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Trip from Eldridge, CA to San Francisco, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 25, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 16m

Distance

49.1 mi

79 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 10m ★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 28m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 21m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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consolidated city and county in California, United States

San Francisco, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Eldridge, CA to San Francisco, CA is 49.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 16 minutes via Redwood Highway, Arnold Drive, and Sears Point Road, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Pacific Coast region, moving from one coastal area to another. You'll mostly be on surface roads, so expect a more local driving experience rather than a high-speed freeway dash. It's a short, straightforward drive, making it ideal for a relaxed start or end to a longer California adventure.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Redwood Highway 18.6 mi 24m
Arnold Drive 15.2 mi 25m
Sears Point Road 7.2 mi 8m
Golden Gate Bridge 1.7 mi 2m
Presidio Parkway 1.6 mi 3m
Webster Street 1 mi 2m
Divisadero Street 0.8 mi 1m
California Street 0.5 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Redwood Highway — 18.6 mi, about 24m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Eldridge, CA and San Francisco, CA.

1

Start on Trestle Glen Drive

168 ft · 9 sec · Trestle Glen Drive
2

Turn left onto Toyon

0.2 mi · 1 min · Toyon
3

Turn left onto Harney

0.1 mi · 38 sec · Harney
4

Turn left onto Arnold Drive

2.1 mi · 4 min · Arnold Drive
5

Enter roundabout onto Arnold Drive

101 ft · 3 sec · Arnold Drive
6

Continue on Arnold Drive

4.9 mi · 9 min · Arnold Drive
7

At end of road, turn left onto CA 116

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Stage Gulch Road
8

Continue on CA 116

1.6 mi · 2 min · Arnold Drive
9

Enter roundabout onto CA 121

130 ft · 2 sec · Arnold Drive
10

Continue on CA 121

6.5 mi · 9 min · Arnold Drive
11

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 16 sec
12

Continue on this road

490 ft · 13 sec · this road
13

Merge onto CA 37

7.2 mi · 8 min · Sears Point Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 34 sec
15

Merge onto US 101

8.4 mi · 10 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101

10 mi · 13 min · Redwood Highway
Toward US 101: San Francisco Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Continue on US 101

1.7 mi · 2 min · Golden Gate Bridge
18

Merge

34 ft · 0 sec
19

Keep slight left at fork

130 ft · 1 sec
20

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 8 sec
21

Continue on US 101; CA 1

1.6 mi · 3 min · Presidio Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Continue on US 101

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
23

Continue on US 101

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Lombard Street
24

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

0.8 mi · 1 min · Divisadero Street
Use the right lane.
25

Turn left onto California Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · California Street
26

Turn right onto Webster Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · Webster Street
Use the straight lane.
27

Turn left onto Oak Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Oak Street
Use the left lane.
28

Turn right onto Gough Street

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Gough Street
29

Turn slight left onto Market Street

183 ft · 15 sec · Market Street
Use the slight left lane.
30

Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Market Street
31

Arrive at destination

Market Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Marin County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

San Anselmo, CA

25 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

Temelec, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Novato, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Eldridge, 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 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 48.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | Harney

Turn left onto Harney

Navigation decision point

7
32 mi into trip | ~46m in | US 101 / Redwood Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Redwood Highway toward US 101: San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward US 101: San Francisco
6
46.1 mi into trip | ~1h 7m in | Divisadero Street

Turn right onto Divisadero Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
47.3 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in | Webster Street

Turn right onto Webster Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
48.4 mi into trip | ~1h 13m in | Oak Street

Turn left onto Oak Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.13 one way

$22.26 round trip

$5.76/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.96 $11.51 $23.03
premium $6.09 $11.78 $23.55
diesel $5.40 $10.44 $20.89

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.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Tolls

$9

Total

$20

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.7 0 $5.16 $2.36
Efficient EV 12.3 0 $4.30 $1.96
EV Truck/SUV 19.6 0 $6.87 $3.14

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 25, 2026

Origin

Eldridge, CA

Afternoon in Eldridge on Saturday

Local time

2:51 PM

PDT

Current temp

70°F

Sunny

SW 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 24 at 2:04PM PDT until April 26 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 24 at 11:32AM PDT until April 26 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ

Destination

San Francisco, CA

Afternoon in San Francisco on Saturday

Local time

2:51 PM

PDT

Current temp

64°F

Sunny

WSW 7 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 24 at 2:04PM PDT until April 26 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 24 at 11:32AM PDT until April 26 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Phoenix AZ

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

6 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

1h 16m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This route features a highway share of 3 out of 10, meaning most of your driving will be on surface roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of highway at 18.6 miles on Redwood Highway. After that, expect a transition to Arnold Drive and Sears Point Road, which are primarily surface roads. The driving experience will likely involve more local traffic and intersections as you approach your destination.

Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 18.6 mi on Redwood Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Harney.

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 49.1 miles you will encounter 20 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: at 0.3 miles (Harney): Navigation decision point; at 32 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.1 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Arriving in San Francisco, CA

Full guide →

“Frisco” · Founded 1776

The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.

Top landmarks

  • • Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
  • • Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
  • • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA

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 16m. Total distance: 49.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 18.6 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $9.00 in tolls one way, starting with Golden Gate Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Francisco, 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: at 0.3 miles (Harney): Navigation decision point; at 32 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 46.1 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). 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 Francisco, 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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