Origin
San Jose, CA
Afternoon in San Jose on Thursday
Local time
2:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
4h 32m
Distance
229.6 mi
370 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$53
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
4h 19m
★
6 AM
4h 32m
8 AM
4h 59m
10 AM
4h 41m
12 PM
4h 39m
3 PM
4h 43m
5 PM
4h 57m
8 PM
4h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Kings Beach, CA
Talha Resitoglu
Trip Overview
The drive from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA covers 229.6 miles and takes about 4h 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Coleman Avenue, I 880 North, Nimitz Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $52.77 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
114.8 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 16m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 32m. Total distance: 229.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 4h 32m drive with frequent turns across 229.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Coleman Avenue 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.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Coleman Avenue | — | — |
| I 880 North | — | — |
| Nimitz Freeway | — | — |
| Sacramento | — | — |
| I 680 North | — | — |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | — | — |
| Benicia-Martinez Bridge | — | — |
| Luther E Gibson Freeway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Coleman Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Kings Beach, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
197 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Continue on Coleman Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Coleman Avenue
3
Take the ramp right toward I 880 North: Oakland
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
I 880 North: Oakland
4
Merge slight left
8.5 mi
·
9 min
5
Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Nimitz Freeway
6
Take the exit slight right toward Sacramento
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Sacramento
7
Take the exit straight toward I 680 North: Sacramento
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 680 North: Sacramento
8
Keep slight left to continue on I 680 North: Sacramento
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 680 North: Sacramento
9
Merge slight left
37 mi
·
43 min
10
Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
11
Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
243 ft
·
3 sec
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
12
Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Benicia-Martinez Bridge
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
Benicia-Martinez Bridge
14
Continue on Luther E Gibson Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Luther E Gibson Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 80 East, CA 12 East: Fairfield, Sacramento
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 80 East, CA 12 East: Fairfield, Sacramento
16
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
17
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
27 mi
·
31 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
18
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
19
Continue on Yolo Causeway
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Yolo Causeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on North Sacramento Beltline Freeway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
North Sacramento Beltline Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on North Sacramento Beltline Freeway
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
·
North Sacramento Beltline Freeway
22
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
23
Continue on Alan S. Hart Freeway
78 mi
·
1 hr 30 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
24
Take the exit slight right toward Donner Lake
0.4 mi
·
30 sec
·
Donner Lake
25
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
6.5 mi
·
7 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward CA 89 North, CA 267 South: Sierraville, King's Beach
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
·
CA 89 North, CA 267 South: Sierraville, King's Beach
27
Turn right
12 mi
·
16 min
28
Turn left onto North Lake Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
North Lake Boulevard
29
Turn left onto Deer Street
75 ft
·
5 sec
·
Deer Street
30
Turn right onto Trout Avenue
115 ft
·
5 sec
·
Trout Avenue
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 114.8 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 2h 16m 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 51 miles or 1h in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 114.8 miles or 2h 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 3h 43m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Kings Beach, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Jose, 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 Jose, CA
This is one driving day of about 229.6 miles and 4h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from San Jose, 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 114.8 mi from San Jose, CA · 2h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
115 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 51 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 114.8 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kings Beach, CA
The final approach into Kings Beach, 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 Kings Beach, 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
$52.77 one way
$105.54 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
80 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $54.38 | $108.76 |
| premium | $6.18 | $55.84 | $111.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $50.69 | $101.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$53
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$78–$103
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 68.9 | 0 | $24.11 | $11.02 |
| Efficient EV | 57.4 | 0 | $20.09 | $9.18 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 91.8 | 1 | $32.14 | $14.69 |
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 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
Kings Beach, CA
Afternoon in Kings Beach on Thursday
Local time
2:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
2 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
4h 32m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA covers 229.6 miles and takes about 4h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Coleman Avenue, I 880 North, Nimitz Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 114.8 miles from San Jose, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $52.77 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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.
This is a straightforward 4h 32m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Jose, CA to Kings Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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