Origin
Sun City, CA
Evening in Sun City on Sunday
Local time
8:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA
Drive Time
7h 38m
Distance
458.4 mi
738 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$106
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 29m
★
6 AM
7h 39m
8 AM
7h 58m
10 AM
7h 45m
12 PM
7h 43m
3 PM
7h 46m
5 PM
7h 57m
8 PM
7h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun City, CA
skydesign
San Francisco, CA
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
The drive from Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 458.4 miles and takes about 7h 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Cherry Hills Boulevard, Sun City Boulevard, McCall Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $106.15 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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
229.2 miles from Sun City, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 49m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 38m drive with frequent turns across 458.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Cherry Hills Boulevard 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 7h 38m, 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 Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hills Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sun City Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| McCall Boulevard | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 215 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Escondido Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 71 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 71 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Chino Valley Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Cherry Hills Boulevard
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun City, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on the route
390 ft
·
34 sec
·
the route
2
Turn left
59 ft
·
6 sec
3
Turn right onto Cherry Hills Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Cherry Hills Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Sun City Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Sun City Boulevard
5
Turn right onto McCall Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
McCall Boulevard
6
Take the ramp left toward I 215 North
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 215 North
7
Merge slight left onto Escondido Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Escondido Freeway
8
Take the exit slight left
23 mi
·
26 min
9
Take the exit slight right toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
10
Keep slight right to continue on CA 71 North: Pomona
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 71 North: Pomona
11
Keep slight left
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
12
Merge slight left onto Chino Valley Freeway
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Chino Valley Freeway
13
Keep slight left to continue on CA 57 North
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 57 North
14
Continue straight
3.4 mi
·
3 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
I 210 West: Pasadena
16
Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Foothill Freeway
17
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Foothill Freeway
18
Keep slight right
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
19
Merge slight right
1.0 mi
·
1 min
20
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
21
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
22
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
23
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
24
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
25
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
26
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
27
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
28
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
29
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
I 80 West: San Francisco
30
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
31
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
32
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
33
Continue on Route 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
34
Continue on Route 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
35
Continue on Route 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
36
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
37
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
38
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
39
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Market Street
40
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
41
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 229.2 miles from Sun City, CA, or about 3h 49m 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 101 miles or 1h 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 229.2 miles or 3h 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sun City, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sun City, CA
This is one driving day of about 458.4 miles and 7h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 101 miles from Sun City, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 229.2 mi from Sun City, CA · 3h 49m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
229 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 101 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 229.2 miles from Sun City, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
The final approach into San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, 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
$106.15 one way
$212.31 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
160 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $109.47 | $218.95 |
| premium | $6.24 | $112.67 | $225.34 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $101.84 | $203.68 |
Estimated Tolls: $9.00
Golden Gate Bridge
$9.00
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
$106
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$140–$165
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 160.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 137.5 | 1 | $48.13 | $22.00 |
| Efficient EV | 114.6 | 1 | $40.11 | $18.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 183.4 | 2 | $64.18 | $29.34 |
Gas CO2
160 kg
EV CO2
54 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
San Francisco, CA
Evening in San Francisco on Sunday
Local time
8:42 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°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
23 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
7h 38m 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 Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 458.4 miles and takes about 7h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Cherry Hills Boulevard, Sun City Boulevard, McCall Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 229.2 miles from Sun City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $106.15 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 7h 38m, 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 Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Sun City, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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