Origin
Sausalito, CA
Morning in Sausalito on Sunday
Local time
11:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Drive Time
6h 55m
Distance
430.4 mi
693 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$100
one way
Photo: Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 430.4 miles and takes about 6h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bridgeway, San Carlos Avenue, Spencer Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $99.67 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
215.2 miles from Sausalito, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 27m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 55m drive with frequent turns across 430.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 48 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bridgeway 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.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 55m, 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 Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| San Carlos Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Spencer Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Monte Mar Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 101 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Redwood Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Golden Gate Bridge | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Presidio Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Bridgeway
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sausalito, CA and Santa Ana, CA.
1
Start on Pine Street
69 ft
·
7 sec
·
Pine Street
2
Turn right onto Bridgeway
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Bridgeway
3
Turn right onto San Carlos Avenue
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
San Carlos Avenue
4
Keep slight right to continue on Spencer Avenue
197 ft
·
6 sec
·
Spencer Avenue
5
Continue on Spencer Avenue
151 ft
·
7 sec
·
Spencer Avenue
6
Continue on Spencer Avenue
226 ft
·
8 sec
·
Spencer Avenue
7
Continue on Spencer Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Spencer Avenue
8
At the end of the road, turn right onto Monte Mar Drive
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Monte Mar Drive
9
Turn left
453 ft
·
11 sec
10
Turn right onto US 101 South, CA 1 South
397 ft
·
6 sec
·
US 101 South, CA 1 South
11
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Redwood Highway
12
Continue on Golden Gate Bridge
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden Gate Bridge
13
Merge slight left
33 ft
14
Keep slight left
131 ft
·
2 sec
15
Keep slight left
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
16
Continue on Presidio Parkway
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Presidio Parkway
17
Continue on Richardson Avenue
0.2 mi
·
44 sec
·
Richardson Avenue
18
Continue on Lombard Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Lombard Street
19
Turn right onto Divisadero Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Divisadero Street
20
Turn left onto California Street
2.1 mi
·
5 min
·
California Street
21
Turn right onto Montgomery Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Montgomery Street
22
Turn left onto Bush Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Bush Street
23
Continue on 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
1st Street
24
Continue on 1st Street
112 ft
·
5 sec
·
1st Street
25
Keep slight left to continue on 1st Street
295 ft
·
15 sec
·
1st Street
26
Take the ramp straight toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
27
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
28
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
29
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
30
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
31
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
32
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
33
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
34
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
35
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
36
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
37
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
38
Keep slight left
25 mi
·
29 min
39
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Golden State Freeway
40
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
26 mi
·
30 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
41
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
42
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
0.8 mi
·
57 sec
·
Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
43
Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway
0.3 mi
·
22 sec
·
Main Street North, Broadway
44
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
North Broadway
45
Turn left onto West 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
West 5th Street
46
Turn right onto North Main Street
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Main Street
47
Turn right onto West 1st Street
52 ft
·
1 sec
·
West 1st Street
48
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 215.2 miles from Sausalito, CA, or about 3h 27m 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 95 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 215.2 miles or 3h 27m 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 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Santa Ana, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sausalito, 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 Sausalito, CA
This is one driving day of about 430.4 miles and 6h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 95 miles from Sausalito, 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 215.2 mi from Sausalito, CA · 3h 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
215 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 95 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 215.2 miles from Sausalito, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Santa Ana, CA
The final approach into Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana, 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
$99.67 one way
$199.34 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
151 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $102.79 | $205.58 |
| premium | $6.24 | $105.79 | $211.57 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $95.62 | $191.24 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
Golden Gate Bridge
$9.00
Bay Bridge
$7.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$100
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$141–$166
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 150.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 129.1 | 1 | $45.19 | $20.66 |
| Efficient EV | 107.6 | 1 | $37.66 | $17.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 172.2 | 2 | $60.26 | $27.55 |
Gas CO2
151 kg
EV CO2
50 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 Ana, CA
Morning in Santa Ana on Sunday
Local time
11:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°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
29 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 55m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA covers 430.4 miles and takes about 6h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bridgeway, San Carlos Avenue, Spencer Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 215.2 miles from Sausalito, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $99.67 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 1 meaningful break 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 6h 55m, 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 Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sausalito, CA to Santa Ana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Santa Ana, CA
More from Sausalito, CA
More trips to Santa Ana, CA
Explore more options from Sausalito, CA or browse trips ending in Santa Ana, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
Explore maps for Sausalito, CA or Santa Ana, CA on MapSof.net.