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Trip from Fremont, CA to Discovery Bay, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 8m

Distance

44.6 mi

72 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 3m ★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m

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

Best Time
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Downtown Fremont, CA, CA

Fremont, CA

Wikimedia Commons

census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Discovery Bay, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Fremont, CA to Discovery Bay, CA covers 44.6 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on South Vasco Road, I 680, CA 84 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.3 miles on South Vasco Road. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.16 one way before food or hotel costs.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
South Vasco Road 14.3 mi 20m
I 680 5.6 mi 6m
CA 84 5.5 mi 7m
Isabel Avenue 4.3 mi 6m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway 3.8 mi 4m
CA 4 2.1 mi 2m
Fremont Boulevard 1.9 mi 4m
Camino Diablo 1.6 mi 4m
Longest stretch: South Vasco Road — 14.3 mi, about 20m

Traffic on I-680

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 12 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~4,922 veh/hr typical · worst 5,969

Quietest

2 AM

~356 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

13.8×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 42 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 Fremont, CA and Discovery Bay, CA.

1

Start on Mowry Avenue

109 ft · 6 sec · Mowry Avenue
2

Turn right onto Fremont Boulevard

1.9 mi · 4 min · Fremont Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
3

Continue on Washington Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Washington Boulevard
Use the left lane.
4

Turn left

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto I 680

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 680
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit onto CA 84

5.5 mi · 7 min · CA 84
Exit 21B Toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto CA 84

4.3 mi · 6 min · Isabel Avenue
Use the straight lane.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward I 580 East: Stockton Use the right lane.
9

Merge onto I 580

3.8 mi · 4 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Exit 55 Toward Brentwood, Vasco Road Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto South Vasco Road

14 mi · 20 min · South Vasco Road
Use the left lane.
13

Turn right onto Camino Diablo

1.6 mi · 4 min · Camino Diablo
14

Turn left onto J4

1.6 mi · 2 min · Byron Highway
15

Take the ramp

324 ft · 8 sec
16

Merge onto CA 4

2.1 mi · 2 min · CA 4
Use the left lane.
17

Turn left onto Discovery Bay Boulevard

1.3 mi · 3 min · Discovery Bay Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
18

Turn right

57 ft · 2 sec
19

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

city in Alameda County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Livermore, CA

22 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

Pleasanton, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Livermore, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.3 miles from Fremont, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Fremont Boulevard

Turn right onto Fremont Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
3.1 mi into trip | ~7m in

Turn left toward I 680 North: Sacramento

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
8
9 mi into trip | ~14m in | CA 84

Take the exit onto CA 84 toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road

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 21B Toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
8
23.1 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward Brentwood, Vasco Road

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 55 Toward Brentwood, Vasco Road
9
23.3 mi into trip | ~34m in

Keep slight left at fork toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.16 one way

$20.32 round trip

$5.79/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.96 $10.46 $20.93
premium $6.14 $10.78 $21.56
diesel $5.97 $10.48 $20.95

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.4 0 $4.68 $2.14
Efficient EV 11.2 0 $3.90 $1.78
EV Truck/SUV 17.8 0 $6.24 $2.85

Gas CO2

16 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (69% 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 Aug 30, 2026

Origin

Fremont, CA

Afternoon in Fremont on Friday

Local time

4:58 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Partly Cloudy

SW 6 to 10 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 29 at 5:47PM PDT until August 31 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued August 29 at 1:33PM PDT until August 31 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Destination

Discovery Bay, CA

Afternoon in Discovery Bay on Friday

Local time

4:58 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Clear

WSW 6 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Beach Hazards Statement

Beach Hazards Statement issued August 29 at 5:47PM PDT until August 31 at 3:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Fire Weather Watch

Fire Weather Watch issued August 29 at 1:33PM PDT until August 31 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 8m 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?

44.6 mi in 1h 8m — 38% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: South Vasco Road.

38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 14.3 mi on South 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 Fremont Boulevard.

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 44.6 miles you will encounter 15 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 (Fremont Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (CA 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

1,042 ft 11 ft

Total Climb

1,637 ft

Total Descent

1,681 ft

Highest Point

1,042 ft

~28.7 mi in

Elevation Range

1,031 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Fremont, CA and Discovery Bay, CA, road signs point toward Brentwood and Vasco Road North.

Brentwood

23.1 mi in | ~34m

Vasco Road North

23.3 mi in | ~34m

About the Cities

Starting in Fremont, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1956

Fremont is a suburban city in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; it is the 4th largest city in the Bay Area by population. Fremont is in the southern part of Alameda County, California, between Union City to the north, Sunol and the hills to the east, Milpitas and Santa Clara County to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city of Newark, near the edge of the Bay, is surrounded by the city of Fremont. Fremont industry is not particularly large relative to other parts of the Bay Area, but neither is it a bedroom community. Many people in Fremont work locally in the electronics and high-tech industry, while many others commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco locations for work.

Top landmarks

  • • Mission San José — 18th-century Spanish mission in Fremont, California
  • • Ardenwood Historic Farm — human settlement in California, United States of America
  • • Niles Depot Museum — railway museum in Niles, California

Arriving in Discovery Bay, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1964

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.

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 8m. Total distance: 44.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (38%). 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 14.3 miles on South 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 Discovery Bay, 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 (Fremont Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 9 miles (CA 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. 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 Discovery Bay, 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, 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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