Origin
San Francisco, CA
Morning in San Francisco on Friday
Local time
9:05 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Francisco, CA to Calexico, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
11h 15m
Distance
601.3 mi
968 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$138
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
11h 6m
★
6 AM
11h 16m
8 AM
11h 36m
10 AM
11h 23m
12 PM
11h 21m
3 PM
11h 24m
5 PM
11h 35m
8 PM
11h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Calexico, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Francisco, CA to Calexico, CA covers 601.3 miles and takes about 11h 15m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on 11th Street, Bryant Street, I 80 East for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $138.20 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
300.6 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 37m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
11h 15m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Long-distance drive route profile.
Drive Character
At 601.3 miles and 11h 15m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are 11th Street and Bryant Street.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 36 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?
At 11h 15m, 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 (11h 15m) 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 Francisco, CA to Calexico, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 11th Street | — | — |
| Bryant Street | — | — |
| I 80 East | — | — |
| Route 80 | — | — |
| Dwight D | — | — |
| I 580 East | — | — |
| MacArthur Freeway | — | — |
| Arthur H | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
11th Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Calexico, 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
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
17
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
20
Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 57 South: Santa Ana
21
Continue on Orange Freeway
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
23
Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
24
Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
25
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
26
Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
27
Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
28
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
40 mi
·
44 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
29
Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
32 mi
·
34 min
·
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
30
Keep slight right to continue on CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro
67 mi
·
1 hr 17 min
·
CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro
31
Turn left onto Brawley Bypass
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Brawley Bypass
32
Continue on Ben Hulse Highway
23 mi
·
27 min
·
Ben Hulse Highway
33
Turn right onto West Birch Street
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
West Birch Street
34
Turn slight left onto Harold Avenue
187 ft
·
14 sec
·
Harold Avenue
35
Turn sharp left onto West Birch Street
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
West Birch Street
36
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 300.6 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 5h 37m 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 132 miles or 2h 28m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 300.6 miles or 5h 37m 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 300.6 miles or 5h 37m
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 10h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Calexico, 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 301 miles and 5.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Calexico, CA
Aim for roughly 301 miles and 5.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 132 miles from San Francisco, 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 300.6 mi from San Francisco, CA · 5h 37m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
198 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
397 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 Ontario, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
301 mi · about 5.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 301 miles or 5.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 132 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 300.6 miles from San Francisco, 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 301 miles or 5.6 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 Calexico, CA
The final approach into Calexico, 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 Calexico, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Calexico, 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
$138.20 one way
$276.41 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
210 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $142.42 | $284.84 |
| premium | $6.18 | $146.23 | $292.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $132.76 | $265.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$138
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$268–$378
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 210.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $63 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 180.4 | 2 | $63.14 | $28.86 |
| Efficient EV | 150.3 | 1 | $52.61 | $24.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 240.5 | 3 | $84.18 | $38.48 |
Gas CO2
210 kg
EV CO2
70 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
Calexico, CA
Morning in Calexico on Friday
Local time
9:05 AM
PDT
Current temp
87°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
52°F
Ontario, CA
397 mi in
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
43 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
11h 15m 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 Calexico, CA covers 601.3 miles and takes about 11h 15m 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.
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 301 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 300.6 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 $138.20 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 (11h 15m) 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 Francisco, CA to Calexico, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Francisco, CA to Calexico, 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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