Origin
San Diego, CA
Late night in San Diego on Saturday
Local time
5:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Diego, CA to Susanville, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12h 53m
Distance
641.1 mi
1,032 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$147
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
12h 42m
★
6 AM
12h 54m
8 AM
13h 17m
10 AM
13h 2m
12 PM
13h 0m
3 PM
13h 3m
5 PM
13h 16m
8 PM
12h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Susanville, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Diego, CA to Susanville, CA covers 641.1 miles and takes about 12h 53m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on West Broadway, 11th Avenue, Cabrillo Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $147.35 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
320.6 miles from San Diego, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 26m 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
12h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 641.1 miles and 12h 53m 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 11th Avenue.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 55 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 12h 53m, 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 (12h 53m) 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 Susanville, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Broadway | — | — |
| 11th Avenue | — | — |
| Cabrillo Parkway | — | — |
| Cabrillo Freeway | — | — |
| Semper Fi Highway | — | — |
| Escondido Freeway | — | — |
| Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway | — | — |
| Avocado Highway | — | — |
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 Susanville, CA.
1
Start on Front Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
2
Turn left onto West Broadway
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Broadway
3
Turn left onto 11th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
11th Avenue
4
Continue on Cabrillo Parkway
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Cabrillo Parkway
5
Continue on Cabrillo Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Cabrillo Freeway
6
Keep slight left
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
7
Continue on Semper Fi Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Semper Fi Highway
8
Continue on Escondido Freeway
3.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Escondido Freeway
9
Continue on Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
10
Continue on Escondido Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Escondido Freeway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Escondido Freeway
6.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Escondido Freeway
12
Continue on Avocado Highway
22 mi
·
23 min
·
Avocado Highway
13
Continue on Escondido Freeway
6.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Escondido Freeway
14
Take the exit slight right toward I 215
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 215
15
Continue on Escondido Freeway
34 mi
·
40 min
·
Escondido Freeway
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
I 215 North: San Bernardino, Barstow
17
Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway
5.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Riverside Freeway
18
Continue on San Bernardino Freeway
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
19
Continue on Barstow Freeway
8.9 mi
·
9 min
·
Barstow Freeway
20
Keep slight left
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
21
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
22
Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
5.4 mi
·
5 min
·
CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
23
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Barstow and Mojave Freeway
24
Take the exit right toward US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
25
Continue on US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
US 395 North: Adelanto, Bishop
26
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
67 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
27
Continue on Red Mountain Road
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Red Mountain Road
28
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
37 mi
·
42 min
·
Blue Star Memorial Highway
29
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
56 mi
·
1 hr 4 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
30
Continue on South Main Street
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
South Main Street
31
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
32
Continue on South Edwards Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Edwards Street
33
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
26 mi
·
31 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
34
Continue on North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
North Main Street
35
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
36
Continue on El Camino Sierra
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
El Camino Sierra
37
Continue on South Main Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Main Street
38
Turn left onto West Line Street
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Line Street
39
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Barlow Lane
40
Turn left onto North Sierra Highway
87 mi
·
1 hr 44 min
·
North Sierra Highway
41
Turn right onto Sinclair Street
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Sinclair Street
42
Turn left onto Emigrant Street
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
Emigrant Street
43
Continue on Route 395
43 mi
·
56 min
·
Route 395
44
Continue on Main Street
19 mi
·
26 min
·
Main Street
45
Continue straight
2.9 mi
·
7 min
46
Turn left onto County Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
County Road
47
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Woodfords Road
3 ft
·
Woodfords Road
48
Exit the roundabout onto Woodfords Road
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
·
Woodfords Road
49
Turn left
11 mi
·
13 min
50
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 580 North, US 395 North, US 50 East: Reno, Dayton, Fallon
51
Merge slight left onto Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Carson City Deputy Sheriff Carl Howell Memorial Freeway
52
Continue straight
101 mi
·
1 hr 56 min
53
Continue straight
4.3 mi
·
7 min
54
Turn left onto Foss Street
62 ft
·
3 sec
·
Foss Street
55
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 320.6 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 6h 26m 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 141 miles or 2h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 320.6 miles or 6h 26m 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 320.6 miles or 6h 26m
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 11h 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Susanville, 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 321 miles and 6.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Susanville, CA
Aim for roughly 321 miles and 6.4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 141 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 320.6 mi from San Diego, CA · 6h 26m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
212 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
423 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 South Lake Tahoe, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
321 mi · about 6.4h in
A practical overnight split lands near Fresno, CA after about 321 miles or 6.4 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 141 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 320.6 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 321 miles or 6.4 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 Susanville, CA
The final approach into Susanville, 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 Susanville, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Susanville, 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
$147.35 one way
$294.70 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
224 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $151.84 | $303.69 |
| premium | $6.18 | $155.91 | $311.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $141.55 | $283.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$147
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$277–$387
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 224.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $67 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 192.3 | 2 | $67.32 | $30.77 |
| Efficient EV | 160.3 | 1 | $56.10 | $25.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 256.4 | 3 | $89.75 | $41.03 |
Gas CO2
224 kg
EV CO2
75 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
Susanville, CA
Late night in Susanville on Saturday
Local time
5:43 AM
PDT
Current temp
32°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
24 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
12h 53m 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 Susanville, CA covers 641.1 miles and takes about 12h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Broadway, 11th Avenue, Cabrillo Parkway. 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 321 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 320.6 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 $147.35 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 (12h 53m) 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 Susanville, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Diego, CA to Susanville, 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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