Origin
Brentwood, CA
Late night in Brentwood on Tuesday
Local time
1:54 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Brentwood, CA to San Jose, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
54.8 mi
88 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brentwood, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Brentwood to San Jose covers 59.1 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes. This straightforward journey stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $8 for fuel should comfortably cover your transit costs for the trip. Since the route relies on local roads rather than major interstates, you will want to prepare for a steady pace. It is a practical connection between these two cities, perfect for those who prefer a single-day excursion over a multi-day trek.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Vasco Road | 16.4 mi | 23m |
| I 680 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Vallecitos Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Isabel Avenue | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 3.7 mi | 4m |
| Walnut Boulevard | 3 mi | 5m |
| North 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Vasco Road
— 16.4 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on Brentwood Boulevard
66 ft
·
8 sec
·
Brentwood Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Oak Street
376 ft
·
20 sec
·
Oak Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto Walnut Boulevard
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Walnut Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
4
Turn left onto Vasco Road
16 mi
·
23 min
·
Vasco Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 580 West: Oakland
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 580
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 51
Toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn left onto CA 84
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Isabel Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 84
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Vallecitos Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 680 South: Fremont, San Jose
11
Merge onto I 680
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 680
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto CA 262
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mission Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 880
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn left onto North 1st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1st Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
18
Turn right onto West Julian Street
494 ft
·
17 sec
·
West Julian Street
19
Turn left onto North Market Street
196 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Market Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Brentwood, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 175 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 52.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Oak Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
23.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
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 51
Toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
7
42.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward CA 262
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
9
42.8 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic Univers...
8
52.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, North First Street
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 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.60 one way
$25.19 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.98 | $25.96 |
| premium | $6.18 | $13.33 | $26.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.10 | $24.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
San Jose, CA
Late night in San Jose on Tuesday
Local time
1:54 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 17m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. You will navigate via Oak Street, Walnut Boulevard, and Vasco Road, as the entire route features a 0% highway share. Because this path avoids major interstates, the experience is defined by local turns rather than long, monotonous stretches of high-speed pavement. You should anticipate a consistent rhythm as you transition through the local infrastructure. This drive offers a distinct departure from typical freeway travel, keeping you engaged with the road throughout the duration of your trip.
37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.4 mi on Vasco Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Oak Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.8 miles you will encounter 17 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: near the start (Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Brentwood, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Warm Springs District along the way.
Warm Springs District
42.8 mi in
|
~1h
About the Cities
Starting in Brentwood, CA
Full guide →Founded 1837
Brentwood is an affluent, suburban city in eastern Contra Costa County, California with a popular downtown for visitors coming from the Sacramento Valley to the county. It serves as one of the eastern gateways to the East Bay, along with Livermore. Many in the city are commuters.
Top landmarks
- • Stone House of John Marsh — historic stone house in Contra Costa County, California
Arriving in San Jose, CA
Full guide →Founded 1777
Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern California.
Top landmarks
- • Winchester Mystery House — Mansion in San Jose, California.
- • San Jose Diridon station — railway station complex in San Jose, California
- • Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum — building in San Jose, California, United States
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 54.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.4 miles on Vasco Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 San Jose, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Oak Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Jose, CA before heading back.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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