Origin
San Francisco, CA
Morning in San Francisco on Monday
Local time
7:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Francisco, CA to California City, CA
Drive Time
6h 36m
Distance
350.2 mi
564 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$81
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 25m
★
6 AM
6h 37m
8 AM
7h 1m
10 AM
6h 45m
12 PM
6h 43m
3 PM
6h 46m
5 PM
7h 0m
8 PM
6h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Abhishek Navlakha
California City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from San Francisco, CA to California City, CA covers 350.2 miles and takes about 6h 36m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 11th Street, Bryant Street, I 80 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $81.10 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
175.1 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 18m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 36m drive with frequent turns across 350.2 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
11th Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 36m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Francisco, CA to California City, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bryant Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 80 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Route 80 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Dwight D | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 580 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| MacArthur Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Arthur H | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
11th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and California City, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
312 ft
·
8 sec
·
Market Street
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Street
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bryant Street
4
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
I 80 East: Oakland
5
Merge slight right onto Route 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
6
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
8
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
193 mi
·
3 hr 26 min
·
Westside Freeway
14
Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
15
Turn left onto Stockdale Highway
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
16
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
128 ft
·
2 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
17
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
18
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Parkway
19
Continue on Centennial Corridor
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Centennial Corridor
20
Continue on Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
55 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
21
Continue on Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Barstow–Bakersfield Highway
22
Take the exit slight right toward CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
CA 14: Bishop, Mojave
23
Merge slight right onto Aerospace Highway
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Aerospace Highway
24
Take the exit slight right toward California City Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
California City Boulevard
25
Keep slight right
410 ft
·
6 sec
26
Turn straight onto California City Boulevard
7.7 mi
·
11 min
·
California City Boulevard
27
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 175.1 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 3h 18m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 175.1 miles or 3h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near California City, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Francisco, CA
This is one driving day of about 350.2 miles and 6h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Francisco, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 175.1 mi from San Francisco, CA · 3h 18m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
175 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 175.1 miles from San Francisco, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in California City, CA
The final approach into California City, 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 California City, 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
$81.10 one way
$162.19 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
123 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $83.63 | $167.27 |
| premium | $6.24 | $86.07 | $172.15 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $77.80 | $155.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$81
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$106–$131
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 105.1 | 1 | $36.77 | $16.81 |
| Efficient EV | 87.6 | 1 | $30.64 | $14.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 140.1 | 1 | $49.03 | $22.41 |
Gas CO2
123 kg
EV CO2
41 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.
Destination
California City, CA
Morning in California City on Monday
Local time
7:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
25 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
6h 36m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 California City, CA covers 350.2 miles and takes about 6h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 11th Street, Bryant Street, I 80 East. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 175.1 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 $81.10 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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 36m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Francisco, CA to California City, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Francisco, CA to California City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Return Trip
California City, CA to San Francisco, CAPlan the drive back the other way.
350.8 mi
6h 38m
Continue From California City, CA
More trips to California City, CA
Explore more options from San Francisco, CA or browse trips ending in California City, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
Explore maps for San Francisco, CA or California City, CA on MapSof.net.