Origin
Sacramento, CA
Night in Sacramento on Thursday
Local time
10:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Nice, CA
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
2h 26m
Distance
114.3 mi
184 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 17m
★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 46m
10 AM
2h 34m
12 PM
2h 32m
3 PM
2h 35m
5 PM
2h 45m
8 PM
2h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Nice, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Sacramento, CA to Nice, CA covers 114.3 miles and takes about 2h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, CA 20, I Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 57.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $26.27 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.
Midpoint
57.2 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 3m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 26m. Total distance: 114.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 26m highway drive covering 114.3 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and CA 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 57.9 miles on Westside Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 57.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 20. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near J Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 26m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
J Street
Turn left onto J Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
10th Street
Turn left onto 10th Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
I Street
Turn left onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba Ci...
6
6.7 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Sacramento, CA to Nice, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Clear Lake along the way.
Clear Lake
59 mi in
|
~1h 5m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 57.9 mi | 1h 3m |
| CA 20 | 55 mi | 1h 20m |
| I Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 10th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| J Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 9th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 57.9 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento, CA and Nice, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
348 ft
·
16 sec
·
9th Street
2
Turn left onto J Street
406 ft
·
14 sec
·
J Street
3
Turn left onto 10th Street
419 ft
·
18 sec
·
10th Street
4
Turn left onto I Street
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
I Street
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 5 North, CA 99 North: Redding, Yuba City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 5
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
52 mi
·
56 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward CA 20: Colusa, Clear Lake
9
Turn left onto CA 20
37 mi
·
50 min
·
CA 20
10
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
58 ft
·
0 sec
·
CA 20
11
Continue on CA 20
18 mi
·
29 min
·
CA 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Arrive at destination
CA 20
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 57.2 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.9 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 25 miles or 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.2 miles or 1h 3m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nice, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sacramento, 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 Sacramento, CA
This is one driving day of about 114.3 miles and 2h 26m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Sacramento, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 57.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.2 mi from Sacramento, CA · 1h 3m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 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 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 57.2 miles from Sacramento, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Nice, CA
The final approach into Nice, 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 Nice, 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
$26.27 one way
$52.54 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
40 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $27.07 | $54.14 |
| premium | $6.18 | $27.80 | $55.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.24 | $50.47 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.3 | 0 | $12.00 | $5.49 |
| Efficient EV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.00 | $4.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.7 | 0 | $16.00 | $7.32 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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
Nice, CA
Night in Nice on Thursday
Local time
10:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
62°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.
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
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 26m 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 Sacramento, CA to Nice, CA covers 114.3 miles and takes about 2h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, CA 20, I Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.2 miles from Sacramento, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $26.27 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 straightforward 2h 26m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (J Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (10th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (I Street): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Sacramento, CA to Nice, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Clear Lake along the way.
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