The drive from San Jose, CA to Penngrove, CA covers 88.7 miles and takes about 1h 49m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 880, Redwood Highway, Nimitz 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 $20.39 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.
Midpoint
44.4 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 49m. Total distance: 88.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (67%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 49m highway drive covering 88.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 880 and Redwood Highway. 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 17 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 Redwood Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 88.7 miles you will encounter 12 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: 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 22.9 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These 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.
6
22.9 mi into trip|~27m in|I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
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
8
86.6 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Take the exit toward Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma Boulevard North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 476
Toward Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma Boulevard...
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 Penngrove, 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
Redwood Highway
24.7 mi
29m
Nimitz Freeway
16.8 mi
20m
John T. Knox Freeway
12.9 mi
17m
Eastshore Freeway
3.3 mi
4m
Coleman Avenue
1.4 mi
2m
Old Redwood Highway North
0.8 mi
1m
Redwood Highway North
0.7 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 Penngrove, 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: OaklandUse 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 46BToward 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
13 mi·17 min·John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13BToward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San RafaelUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·54 sec
Exit 1AToward US 101 North: San Rafeal
12
Merge onto US 101
25 mi·29 min·Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi·40 sec
Exit 476Toward Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma Boulevard NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto Redwood Highway North
0.7 mi·1 min·Redwood Highway North
Use the left / uturn lanes.
15
Continue on Old Redwood Highway North
0.8 mi·1 min·Old Redwood Highway North
16
Turn right onto Main Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
Main 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 44.4 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 53m 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.4 miles or 53m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Penngrove, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Jose, CA
This is one driving day of about 88.7 miles and 1h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from San Jose, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 44.4 mi from San Jose, CA
· 53m into the drive
The midpoint is around 44.4 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Penngrove, CA
The final approach into Penngrove, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
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.
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...
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,...
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...
7 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 42.8
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 61.2
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
~44 min detour
Free
near mile 73.4
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...
19 mi from route
~47 min detour
Free
near mile 48.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.39 one way
$40.77 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg31 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$21.01
$42.02
premium
$6.18
$21.57
$43.14
diesel
$5.61
$19.58
$39.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$20
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.6
0
$9.31
$4.26
Efficient EV
22.2
0
$7.76
$3.55
EV Truck/SUV
35.5
0
$12.42
$5.68
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
San Jose, CA
Evening
in San Jose on Thursday
Local time
6:26 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
NNW 5 to 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Penngrove, CA
Evening
in Penngrove on Thursday
Local time
6:26 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
47°F
Richmond, CA
44 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
24 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
1h 49m 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 Jose, CA to Penngrove, CA covers 88.7 miles and takes about 1h 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 880, Redwood Highway, Nimitz 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 44.4 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 $20.39 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 88.7 miles you will encounter 12 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: 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 22.9 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between San Jose, CA and Penngrove, CA, road signs point toward Sacramento and San Rafael.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
