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Trip from San Francisco, CA to Nice, CA

Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology

Drive Time

2h 54m

Distance

129.3 mi

208 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$30

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 43m ★
6 AM
2h 54m
8 AM
3h 16m
10 AM
3h 2m
12 PM
3h 0m
3 PM
3h 3m
5 PM
3h 15m
8 PM
2h 47m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Nice, CA, CA

Nice, CA

Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

The drive from San Francisco, CA to Nice, CA covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 54m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Redwood Highway, Hopland Road, CA 29 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 92.1 miles on Redwood Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.72 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

64.6 miles from San Francisco, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 54m. Total distance: 129.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 54m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 54m drive with frequent turns across 129.3 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Redwood Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 92.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 18 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 101 / South Van Ness Avenue.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 129.3 miles you will encounter 18 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 18 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.
5
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

6
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | Fell Street

Turn left onto Fell Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / left lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Redwood Highway 92.1 mi 1h 48m
Hopland Road 8 mi 14m
CA 29 7.5 mi 8m
Hopland Grade 4.5 mi 7m
Lakeport-Hopland Road 4 mi 7m
Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Road 2.5 mi 3m
Presidio Parkway 1.8 mi 3m
Golden Gate Bridge 1.7 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Redwood Highway — 92.1 mi, about 1h 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

92 mi · 1 hr 48 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Turn right onto Old River Road

1.5 mi · 3 min · Old River Road
18

At end of road, turn right onto CA 175

0.4 mi · 41 sec · Main Street
19

Enter roundabout onto CA 175

29 ft · 0 sec · Lakeport-Hopland Road
20

Continue on CA 175

4.0 mi · 7 min · Lakeport-Hopland Road
21

Continue on CA 175

4.5 mi · 7 min · Hopland Grade
22

Continue on CA 175

8.0 mi · 14 min · Hopland Road
23

Turn left onto CA 29

7.5 mi · 8 min · CA 29
24

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 17 sec
Toward Nice, Lucerne Cutoff
25

Turn right onto Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Road

2.5 mi · 3 min · Nice-Lucerne Cutoff Road
26

Enter roundabout onto CA 20

17 ft · 0 sec · CA 20
27

Continue on CA 20

1.4 mi · 2 min · CA 20
28

Arrive at destination

CA 20

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 64.6 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 92.1 miles.

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 28 miles or 41m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 64.6 miles or 1h 24m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 18m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nice, 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 129.3 miles and 2h 54m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 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.
The longest stretch is on Redwood Highway for about 92.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 64.6 mi from San Francisco, CA · 1h 24m into the drive

town in Sonoma County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Windsor, CA

65 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

Richmond, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Petaluma, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 64.6 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 Redwood Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 92.1 miles.

Arriving in Nice, CA

The final approach into Nice, 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 Nice, CA.

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 ~5 min detour Free near mile 4.5
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,...

4 mi from route ~10 min detour $15 near mile 13.4
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...

6 mi from route ~15 min detour Free near mile 8.9
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...

8 mi from route ~21 min detour Free near mile 8.9
View on nps.gov
Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore

National Seashore

From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 spec...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free near mile 26.7
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...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 17.8
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$29.72 one way

$59.44 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 45 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $30.62 $61.25
premium $6.18 $31.44 $62.89
diesel $5.61 $28.55 $57.10

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.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$30

Tolls

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$64–$89

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 45.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 38.8 0 $13.58 $6.21
Efficient EV 32.3 0 $11.31 $5.17
EV Truck/SUV 51.7 0 $18.10 $8.28

Gas CO2

45 kg

EV CO2

15 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 16, 2026

Origin

San Francisco, CA

Night in San Francisco on Thursday

Local time

10:07 PM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Sunny

N 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 10:43AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 10:32AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Nice, CA

Night in Nice on Thursday

Local time

10:07 PM

PDT

Current temp

65°F

Patchy Frost then Sunny

NNW 8 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Freeze Warning

Freeze Warning issued April 16 at 10:43AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 10:32AM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

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

5 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

2h 54m 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 Nice, CA covers 129.3 miles and takes about 2h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Redwood Highway, Hopland Road, CA 29. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 64.6 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 $29.72 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 129.3 miles you will encounter 18 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.
The route from San Francisco, CA to Nice, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.

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