Origin
San Diego, CA
Late night in San Diego on Wednesday
Local time
3:34 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Diego, CA to Lemon Grove, CA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
11m
Distance
8.7 mi
14 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 11m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Lemon Grove, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Diego, CA to Lemon Grove, CA covers 8.7 miles and takes about 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway, Broadway, West Broadway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.4 miles on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.00 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
4.3 miles from San Diego, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 11m highway drive covering 8.7 miles, with most of the trip on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway and Broadway. The longest continuous stretch is about 6.4 miles on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Martin Luther King Junior Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway and Broadway. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Broadway.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 8.7 miles you will encounter 6 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (G Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Broadway
Turn left onto West Broadway
Navigation decision point
4
0.9 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
16th Street
Turn right onto 16th Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
G Street
Turn left onto G Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
7.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the exit toward Broadway, College Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward Broadway, College Avenue
8
7.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Broadway
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 San Diego, CA to Lemon Grove, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Broadway along the way.
Broadway
7.5 mi in
|
~9m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Junior Freeway | 6.4 mi | 6m |
| Broadway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Broadway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 16th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| G Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Front Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
— 6.4 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Lemon Grove, CA.
1
Start on Front Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
2
Turn left onto West Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway
3
Turn right onto 16th Street
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
16th Street
4
Turn left onto G Street
278 ft
·
9 sec
·
G Street
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on CA 94
6.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 6
Toward Broadway, College Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
361 ft
·
10 sec
Toward Broadway
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Continue on Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn right
184 ft
·
18 sec
10
Arrive at destination
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 4.3 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 6.4 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 8.7 miles or 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 4.3 miles or 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lemon Grove, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Diego, CA
This is one driving day of about 8.7 miles and 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Diego, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway for about 6.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 4.3 mi from San Diego, CA · 6m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
4 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 8.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 4.3 miles from San Diego, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lemon Grove, CA
The final approach into Lemon Grove, 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 Lemon Grove, 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
$2.00 one way
$4.00 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.06 | $4.12 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.12 | $4.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.92 | $3.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$27–$52
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.91 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.76 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% 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
Lemon Grove, CA
Late night in Lemon Grove on Wednesday
Local time
3:34 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°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
16 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
11m 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 San Diego, CA to Lemon Grove, CA covers 8.7 miles and takes about 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Martin Luther King Junior Freeway, Broadway, West Broadway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 4.3 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 $2.00 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 8.7 miles you will encounter 6 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (16th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (G Street): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from San Diego, CA to Lemon Grove, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Broadway along the way.
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