Water
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Irvine, CA to Cotati, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 39m
Distance
464.1 mi
747 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$106
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 32m
★
6 AM
8h 40m
8 AM
8h 56m
10 AM
8h 45m
12 PM
8h 44m
3 PM
8h 46m
5 PM
8h 55m
8 PM
8h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Cotati, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Irvine, CA to Cotati, CA covers 464.1 miles and takes about 8h 39m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $105.74 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
232.1 miles from Irvine, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 19m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| Redwood Highway | 29.1 mi | 34m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 16.7 mi | 19m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 376 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~3,231 veh/hr typical · worst 4,084
Quietest
2 AM
~538 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 89 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 Irvine, CA and Cotati, CA.
1
Start on I 405
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 4
Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Jeffrey Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 405
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 55 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 55
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 10B
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
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.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
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.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
23
Merge onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Continue on I 80; I 580
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
13 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 1A
Toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
30
Merge onto US 101
29 mi
·
34 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 481A
Toward West Sierra Avenue, Cotati
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight right at fork
108 ft
·
2 sec
Toward Cotati
Use the right lane.
33
Turn right onto West Sierra Avenue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
West Sierra Avenue
34
Turn left onto La Plaza
295 ft
·
13 sec
·
La Plaza
35
Continue on La Plaza
94 ft
·
4 sec
·
La Plaza
36
Arrive at destination
La Plaza
Trip Plan
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 232.1 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 4h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 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 102 miles or 1h 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 232.1 miles or 4h 19m 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 232.1 miles or 4h 19m
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 7h 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cotati, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Irvine, 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 Irvine, CA
Aim for roughly 232 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Cotati, CA
Aim for roughly 232 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 102 miles from Irvine, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 225.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
232 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
232 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Modesto, CA after about 232 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 102 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 232.1 miles from Irvine, 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 225.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 232 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Dos Amigos Vista Point
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Castaic Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Coalinga Avenal Safety Roadside Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Lost Hills Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Northbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.4 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.3 mi from route
Rest Area
1.6 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.7 mi from route
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2 mi from route
Alameda County Industries
2.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.1 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 325 decision points cluster between mile 6.3 and 463.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
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 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
9
68.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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
8
400.7 mi into trip
|
~7h 22m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
9
420.7 mi into trip
|
~7h 46m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13B
Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
8
463.3 mi into trip
|
~8h 38m in
Take the exit toward West Sierra Avenue, Cotati
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 481A
Toward West Sierra Avenue, Cotati
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$105.74 one way
$211.48 round trip
$5.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
162 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $108.88 | $217.76 |
| premium | $6.14 | $112.19 | $224.38 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $109.03 | $218.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$106
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$236–$346
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 162.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $49 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 139.2 | 1 | $48.73 | $22.28 |
| Efficient EV | 116 | 1 | $40.61 | $18.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 185.6 | 2 | $64.97 | $29.70 |
Gas CO2
162 kg
EV CO2
54 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Irvine, CA
Afternoon in Irvine on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cotati, CA
Afternoon in Cotati on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°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
12 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
8h 39m 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.
Muir Woods National Monument
National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
$15
near mile 432.1
Caution: Auto-Theft Warning - Only Bring What You Need to the Park
Caution: Temporary Partial Closure Redwood Creek Trail August 19 - Sept 4
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 416.1
View on nps.gov
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
Free
near mile 416.1
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 432.1
View on nps.gov
Point Reyes National Seashore
National Seashore
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 spec...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 448.1
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
21 mi from route
~52 min detour
Free
near mile 416.1
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
464.1 mi in 8h 39m, mostly highway — 225.6 mi of that is on Westside Freeway.
93% 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: 225.6 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.3 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 32 significant decision points across 464.1 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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 400.7 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,765 ft
-22 ft
Total Climb
3,348 ft
Total Descent
3,292 ft
Highest Point
2,765 ft
~99.5 mi in
Elevation Range
2,786 ft
Notable High Points
2,765 ft at ~99.5 miles
+1,616 ft prominence
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.
Between Irvine, CA and Cotati, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco and San Rafael.
San Francisco
354.1 mi in
|
~6h 30m
|
via I 580
San Rafael
420.7 mi in
|
~7h 46m
|
via I 580
About the Cities
Starting in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
Arriving in Cotati, CA
Full guide →Founded 1963
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 225.6 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 232 miles on day one.
Yes — we found about 39 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Cotati, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 39 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 400.7 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Muir Woods National Monument, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.7 hours each way, a round trip means 17.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cotati, 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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