Origin
Anaheim, CA
Afternoon in Anaheim on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Anaheim, CA to Clearlake Oaks, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 28m
Distance
493.9 mi
795 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$113
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 20m
★
6 AM
9h 28m
8 AM
9h 46m
10 AM
9h 34m
12 PM
9h 33m
3 PM
9h 35m
5 PM
9h 45m
8 PM
9h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Anaheim, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Clearlake Oaks, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Trip Overview
The drive from Anaheim, CA to Clearlake Oaks, CA covers 493.9 miles and takes about 9h 28m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $112.53 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
246.9 miles from Anaheim, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 35m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Saint Helena Highway | 28.6 mi | 33m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 21.3 mi | 24m |
| Lake County Highway | 20.5 mi | 30m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 354 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,464 veh/hr typical · worst 3,254
Quietest
2 AM
~475 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Anaheim, CA and Clearlake Oaks, CA.
1
Start on this road
200 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto South Anaheim Boulevard
422 ft
·
21 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
3
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
5
Merge onto I 5
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
15
Merge onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 44B
Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Merge onto I 680
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 680
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Toward I 680, CA 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
243 ft
·
3 sec
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the slight right lane.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 780
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 780
Toward I 780: Benicia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 1B
Toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Use the slight right lane.
26
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Use the slight left lane.
27
Merge onto I 80
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 33
Toward CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 37: Napa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Continue on CA 37
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 37
Toward CA 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 19
Toward CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Turn right onto CA 29
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sonoma Boulevard
Use the right lane.
33
Continue on CA 29
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Broadway Street
Use the straight lane.
34
Continue on CA 29
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Napa–Vallejo Highway
Use the left lane.
35
Continue on CA 12; CA 29
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
37
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
38
Turn right onto CA 29
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Lincoln Avenue
39
Continue on CA 29
21 mi
·
30 min
·
Lake County Highway
40
Enter roundabout onto CA 29
239 ft
·
4 sec
·
CA 29
41
Continue on CA 29
10 mi
·
15 min
·
CA 29
Use the straight lane.
42
Continue on CA 53
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
CA 53
43
Enter roundabout onto CA 20
165 ft
·
2 sec
·
CA 20
44
Continue on CA 20
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
CA 20
Use the straight lane.
45
Turn right
46 ft
·
1 sec
46
Arrive at 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 246.9 miles from Anaheim, CA, or about 4h 35m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 miles.
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 109 miles or 2h 8m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 246.9 miles or 4h 35m 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 246.9 miles or 4h 35m
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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Clearlake Oaks, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Anaheim, 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 Anaheim, CA
Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Clearlake Oaks, CA
Aim for roughly 247 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 109 miles from Anaheim, 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.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 225.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
247 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 Vallejo, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
247 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Vallejo, CA after about 247 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 109 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 246.9 miles from Anaheim, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 247 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 375 decision points cluster between mile 50.3 and 407.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
372.3 mi into trip
|
~6h 51m in
Take the exit toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 44B
Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacr...
9
372.5 mi into trip
|
~6h 52m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacr...
8
393 mi into trip
|
~7h 16m in
|
I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
8
407.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 33m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$112.53 one way
$225.06 round trip
$5.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
173 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $115.87 | $231.74 |
| premium | $6.14 | $119.39 | $238.78 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $116.03 | $232.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$113
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$243–$353
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 172.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 148.2 | 1 | $51.86 | $23.71 |
| Efficient EV | 123.5 | 1 | $43.22 | $19.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 197.6 | 2 | $69.15 | $31.61 |
Gas CO2
173 kg
EV CO2
58 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
Clearlake Oaks, CA
Afternoon in Clearlake Oaks on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°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
7 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
9h 28m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
493.9 mi in 9h 28m, mostly highway — 225.6 mi of that is on Westside Freeway.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
46 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 225.6 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 50.3 miles in near I 5 Truck.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 37 significant decision points across 493.9 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 50.3 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,222 ft
18 ft
Total Climb
4,504 ft
Total Descent
3,323 ft
Highest Point
2,222 ft
~70.6 mi in
Elevation Range
2,204 ft
Notable High Points
2,222 ft at ~70.6 miles
+741 ft prominence
2,021 ft at ~458.6 miles
+682 ft prominence
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Anaheim, CA and Clearlake Oaks, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek, Novato and Auto Mall.
San Francisco
335.8 mi in
|
~6h 11m
|
via I 580
Sacramento
372.3 mi in
|
~6h 51m
Concord
372.3 mi in
|
~6h 51m
Walnut Creek
372.3 mi in
|
~6h 51m
Novato
410.6 mi in
|
~7h 36m
Auto Mall
410.6 mi in
|
~7h 36m
About the Cities
Starting in Anaheim, CA
Full guide →Founded 1857
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
- • Disneyland — American theme park in California owned by The Walt Disney Company
- • Disney California Adventure — theme park in California, part of Disneyland Resort
- • Soarin' — flight motion simulator attraction at Disney parks
Arriving in Clearlake Oaks, CA
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 247 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Clearlake Oaks, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 50.3 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 372.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.5 hours each way, a round trip means 18.9 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Clearlake Oaks, CA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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