Origin
Riverside, CA
Morning in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
10:53 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 31m
Distance
394.7 mi
635 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$91
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Brentwood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Riverside, CA to Brentwood, CA covers 394.7 miles and takes about 7h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Magnolia Avenue, Central Avenue, Van Buren Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $90.72 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
197.3 miles from Riverside, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 45m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Avenue | — | — |
| Central Avenue | — | — |
| Van Buren Boulevard | — | — |
| Mission Boulevard | — | — |
| CA 60 West | — | — |
| Pomona Freeway | — | — |
| CA 71 South | — | — |
| CA 71 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, CA and Brentwood, CA.
Start on the route
Turn right
Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue
Turn left onto Central Avenue
Turn right onto Van Buren Boulevard
Continue on Mission Boulevard
Take the ramp slight left toward CA 60 West
Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway
Take the exit slight right toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
Keep slight right to continue on CA 71 North: Pomona
Keep slight left
Merge slight left onto Chino Valley Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on CA 57 North
Continue straight
Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena
Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right
Merge slight right
Keep slight left
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
Take the exit slight right
Keep slight right to continue on Patterson Pass Road
Turn straight onto Mountain House Parkway
Turn right onto International Parkway
Continue on Mountain House Parkway
At the end of the road, turn left onto Byron Road
Continue on Byron-Bethany Road
Continue on Byron Highway
At the end of the road, turn left
Continue on Brentwood Boulevard
Arrive at your destination
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 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 87 miles or 1h 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 197.3 miles or 3h 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 6h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brentwood, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Riverside, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Riverside, CA
This is one driving day of about 394.7 miles and 7h 31m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
197 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.
A short stop after about 87 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 197.3 miles from Riverside, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$90.72 one way
$181.44 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $93.48 | $186.97 |
| premium | $6.18 | $95.99 | $191.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $87.14 | $174.29 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$91
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$116–$141
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 138.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 118.4 | 1 | $41.44 | $18.95 |
| Efficient EV | 98.7 | 1 | $34.54 | $15.79 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 157.9 | 1 | $55.26 | $25.26 |
Gas CO2
138 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
10:53 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Brentwood on Saturday
Local time
10:53 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
394.7 mi in 7h 31m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
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.
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 7h 31m, 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 Riverside, CA to Brentwood, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Founded 1837
Brentwood is an affluent, suburban city in eastern Contra Costa County, California with a popular downtown for visitors coming from the Sacramento Valley to the county. It serves as one of the eastern gateways to the East Bay, along with Livermore. Many in the city are commuters.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 31m. Total distance: 394.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 31m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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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