mi · 3 min · Presidio Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Continue on US 101

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
21

Continue on US 101

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Lombard Street
22

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Divisadero Street
Use the right lane.
23

Turn left onto California Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · California Street
24

Turn right onto Webster Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Webster Street
Use the straight lane.
25

Turn left onto Oak Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
Use the left lane.
26

Turn right onto Gough Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gough Street
27

Turn slight left onto Market Street

183 ft · 15 sec · Market Street
Use the slight left lane.
28

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
29

Arrive at destination

Market Street

Trip Plan

Given the relatively short duration of 1 hour and 32 minutes, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. You can leave Rio Dell early to maximize your day in San Francisco or depart later for a more relaxed morning. Since there are no designated stops in the data, plan your own brief breaks as needed, perhaps around the halfway point. Be mindful of the turn-heavy nature of the drive, especially as you transition to the Gravenstein Highway sections. The estimated fuel cost of $15 is quite reasonable, so ensure your tank is full before you begin.

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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 32.2 miles from Rio Dell, CA, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.9 miles.

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 64.3 miles or 1h 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 32.2 miles or 45m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 13m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Rio Dell, 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 Dell, CA

This is one driving day of about 64.3 miles and 1h 32m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Rio Dell, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Redwood Highway for about 39.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 32.2 mi from Rio Dell, CA · 45m into the drive

city in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Richmond, CA

32 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

Pacifica, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 64.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Richmond, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 32.2 miles from Rio Dell, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in San Francisco, CA

The final approach into San Francisco, 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 Francisco, 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

$14.78 one way

$29.56 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $15.23 $30.46
premium $6.18 $15.64 $31.27
diesel $5.61 $14.20 $28.39

Estimated Tolls: $9.00

Golden Gate Bridge $9.00

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Tolls

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$49–$74

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 22.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 19.3 0 $6.75 $3.09
Efficient EV 16.1 0 $5.63 $2.57
EV Truck/SUV 25.7 0 $9.00 $4.12

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (64% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 10 hours ago

Origin

Rio Dell, CA

Late night in Rio Dell on Wednesday

Local time

4:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Late night in San Francisco on Wednesday

Local time

4:57 AM

PDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

46°F

Richmond, CA

32 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.

Road read

1h 32m 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 Dell, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 64.3 miles and takes about 1h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Redwood Highway, Gravenstein Highway, Gravenstein Highway North. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 32.2 miles from Rio Dell, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.78 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 demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 64.3 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Rio Vista Road): Navigation decision point; at 47.2 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 61.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Rio Dell, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Rio Dell, CA or browse trips ending in San Francisco, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for Rio Dell, CA or San Francisco, CA on MapSof.net.