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Trip from San Bernardino, CA to McKinleyville, CA

Drive Time

13h 45m

Distance

736.5 mi

1,185 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$171

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
13h 33m ★
6 AM
13h 45m
8 AM
14h 10m
10 AM
13h 54m
12 PM
13h 52m
3 PM
13h 55m
5 PM
14h 9m
8 PM
13h 38m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown McKinleyville, CA, CA

McKinleyville, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from San Bernardino, CA to McKinleyville, CA covers 736.5 miles and takes about 13h 45m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, CA 299, Foothill Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 425.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $170.55 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

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

368.2 miles from San Bernardino, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 47m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 736.5 miles and 13h 45m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Westside Freeway and CA 299.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 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 425.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 299. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.1 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 736.5 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: at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 137.4 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 29 key points

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

7
3.1 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the exit toward CA 210 West: Pasadena

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 46B Toward CA 210 West: Pasadena
8
52.2 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | I 210 / Foothill Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward I 210 West: Sacramento

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 26A Toward I 210 West: Sacramento
7
137.4 mi into trip | ~2h 40m in | I 5 / Westside Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 5 North
7
595 mi into trip | ~10h 54m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 678 Toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National...
7
736.5 mi into trip | ~13h 45m in

Turn right

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.

Towns Along This Route

Between San Bernardino, CA and McKinleyville, CA, road signs point toward Susanville and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

Susanville

594.8 mi in | ~10h 53m

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

595 mi in | ~10h 54m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 425.9 mi 7h 39m
CA 299 109.8 mi 2h 9m
Foothill Freeway 73.8 mi 1h 25m
I 5 Truck 37.1 mi 42m
Cascade Wonderland Highway 31.6 mi 34m
Eureka Way 25 mi 29m
Golden State Freeway 22.3 mi 25m
Central Avenue 2 mi 4m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 425.9 mi, about 7h 39m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Bernardino, CA and McKinleyville, CA.

1

Start on West 5th Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · West 5th Street
2

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 45 sec
Toward I 215 North: Barstow
3

Merge onto I 215

1.5 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Continue on I 215

0.5 mi · 34 sec · Barstow Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 2 min
Exit 46B Toward CA 210 West: Pasadena Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto CA 210

21 mi · 24 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210

1.2 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210

2.4 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210

1.8 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 210

20 mi · 23 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210

26 mi · 29 min · Foothill Freeway
Exit 26A Toward I 210 West: Sacramento Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 9 sec
Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto I 5 Truck

1.0 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway
19

Keep left at fork onto I 5

54 mi · 59 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

121 mi · 2 hr 10 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Continue on I 5

32 mi · 34 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway
22

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 15 sec
Exit 678 Toward CA 44: Eureka, Susanville
23

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 678 Toward CA 44 West: Eureka, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
24

Merge onto CA 44

1.2 mi · 1 min · CA 44
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Turn right onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist

489 ft · 17 sec · Pine Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26

Turn left onto CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist

25 mi · 29 min · Eureka Way
Use the left lane.
27

Continue on CA 299

110 mi · 2 hr 9 min · CA 299
28

Take the exit onto 2

0.6 mi · 1 min · 2
29

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 200

1.8 mi · 3 min · North Bank Road
30

Turn right onto US 101 BUS

2.0 mi · 4 min · Central Avenue
Use the straight lane.
31

Turn right

87 ft · 8 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
32

Turn right

55 ft · 9 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
33

Turn left

12 ft · 0 sec
34

Arrive at 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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 368.2 miles from San Bernardino, CA, or about 6h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 425.9 miles.

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 162 miles or 3h 6m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 368.2 miles or 6h 47m 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 368.2 miles or 6h 47m

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 12h 31m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving San Bernardino, 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 San Bernardino, CA

Aim for roughly 368 miles and 6.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into McKinleyville, CA

Aim for roughly 368 miles and 6.9 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 162 miles from San Bernardino, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 425.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 368.2 mi from San Bernardino, CA · 6h 47m into the drive

Downtown Galt, CA, CA

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Galt, CA

243 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.

Downtown Red Bluff, CA, CA

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Red Bluff, CA

486 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 Red Bluff, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Red Bluff, CA

368 mi · about 6.9h in

A practical overnight split lands near Red Bluff, CA after about 368 miles or 6.9 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 162 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lathrop, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 368.2 miles from San Bernardino, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 425.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 368 miles or 6.9 hours on the road.

Arriving in McKinleyville, CA

The final approach into McKinleyville, 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 McKinleyville, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach McKinleyville, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...

3 mi from route ~7 min detour $15 near mile 609.5
Caution: Winter Hazards on Trails - Downed Trees and High Water
View on nps.gov
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

23 mi from route ~58 min detour Free near mile 76.2
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$170.55 one way

$341.11 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 258 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $175.89 $351.78
premium $6.24 $181.02 $362.04
diesel $5.64 $163.62 $327.25

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$171

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$301–$411

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 257.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $77 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 221 2 $77.33 $35.35
Efficient EV 184.1 2 $64.44 $29.46
EV Truck/SUV 294.6 3 $103.11 $47.14

Gas CO2

258 kg

EV CO2

86 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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 hour ago

Origin

San Bernardino, CA

Morning in San Bernardino on Monday

Local time

7:16 AM

PDT

Current temp

52°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

McKinleyville, CA

Morning in McKinleyville on Monday

Local time

7:16 AM

PDT

Current temp

40°F

Slight Chance Light Rain

E 2 mph 18% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

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

12 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

13h 45m 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 San Bernardino, CA to McKinleyville, CA covers 736.5 miles and takes about 13h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, CA 299, Foothill Freeway. 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 368 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 368.2 miles from San Bernardino, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $170.55 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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 736.5 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: at 3.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 137.4 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between San Bernardino, CA and McKinleyville, CA, road signs point toward Susanville and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

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McKinleyville, CA to San Bernardino, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

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