The drive from San Francisco, CA to Inverness, CA covers 43.1 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Shoreline Highway, Redwood Highway, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.3 miles on Shoreline Highway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.91 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 43.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 17m drive with frequent turns across 43.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Shoreline Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 25.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 43.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 (US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (Gough Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (Market Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue
Turn sharp right onto US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
6
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|Gough Street
Turn right onto Gough Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.6 mi into trip|~1m in|Fell Street
Turn left onto Fell Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
10.9 mi into trip|~21m in|CA 1
Take the exit onto CA 1 toward CA 1: Mill Valley, Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais
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 445B
Toward CA 1: Mill Valley, Stinson Beach, Muir W...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Francisco, CA and Inverness, CA, road signs point toward Stinson Beach, Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais.
Stinson Beach
10.9 mi in|~21m|via CA 1
Muir Woods
10.9 mi in|~21m|via CA 1
Mount Tamalpais
10.9 mi in|~21m|via CA 1
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Shoreline Highway
25.3 mi
41m
Redwood Highway
3.7 mi
5m
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
3.5 mi
7m
Bear Valley Road
2.3 mi
4m
Presidio Parkway
1.8 mi
3m
Golden Gate Bridge
1.7 mi
2m
CA 1
1 mi
2m
Webster Street
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Shoreline Highway
— 25.3 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Inverness, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
41 ft·6 sec·Market Street
2
Turn sharp right onto US 101
0.1 mi·27 sec·South Van Ness Avenue
3
Turn right onto Otis Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Otis Street
4
Turn right onto Gough Street
0.1 mi·16 sec·Gough Street
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto Market Street
29 ft·1 sec·Market Street
Use the right lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork
497 ft·10 sec
7
Continue on Franklin Street
0.1 mi·37 sec·Franklin Street
8
Turn left onto Fell Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Fell Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Turn right onto Webster Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Webster Street
10
Turn left onto California Street
0.5 mi·1 min·California Street
11
Turn right onto Divisadero Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Divisadero Street
12
Turn left onto US 101
0.1 mi·29 sec·Lombard Street
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on US 101
0.2 mi·40 sec·Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Continue on US 101
1.8 mi·3 min·Presidio Parkway
Use the straight lane.
15
Continue on US 101
1.7 mi·2 min·Golden Gate Bridge
16
Continue on US 101; CA 1
3.7 mi·5 min·Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit onto CA 1
1.0 mi·2 min·CA 1
Exit 445BToward CA 1: Mill Valley, Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, Mount TamalpaisUse the slight right lane.
18
Continue on CA 1
1.2 mi·2 min·Shoreline Highway
19
Continue on CA 1
24 mi·38 min·Shoreline Highway
20
Turn left onto Bear Valley Road
2.3 mi·4 min·Bear Valley Road
21
At end of road, turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
3.5 mi·7 min·Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
22
Turn left onto Argyle Street
117 ft·5 sec·Argyle Street
23
Arrive at destination
Argyle Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from San Francisco, CA
· 40m into the drive
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from San Francisco, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Inverness, CA
The final approach into Inverness, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.91 one way
$19.81 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$10.21
$20.42
premium
$6.18
$10.48
$20.96
diesel
$5.61
$9.52
$19.03
Estimated Tolls: $9.00
Golden Gate Bridge
$9.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$9
Total
$19
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.9
0
$4.53
$2.07
Efficient EV
10.8
0
$3.77
$1.72
EV Truck/SUV
17.2
0
$6.03
$2.76
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
San Francisco, CA
Late night
in San Francisco on Friday
Local time
4:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Clear
NNW 9 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 2:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 9:49PM PDT until April 17 at 5:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Inverness, CA
Late night
in Inverness on Friday
Local time
4:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
1h 17m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 Inverness, CA covers 43.1 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Shoreline Highway, Redwood Highway, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 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 $9.91 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 43.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 (US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.3 miles (Gough Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.4 miles (Market Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Between San Francisco, CA and Inverness, CA, road signs point toward Stinson Beach, Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Muir Woods National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
