Origin
Chula Vista, CA
Late night in Chula Vista on Friday
Local time
4:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Chula Vista, CA to Anderson, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12h 13m
Distance
659.3 mi
1,061 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$146
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
12h 2m
★
6 AM
12h 13m
8 AM
12h 35m
10 AM
12h 21m
12 PM
12h 19m
3 PM
12h 22m
5 PM
12h 34m
8 PM
12h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chula Vista, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Anderson, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Chula Vista to Anderson is 659.3 miles and takes about 12h 13m via 4th Avenue, Highland Avenue, and CA 54 East, with a fuel budget near $146 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This long-haul drive spans the length of California, taking you from the Pacific Coast region to its northern reaches. Given the nearly 660-mile distance and over 12 hours of estimated driving time, this trip is best planned as an overnight journey. You'll want to break up the drive to manage fatigue effectively.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
329.7 miles from Chula Vista, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 425.9 mi | 7h 39m |
| San Diego Freeway | 60.9 mi | 1h 11m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 45.3 mi | 52m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 30.4 mi | 35m |
| Cascade Wonderland Highway | 20 mi | 21m |
| Jacob Dekema Freeway | 18.7 mi | 21m |
| El Camino Real | 2.2 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 425.9 mi, about 7h 39m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 812 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,680 veh/hr typical · worst 4,684
Quietest
2 AM
~482 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 96 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 Chula Vista, CA and Anderson, CA.
1
Start on F Street
52 ft
·
3 sec
·
F Street
2
Turn left onto 4th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on Highland Avenue
478 ft
·
10 sec
·
Highland Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward CA 54 East
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto CA 54
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
·
South Bay Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 2
Toward I 805
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 805 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 805
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Jacob Dekema Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
10
Merge onto I 5
35 mi
·
41 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
Use the slight right lane.
16
Continue on this road
527 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
17
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
18
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
19
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
357 ft
·
13 sec
·
Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
21
Merge onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
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.
28
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
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.
31
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
32
Keep left at fork onto I 5
54 mi
·
59 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
121 mi
·
2 hr 10 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Continue on I 5
20 mi
·
21 min
·
Cascade Wonderland Highway
35
Take the exit onto CA 273; US 99 Hist
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 273; US 99 Hist
Exit 667A
Toward Anderson, Deschutes Road, Factory Outlet Drive
36
Arrive at destination
CA 273; US 99 Hist
Trip Plan
For this 12-hour drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight hours for your first leg. With 3 planned stops, ensure they are spaced out to allow for rest and refueling, especially considering the fuel cost estimate of $146. Pay attention to local speed limits as you navigate through towns and cities along the route, as the lack of highway travel means constant adjustments. Plan your overnight stay around the halfway point to avoid an excessively long second day of driving.
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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 329.7 miles from Chula Vista, CA, or about 6h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 425.9 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 145 miles or 2h 53m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 329.7 miles or 6h 16m 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 329.7 miles or 6h 16m
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 11h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anderson, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Chula Vista, 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 Chula Vista, CA
Aim for roughly 330 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Anderson, CA
Aim for roughly 330 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 145 miles from Chula Vista, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 425.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
218 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
435 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 Modesto, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
330 mi · about 6.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Los Angeles, CA after about 330 miles or 6.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 145 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 329.7 miles from Chula Vista, 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 425.9 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 330 miles or 6.1 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 315 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 151.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward CA 54 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 54 East
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 805
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 2
Toward I 805
7
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 805 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 805 North
7
82.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 38m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Bake Parkway
9
151.6 mi into trip
|
~3h 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$146.16 one way
$292.32 round trip
$5.63/gal
25.4 MPG avg
231 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.81 | $150.83 | $301.67 |
| premium | $5.98 | $155.30 | $310.60 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $145.33 | $290.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$146
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$276–$386
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 230.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $69 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 197.8 | 2 | $69.23 | $31.65 |
| Efficient EV | 164.8 | 1 | $57.69 | $26.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 263.7 | 3 | $92.30 | $42.20 |
Gas CO2
231 kg
EV CO2
77 kg (67% less)
Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Anderson, CA
Late night in Anderson on Friday
Local time
4:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°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
13 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
12h 13m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cabrillo National Monument
National Monument
In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo climbed out of his boat and onto shore, becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Cabrillo National Monument not only...
9 mi from route
~24 min detour
$20
View on nps.gov
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
$15
near mile 659.3
View on nps.gov
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
23 mi from route
~58 min detour
Free
near mile 159.2
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument
National Monument
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
30 mi from route
~75 min detour
Free
near mile 204.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route features no highway driving, covering all 659.3 miles on surface roads like 4th Avenue, Highland Avenue, and CA 54 East. The absence of highway travel means you'll encounter more local traffic and numerous intersections, particularly in urban and suburban areas. Expect a cruising speed that is generally lower than on a freeway, with frequent opportunities to see local life as you pass through various communities.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
36 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 425.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
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 31 significant decision points across 659.3 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
3,101 ft
14 ft
Total Climb
3,818 ft
Total Descent
3,449 ft
Highest Point
3,101 ft
~188.4 mi in
Elevation Range
3,086 ft
Notable High Points
3,101 ft at ~188.4 miles
+2,314 ft prominence
About the Cities
Starting in Chula Vista, CA
Full guide →Founded 1911
Chula Vista is a large city in San Diego County in Southern California. It was a farming and dairy city in the early 20th century. By the early 21st century the city had grown tremendously with the addition of several prominent suburbs and business districts. === Understand === Chula Vista Convention & Visitors Bureau website
Arriving in Anderson, CA
Full guide →Founded 1956
Anderson, in Shasta County in California, is named after Elias Anderson, who granted the Oregon and California Railroad trackage rights and land for a station. Today, the city has a population of 9,000, and is about 10 miles from Redding.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 425.9 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 330 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 Anderson, 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 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cabrillo National Monument, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 12.2 hours each way, a round trip means 24.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Anderson, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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