Origin
Howard Landing, CA
Morning in Howard Landing on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Howard Landing, CA to Sacramento, 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
48m
Distance
34.1 mi
55 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Howard Landing, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 34.1-mile drive from Howard Landing to Sacramento, California, is a short hop that can easily be completed in about 48 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The route primarily follows the Westside Freeway, Twin Cities Road, and Victory Highway, with 69% of the drive on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this journey. Given its proximity and duration, this trip is ideal for a quick transition between locations within the Pacific Coast region.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 21 mi | 23m |
| Twin Cities Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Victory Highway | 2.6 mi | 3m |
| CA 220 | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| River Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| H Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| J Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 5th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 21 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Howard Landing, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on this road
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto CA 220
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
CA 220
3
Turn left onto CA 160
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Victory Highway
4
Turn right onto J11
461 ft
·
55 sec
·
Walnut Grove Bridge
5
Turn left onto E13
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
River Road
6
Turn right onto E13
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Twin Cities Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
8
Merge onto I 5
21 mi
·
23 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 519B
Toward J Street, Downtown
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto J Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
J Street
11
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
5th Street
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto H Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
H Street
13
Turn right onto 9th Street
490 ft
·
15 sec
·
9th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Howard Landing, 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 5.3 and 34 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
5.3 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
J11 / Walnut Grove Bridge
Turn right onto J11 / Walnut Grove Bridge
Navigation decision point
5
12.2 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
33.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward J Street, Downtown
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 519B
Toward J Street, Downtown
7
33.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
34 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
9th Street
Turn right onto 9th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.84 one way
$15.68 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.08 | $16.15 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.29 | $16.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.53 | $15.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Sacramento, CA
Morning in Sacramento on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°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.
Temperature spread
21 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
48m 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?
This drive is predominantly highway-focused, with a substantial 69% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 21 miles on the Westside Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While the majority is highway, the inclusion of Twin Cities Road and Victory Highway suggests a potential for some varied road types as you approach your destination. It’s not an overly complex route, but the highway share means you’ll spend most of your time at higher speeds.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Twin Cities Road. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 5.3 miles in near J11 / Walnut Grove Bridge.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 34.1 miles you will encounter 12 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 5.3 miles (J11 / Walnut Grove Bridge): Navigation decision point; at 12.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Sacramento, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
- • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
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 48m. Total distance: 34.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 5.3 miles (J11 / Walnut Grove Bridge): Navigation decision point; at 12.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.2 miles: 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. 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 Sacramento, 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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