Origin
Rohnert Park, CA
Night in Rohnert Park on Friday
Local time
11:40 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 30m
Distance
548.1 mi
882 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$126
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 23m
★
6 AM
8h 31m
8 AM
8h 46m
10 AM
8h 36m
12 PM
8h 35m
3 PM
8h 37m
5 PM
8h 45m
8 PM
8h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rohnert Park, CA
Stephen Leonardi
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, CA covers 548.1 miles and takes about 8h 30m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Almond Street, Southwest Boulevard, Commerce Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $125.98 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
274.1 miles from Rohnert Park, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 15m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in San Diego, CA
Full guide →From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana. But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 30m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 548.1 miles and 8h 30m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Almond Street and Southwest Boulevard.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 43 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Almond Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 8h 30m, 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 8h 30m, 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 Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Almond Street | — | — |
| Southwest Boulevard | — | — |
| Commerce Boulevard | — | — |
| Old Redwood Highway | — | — |
| West Sierra Avenue | — | — |
| US 101 South | — | — |
| Redwood Highway | — | — |
| John T | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Almond Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rohnert Park, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on Alta Avenue
236 ft
·
18 sec
·
Alta Avenue
2
Turn left onto Almond Street
161 ft
·
11 sec
·
Almond Street
3
Turn right onto Southwest Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Southwest Boulevard
4
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Commerce Boulevard
138 ft
·
4 sec
·
Commerce Boulevard
5
Exit the roundabout onto Commerce Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Commerce Boulevard
6
At the end of the road, turn left onto Old Redwood Highway
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Old Redwood Highway
7
Turn right onto West Sierra Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Sierra Avenue
8
Take the ramp left toward US 101 South: San Francisco
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
US 101 South: San Francisco
9
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
29 mi
·
33 min
·
Redwood Highway
10
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
11
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
13
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
14
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
16
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
17
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
18
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
19
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
20
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
21
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
22
Keep slight left
25 mi
·
29 min
23
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
24
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
25
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
27
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
28
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
I 5 South
29
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
54 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
30
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
52 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
31
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
32
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Newport Avenue
33
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Newport Avenue
34
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Walnut Avenue
35
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
0.5 mi
·
38 sec
·
Jamboree Road
36
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 5 South
37
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
38
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.8 mi
·
56 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
39
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
76 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
San Diego Freeway
40
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
41
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Front Street, Civic Center
42
Continue on Front Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
43
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 274.1 miles from Rohnert Park, CA, or about 4h 15m 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 121 miles or 1h 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 274.1 miles or 4h 15m 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 274.1 miles or 4h 15m
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 7h 34m
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 Rohnert Park, 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 Rohnert Park, CA
Aim for roughly 274 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into San Diego, CA
Aim for roughly 274 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 121 miles from Rohnert Park, 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 274.1 mi from Rohnert Park, CA · 4h 15m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
181 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
362 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 Santa Clarita, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
274 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Fresno, CA after about 274 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 121 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 274.1 miles from Rohnert Park, 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 274 miles or 4.3 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
$125.98 one way
$251.95 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
192 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $129.82 | $259.64 |
| premium | $6.18 | $133.29 | $266.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $121.01 | $242.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$126
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$256–$366
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 191.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $58 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 164.4 | 2 | $57.55 | $26.31 |
| Efficient EV | 137 | 1 | $47.96 | $21.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 219.2 | 2 | $76.73 | $35.08 |
Gas CO2
192 kg
EV CO2
64 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
Night in San Diego on Friday
Local time
11:40 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
11 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
8h 30m 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 Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, CA covers 548.1 miles and takes about 8h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Almond Street, Southwest Boulevard, Commerce Boulevard. 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 274 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 274.1 miles from Rohnert Park, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $125.98 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 8h 30m, 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 Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Rohnert Park, CA to San Diego, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Diego, CA
More trips to San Diego, CA
Explore more options from Rohnert Park, CA or browse trips ending in San Diego, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.