Origin
San Jose, CA
Morning in San Jose on Monday
Local time
10:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Salton City, CA
Drive Time
9h 29m
Distance
502.3 mi
808 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$116
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 21m
★
6 AM
9h 29m
8 AM
9h 46m
10 AM
9h 35m
12 PM
9h 34m
3 PM
9h 36m
5 PM
9h 46m
8 PM
9h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Salton City, CA
Julian Dahl
Trip Overview
The drive from San Jose, CA to Salton City, CA covers 502.3 miles and takes about 9h 29m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Devine Street, North San Pedro Street, West Saint James Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $116.32 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
251.1 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 44m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 502.3 miles and 9h 29m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Devine Street and North San Pedro Street.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 45 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Devine Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 9h 29m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 29m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Jose, CA to Salton City, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Devine Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North San Pedro Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Saint James Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Julian Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 87 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Guadalupe Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Guadalupe Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Santa Teresa Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Devine Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Salton City, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
108 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Turn right onto Devine Street
276 ft
·
18 sec
·
Devine Street
3
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
305 ft
·
18 sec
·
North San Pedro Street
4
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Saint James Street
5
Continue on West Julian Street
358 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Julian Street
6
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 87 South
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
CA 87 South
7
Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Guadalupe Freeway
8
Continue on Guadalupe Parkway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Guadalupe Parkway
9
Take the exit slight right toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
·
Santa Teresa Boulevard
10
Continue on Santa Teresa Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Santa Teresa Boulevard
11
Turn left onto CA 85 South
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
CA 85 South
12
Merge slight left
4.7 mi
·
5 min
13
Continue on US 101 South
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
US 101 South
14
Continue straight
20 mi
·
23 min
15
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
16
Turn left onto East 10th Street
354 ft
·
13 sec
·
East 10th Street
17
Continue on Pacheco Pass Highway
41 mi
·
50 min
·
Pacheco Pass Highway
18
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5: Los Angeles
19
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
181 mi
·
3 hr 14 min
·
Westside Freeway
20
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
21
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
23
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
24
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
25
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Foothill Freeway
26
Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 57 South: Santa Ana
27
Continue on Orange Freeway
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Orange Freeway
28
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
29
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
30
Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
31
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
32
Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9.0 mi
·
9 min
·
I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
33
Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway
14 mi
·
16 min
·
San Bernardino Freeway
34
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
40 mi
·
44 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
35
Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
32 mi
·
34 min
·
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
36
Keep slight right to continue on CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro
34 mi
·
39 min
·
CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro
37
Turn left onto Sunrise Drive
449 ft
·
14 sec
·
Sunrise Drive
38
Turn right onto Azure Avenue
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Azure Avenue
39
Continue on Harbor Drive
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Harbor Drive
40
At the end of the road, turn left onto Marina Drive
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
Marina Drive
41
Turn right onto Harbor Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Harbor Drive
42
Turn left onto Marlin Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Marlin Drive
43
Turn left onto Shore Vista Avenue
302 ft
·
13 sec
·
Shore Vista Avenue
44
Continue on Shore Gem Avenue
374 ft
·
16 sec
·
Shore Gem Avenue
45
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 251.1 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 4h 44m 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 111 miles or 2h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 251.1 miles or 4h 44m 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 251.1 miles or 4h 44m
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 8h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salton City, 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.
+
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 Jose, CA
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Salton City, CA
Aim for roughly 251 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 111 miles from San Jose, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 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 251.1 mi from San Jose, CA · 4h 44m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
166 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
332 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 Los Angeles, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
251 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 251 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 111 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 251.1 miles from San Jose, 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 251 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
Arriving in Salton City, CA
The final approach into Salton City, 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 Salton City, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Salton City, 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
$116.32 one way
$232.64 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
176 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $119.96 | $239.92 |
| premium | $6.24 | $123.46 | $246.92 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $111.59 | $223.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$116
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$246–$356
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 175.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 150.7 | 1 | $52.74 | $24.11 |
| Efficient EV | 125.6 | 1 | $43.95 | $20.09 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 200.9 | 2 | $70.32 | $32.15 |
Gas CO2
176 kg
EV CO2
59 kg (66% 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
Salton City, CA
Morning in Salton City on Monday
Local time
10:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
90°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.
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
19 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
9h 29m 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 Jose, CA to Salton City, CA covers 502.3 miles and takes about 9h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Devine Street, North San Pedro Street, West Saint James Street. 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 251 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 251.1 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 $116.32 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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 29m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Jose, CA to Salton City, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Jose, CA to Salton City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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