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Trip from San Francisco, CA to Anza, CA

Drive Time

9h 29m

Distance

497.5 mi

801 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$115

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Anza, CA, CA

Photo: Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from San Francisco, CA to Anza, CA covers 497.5 miles and takes about 9h 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, I 5 Truck, Foothill Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $115.21 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

248.8 miles from San Francisco, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 35m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 9h 29m highway drive covering 497.5 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. The longest continuous stretch is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 37 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 224.4 miles.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

3,094 ft 54 ft

Total Climb

3,304 ft

Total Descent

2,857 ft

Highest Point

3,094 ft

~319.8 mi in

Elevation Range

3,039 ft

Notable High Points

3,094 ft at ~319.8 miles +1,682 ft prominence

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 27 significant decision points across 497.5 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 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 356 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 380.7 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 27 key points

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

8
8 mi into trip | ~13m in

Take the exit toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 8B Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-St...
7
356 mi into trip | ~6h 34m in

Take the exit toward I 210 East: Pasadena

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 161A Toward I 210 East: Pasadena
8
380.7 mi into trip | ~7h 3m in | I 210 / Foothill Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino,...
7
400.2 mi into trip | ~7h 25m in

Take the exit toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 44A Toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
8
425.6 mi into trip | ~7h 58m in | Corona Freeway

Take the exit onto Corona Freeway toward I 15 North, I 15 South: Barstow, San Diego

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 51 Toward I 15 North, I 15 South: Barstow, San Die...

Towns Along This Route

Between San Francisco, CA and Anza, CA, road signs point toward Ventura and San Diego.

Ventura

380.7 mi in | ~7h 3m | via I 210

San Diego

425.6 mi in | ~7h 58m | via Corona Freeway

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 224.4 mi 4h
I 5 Truck 58.4 mi 1h 6m
Foothill Freeway 44 mi 50m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway 29.3 mi 33m
Temecula Valley Freeway 19.1 mi 20m
Corona Freeway 18.3 mi 21m
William Elton Brown Freeway 17 mi 18m
MacArthur Freeway 15.9 mi 18m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 224.4 mi, about 4h

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Anza, CA.

1

Start on Market Street

312 ft · 7 sec · Market Street
2

Turn right onto 11th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · 11th Street
Use the none lane.
3

Turn left onto Bryant Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · Bryant Street
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 80 East: Oakland Use the left / straight lanes.
5

Merge onto I 80

0.9 mi · 1 min · Route 80
Use the none lane.
6

Continue on I 80

5.8 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the none lane.
7

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 8B Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto I 580

16 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.
9

Merge onto I 580

12 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the none lane.
11

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

11 mi · 11 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
13

Merge onto I 5

224 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 5 Truck
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.0 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the none lane.
16

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 17 sec
Exit 161A Toward I 210 East: Pasadena Use the slight right lane.
17

Continue on I 210

24 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway
Use the none lane.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210

19 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway
Toward CA 134 West, I 210 East: San Bernardino, Ventura Use the slight right lane.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 210

0.5 mi · 32 sec · Foothill Freeway
Use the none lane.
20

Take the exit

0.9 mi · 1 min
Exit 44A Toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana Use the slight right lane.
21

Continue on CA 57

3.2 mi · 3 min · Orange Freeway
Use the none lane.
22

Take the exit

1.1 mi · 2 min
Exit 22C Toward CA 71: Corona Use the slight right lane.
23

Continue on CA 71

13 mi · 14 min · Chino Valley Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
24

Continue on CA 71

2.9 mi · 3 min · Corona Freeway
25

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Toward CA 91 East: Riverside Use the slight left lane.
26

Merge onto CA 91

3.9 mi · 4 min · Riverside Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
27

Take the exit onto Corona Freeway

0.8 mi · 55 sec · Corona Freeway
Exit 51 Toward I 15 North, I 15 South: Barstow, San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Keep slight right at fork onto Corona Freeway

0.5 mi · 58 sec · Corona Freeway
Toward I 15 South: San Diego Use the slight right lane.
29

Merge onto I 15

14 mi · 15 min · Corona Freeway
Use the none lane.
30

Continue on I 15

19 mi · 20 min · Temecula Valley Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
31

Merge onto I 15

4.2 mi · 4 min · Escondido Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
32

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 58 Toward CA 79: Temecula Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

Keep slight right at fork

326 ft · 8 sec
Toward Temecula Parkway
34

Continue on Temecula Parkway

10.0 mi · 14 min · Temecula Parkway
Use the left / none lanes.
35

Continue on CA 79

7.9 mi · 11 min · CA 79
36

Turn left onto CA 371

15 mi · 22 min · Cahuilla Road
Use the none lane.
37

Arrive at destination

CA 371

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 248.8 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 4h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 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 109 miles or 2h 5m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 248.8 miles or 4h 35m 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 248.8 miles or 4h 35m

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 11m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving San Francisco, 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 Francisco, CA

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Anza, CA

Aim for roughly 249 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from San Francisco, 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 224.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 248.8 mi from San Francisco, CA · 4h 35m into the drive

Downtown Santa Clarita, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Santa Clarita, CA

249 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 Santa Clarita, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Santa Clarita, CA

249 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 249 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Turlock, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fresno, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 248.8 miles from San Francisco, 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 224.4 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 249 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

Arriving in Anza, CA

The final approach into Anza, 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 Anza, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Anza, 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.

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...

2 mi from route ~6 min detour Free
Park Closure: Hyde Street Pier Closure
Caution: Sick Birds and Wildlife, H5N1
View on nps.gov
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...

10 mi from route ~25 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...

12 mi from route ~29 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...

12 mi from route ~30 min detour $15
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...

21 mi from route ~52 min detour Free near mile 17.2
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...

24 mi from route ~61 min detour Free near mile 360.3
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$115.21 one way

$230.42 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 174 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $118.81 $237.62
premium $6.24 $122.28 $244.56
diesel $5.64 $110.53 $221.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$115

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$245–$355

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 174.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 149.3 1 $52.24 $23.88
Efficient EV 124.4 1 $43.53 $19.90
EV Truck/SUV 199 2 $69.65 $31.84

Gas CO2

174 kg

EV CO2

58 kg (67% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

San Francisco, CA

Morning in San Francisco on Sunday

Local time

11:37 AM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Anza, CA

Morning in Anza on Sunday

Local time

11:37 AM

PDT

Current temp

38°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

32 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

9h 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 Francisco, CA to Anza, CA covers 497.5 miles and takes about 9h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Foothill Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
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 249 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 248.8 miles from San Francisco, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $115.21 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 27 significant decision points across 497.5 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 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 356 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 380.7 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Francisco, CA and Anza, CA, road signs point toward Ventura and San Diego.

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