Origin
San Francisco, CA
Morning in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
10:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Francisco, CA to Santa Clarita, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 31m
Distance
351.2 mi
565 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$81
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 19m
★
6 AM
6h 32m
8 AM
6h 56m
10 AM
6h 40m
12 PM
6h 38m
3 PM
6h 41m
5 PM
6h 55m
8 PM
6h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Santa Clarita, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Francisco, CA to Santa Clarita, CA covers 351.2 miles and takes about 6h 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $80.72 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
175.6 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 224.4 mi | 4h |
| I 5 Truck | 53 mi | 1h |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 15.9 mi | 18m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| McBean Parkway | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Route 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 224.4 mi, about 4h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Santa Clarita, 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
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
6
Continue on I 80
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
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 lanes.
9
Merge onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
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 straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
53 mi
·
1 hr
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Exit 168
Toward McBean Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left
109 ft
·
2 sec
Use the left lane.
17
Turn straight onto Stevenson Ranch Parkway
216 ft
·
4 sec
·
Stevenson Ranch Parkway
18
Continue on McBean Parkway
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
McBean Parkway
19
Turn right onto Orchard Village Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Orchard Village Road
Use the left lane.
20
Turn left onto 16th Street
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
16th Street
21
Turn left onto Newhall Avenue
451 ft
·
19 sec
·
Newhall Avenue
22
Arrive at destination
Newhall Avenue
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 175.6 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 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 77 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 175.6 miles or 3h 16m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Clarita, 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 351.2 miles and 6h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 77 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 Westside Freeway for about 224.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
176 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 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 175.6 miles from San Francisco, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 224.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 8 and 348.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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...
6
36.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
|
I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
295.7 mi into trip
|
~5h 25m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
348.6 mi into trip
|
~6h 26m in
Take the exit toward McBean Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 168
Toward McBean Parkway
6
348.9 mi into trip
|
~6h 26m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$80.72 one way
$161.44 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
123 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $83.18 | $166.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $85.41 | $170.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $77.54 | $155.08 |
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: 122.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 105.4 | 1 | $36.88 | $16.86 |
| Efficient EV | 87.8 | 1 | $30.73 | $14.05 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 140.5 | 1 | $49.17 | $22.48 |
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
Santa Clarita, CA
Morning in Santa Clarita on Saturday
Local time
10:51 AM
PDT
Current temp
48°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
4 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
6h 31m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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
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
~24 min detour
Free
near mile 12.1
View on nps.gov
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
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
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 12.1
View on nps.gov
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
~60 min detour
Free
near mile 351.2
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
351.2 mi in 6h 31m, mostly highway — 224.4 mi of that is on Westside Freeway.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 224.4 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 17 significant decision points across 351.2 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 36.4 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 295.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Arriving in Santa Clarita, CA
Full guide →Founded 1987
Santa Clarita is the third largest city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, with a population of 229,000 in 2020. It is generally considered to be a suburb of Greater Los Angeles. It consists of the neighborhoods of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia. It is part of the Santa Clarita Valley, which also includes the unincorporated "satellite communities" of Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Val Verde, and Agua Dulce.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 31m. Total distance: 351.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 31m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Santa Clarita, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 36.4 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 295.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.5 hours each way, a round trip means 13.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Santa Clarita, CA before the return drive.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Santa Clarita, CA
More trips to Santa Clarita, CA
Explore more options from San Francisco, CA or browse trips ending in Santa Clarita, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.