Origin
San Diego, CA
Morning in San Diego on Friday
Local time
6:11 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Diego, CA to Inverness, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
10h 29m
Distance
536.3 mi
863 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$123
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
10h 20m
★
6 AM
10h 29m
8 AM
10h 48m
10 AM
10h 36m
12 PM
10h 34m
3 PM
10h 37m
5 PM
10h 47m
8 PM
10h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Inverness, CA
Sinitta Leunen
Trip Overview
The drive from San Diego, CA to Inverness, CA covers 536.3 miles and takes about 10h 29m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $123.26 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
268.1 miles from San Diego, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 8m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 536.3 miles and 10h 29m 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 San Diego Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 48 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 225.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 76.1 miles in near I 5 Truck.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 41 significant decision points across 536.3 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: at 76.1 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 144.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 41 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
76.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Bake Parkway
7
83.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward Jamboree Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
9
144.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 52m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
476.8 mi into trip
|
~8h 54m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
9
496.8 mi into trip
|
~9h 18m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Diego, CA and Inverness, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco and San Rafael.
San Francisco
430.2 mi in
|
~8h 2m
|
via I 580
San Rafael
496.8 mi in
|
~9h 18m
|
via I 580
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| San Diego Freeway | 75.2 mi | 1h 27m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 45.3 mi | 52m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 30.4 mi | 35m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| Sir Francis Drake Boulevard | 18.4 mi | 37m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Inverness, CA.
1
Start on Front Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
2
Turn left onto West Broadway
290 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Broadway
3
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
13 mi
·
15 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
36 mi
·
43 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on this road
527 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
13
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
357 ft
·
13 sec
·
Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
17
Merge onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
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.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
28
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
29
Merge onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on I 80; I 580
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
13 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 1A
Toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
36
Merge onto US 101
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Redwood Highway
37
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 452
Toward Central San Rafael
Use the slight right lane.
38
Continue on Irwin Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Irwin Street
Use the straight lane.
39
Turn left onto Fourth Street
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Fourth Street
Use the left lane.
40
Continue on Red Hill Avenue
0.6 mi
·
56 sec
·
Red Hill Avenue
Use the straight lane.
41
Continue on Center Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Center Boulevard
42
Continue on Broadway
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
43
At end of road, turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
15 mi
·
29 min
·
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
44
Turn right onto CA 1
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Shoreline Highway
45
Turn left onto Bear Valley Road
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Bear Valley Road
46
At end of road, turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
3.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
47
Turn left onto Argyle Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
Argyle Street
48
Arrive at destination
Argyle Street
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 268.1 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 5h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 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 118 miles or 2h 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 268.1 miles or 5h 8m 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 268.1 miles or 5h 8m
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 8h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Inverness, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Diego, 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 Diego, CA
Aim for roughly 268 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Inverness, CA
Aim for roughly 268 miles and 5.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 118 miles from San Diego, 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.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 225.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 268.1 mi from San Diego, CA · 5h 8m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
177 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
354 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 Castro Valley, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
268 mi · about 5.2h in
A practical overnight split lands near Turlock, CA after about 268 miles or 5.2 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 118 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 268.1 miles from San Diego, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 268 miles or 5.2 hours on the road.
Arriving in Inverness, CA
The final approach into Inverness, 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 Inverness, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Inverness, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$123.26 one way
$246.53 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
188 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $127.02 | $254.05 |
| premium | $6.18 | $130.42 | $260.84 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $118.41 | $236.82 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$123
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$253–$363
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 187.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 160.9 | 1 | $56.31 | $25.74 |
| Efficient EV | 134.1 | 1 | $46.93 | $21.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 214.5 | 2 | $75.08 | $34.32 |
Gas CO2
188 kg
EV CO2
63 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Inverness, CA
Morning in Inverness on Friday
Local time
6:11 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°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
8 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
10h 29m 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 Diego, CA to Inverness, CA covers 536.3 miles and takes about 10h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, Golden State 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 268 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 268.1 miles from San Diego, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $123.26 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 41 significant decision points across 536.3 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: at 76.1 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 144.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Diego, CA and Inverness, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco and San Rafael.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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