Origin
San Jose, CA
Late night in San Jose on Wednesday
Local time
3:28 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Larkspur, CA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
63.6 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 23m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 26m
3 PM
1h 28m
5 PM
1h 35m
8 PM
1h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Larkspur, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Jose, CA to Larkspur, CA covers 63.6 miles and takes about 1h 22m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 880, Nimitz Freeway, John T. Knox Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.4 miles on I 880. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.62 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
31.8 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 38m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 1h 22m highway drive covering 63.6 miles, with most of the trip on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 26.4 miles on I 880.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 880 is the longest continuous segment at about 26.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 63.6 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.3 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 880 North: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
6
10.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
48.3 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
7
59.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2A
Toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
8
62.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
Take the exit toward Lucky Drive, Doherty Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Lucky Drive, Doherty Drive
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Jose, CA and Larkspur, CA, road signs point toward Sacramento and San Rafael.
Sacramento
43.1 mi in
|
~51m
|
via I 880
San Rafael
48.3 mi in
|
~58m
|
via I 580
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 26.4 mi | 30m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 16.8 mi | 20m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 11.6 mi | 15m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Coleman Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Doherty Drive | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| Magnolia Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 880
— 26.4 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Larkspur, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
196 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Continue on Coleman Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Coleman Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 880
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
I 880
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
18 mi
·
20 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 880
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Exit 46B
Toward I 80 East, I 580 West: San Rafael, Sacramento
9
Continue on I 80; I 580
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
12 mi
·
15 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 2A
Toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Merge onto US 101
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Redwood Highway
15
Take the exit
423 ft
·
24 sec
Toward Lucky Drive, Doherty Drive
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on Fifer Avenue
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
Fifer Avenue
Toward Lucky Drive, Doherty Drive, Tamal Vista Boulevard
17
At end of road, turn left onto Lucky Drive
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Lucky Drive
18
Turn right onto Doherty Drive
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Doherty Drive
19
At end of road, turn left onto Magnolia Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Magnolia Avenue
20
Turn left onto King Street
141 ft
·
3 sec
·
King Street
21
Arrive at destination
King Street
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 31.8 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 38m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 26.4 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 63.6 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 31.8 miles or 38m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Larkspur, 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 63.6 miles and 1h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from San Jose, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 880 for about 26.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.8 mi from San Jose, CA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 63.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.8 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Larkspur, CA
The final approach into Larkspur, 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 Larkspur, 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
$14.62 one way
$29.24 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.06 | $30.13 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.47 | $30.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.04 | $28.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.68 | $3.05 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.56 | $2.54 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.4 | 0 | $8.90 | $4.07 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% 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.
Destination
Larkspur, CA
Late night in Larkspur on Wednesday
Local time
3:28 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Richmond, CA
32 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.
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
20 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
1h 22m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 Larkspur, CA covers 63.6 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 880, Nimitz Freeway, John T. Knox Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.8 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 $14.62 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 is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 63.6 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 48.3 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Jose, CA and Larkspur, CA, road signs point toward Sacramento and San Rafael.
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