Origin
San Diego, CA
Late night in San Diego on Saturday
Local time
5:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Diego, CA to Penn Valley, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
10h 45m
Distance
567.8 mi
914 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$131
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
10h 36m
★
6 AM
10h 46m
8 AM
11h 5m
10 AM
10h 52m
12 PM
10h 50m
3 PM
10h 53m
5 PM
11h 4m
8 PM
10h 40m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Penn Valley, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from San Diego, CA to Penn Valley, CA covers 567.8 miles and takes about 10h 45m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on West Broadway, 1st Avenue, I 5 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $130.50 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
283.9 miles from San Diego, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 22m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in San Diego, CA
Full guide →Founded 1769
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.
Top landmarks
- • Balboa Park — historic park in San Diego, California
- • Cabrillo National Monument — National Monument of the United States and historic district
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
10h 45m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 567.8 miles and 10h 45m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are West Broadway and 1st Avenue.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 50 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Broadway is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 10h 45m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
Navigation is easy, but the length (10h 45m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Diego, CA to Penn Valley, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Broadway | — | — |
| 1st Avenue | — | — |
| I 5 North | — | — |
| San Diego Freeway | — | — |
| Bake Parkway | — | — |
| Jamboree Road | — | — |
| El Camino Real | — | — |
| Newport Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Broadway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Diego, CA and Penn Valley, CA.
1
Start on Front Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
2
Turn left onto West Broadway
289 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Broadway
3
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue
4
Take the ramp left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
13 mi
·
15 min
·
San Diego Freeway
6
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
36 mi
·
43 min
·
San Diego Freeway
7
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
8
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bake Parkway
10
Keep slight right
6.0 mi
·
6 min
11
Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamboree Road
12
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
13
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Jamboree Road
14
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
El Camino Real
15
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
358 ft
·
14 sec
·
Newport Avenue
16
Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 North: Los Angeles
17
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
21
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
22
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
23
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
24
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
25
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
26
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
27
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
28
Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway
46 mi
·
50 min
·
Westside Freeway
29
Take the exit slight right toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
30
Keep slight right to continue on US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
31
Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
32
Merge slight left onto Capital City Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital City Freeway
33
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Capital City Freeway
34
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
35
Continue on Alan S. Hart Freeway
17 mi
·
19 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
36
Take the exit slight right toward CA 49 North: Grass Valley, Placerville
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
CA 49 North: Grass Valley, Placerville
37
Turn left onto Grass Valley Highway
5.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
38
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
39
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
40
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
Grass Valley Highway
41
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Grass Valley Highway
42
Continue on State Highway 49
14 mi
·
18 min
·
State Highway 49
43
Take the exit slight right
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
44
Turn left onto Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
5.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Eric Rood Memorial Expressway
45
Turn left onto Penn Valley Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Penn Valley Drive
46
Continue on Penn Valley Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Penn Valley Drive
47
Turn left onto Horton Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Horton Street
48
Turn left onto Lasso Loop
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
·
Lasso Loop
49
Turn right onto Willow Lane
397 ft
·
17 sec
·
Willow Lane
50
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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 283.9 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 5h 22m 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 125 miles or 2h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 283.9 miles or 5h 22m 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 283.9 miles or 5h 22m
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 9h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Penn Valley, 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 284 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Penn Valley, CA
Aim for roughly 284 miles and 5.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 125 miles from San Diego, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 283.9 mi from San Diego, CA · 5h 22m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
187 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
375 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 Modesto, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
284 mi · about 5.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 284 miles or 5.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 125 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 283.9 miles from San Diego, 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 284 miles or 5.4 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
Arriving in Penn Valley, CA
The final approach into Penn Valley, 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 Penn Valley, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Penn Valley, 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
$130.50 one way
$261.01 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
199 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $134.48 | $268.97 |
| premium | $6.18 | $138.08 | $276.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $125.36 | $250.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$131
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$261–$371
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 198.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 170.3 | 2 | $59.62 | $27.25 |
| Efficient EV | 142 | 1 | $49.68 | $22.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 227.1 | 2 | $79.49 | $36.34 |
Gas CO2
199 kg
EV CO2
66 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
Penn Valley, CA
Late night in Penn Valley on Saturday
Local time
5:25 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
10 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 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 Diego, CA to Penn Valley, CA covers 567.8 miles and takes about 10h 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Broadway, 1st Avenue, I 5 North. 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 284 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 283.9 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 $130.50 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.
Navigation is easy, but the length (10h 45m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Diego, CA to Penn Valley, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Diego, CA to Penn Valley, 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.
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