La Riviera to San Francisco is 95.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 57 minutes via Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a fuel budget near $22 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California, traversing the Pacific Coast region. You'll mostly stay on major freeways, making it a straightforward trip. Given its short duration, it’s ideal for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.9 miles from La Riviera, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
56.3 mi
1h 7m
Eastshore Freeway
15.2 mi
17m
El Dorado Freeway
5.8 mi
6m
Capital City Freeway
5 mi
5m
Yolo Causeway
3.9 mi
4m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.4 mi
3m
Route 80
1.4 mi
2m
Folsom Boulevard
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 56.3 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Riviera, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Linda Rio Drive
264 ft·13 sec·Linda Rio Drive
2
Turn right onto Tiber Drive
0.3 mi·1 min·Tiber Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Folsom Boulevard
1.4 mi·2 min·Folsom Boulevard
4
Turn right onto Watt Avenue
0.5 mi·49 sec·Watt Avenue
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward US 50 West: Sacramento
6
Merge onto US 50
5.8 mi·6 min·El Dorado Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 50
5.0 mi·5 min·Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
3.9 mi·4 min·Yolo Causeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 80
50 mi·58 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi·1 min·Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Eastshore Freeway
12
Continue on I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 80
14 mi·16 min·Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Eastshore Freeway
Toward San FranciscoUse the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
18
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
19
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi·1 min·Route 80
Exit 2AUse the straight / slight left lanes.
20
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi·32 sec·Route 80
Exit 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 1BToward US 101 North: Golden Gate BridgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi·25 sec·Central Freeway
23
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi·42 sec·Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434BToward Octavia Boulevard, Fell StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Market Street
Use the right lane.
25
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Market Street
26
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 1 hour and 57-minute drive, consider leaving mid-morning to avoid the worst of the rush hour traffic. With only 95.8 miles, you won't need many stops, but plan for a break around the halfway point if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you get closer to San Francisco, and budget around $22 for gas. The relatively short distance means you have the flexibility to depart later in the day or add a brief stop if something catches your eye along the way.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 47.9 miles from La Riviera, CA, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 56.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 21 miles or 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.9 miles or 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving La Riviera, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from La Riviera, CA
This is one driving day of about 95.8 miles and 1h 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from La Riviera, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 56.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 94.4 — 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|Folsom Boulevard
At end of road, turn right onto Folsom Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
2.4 mi into trip|~4m in|US 50 / El Dorado Freeway
Merge onto US 50 / El Dorado Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
86 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|Eastshore Freeway
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward San Francisco
6
87.5 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
94.4 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$22.02 one way
$44.04 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$22.69
$45.38
premium
$6.18
$23.30
$46.60
diesel
$5.61
$21.15
$42.30
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.7
0
$10.06
$4.60
Efficient EV
24
0
$8.38
$3.83
EV Truck/SUV
38.3
0
$13.41
$6.13
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (68% 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 20, 2026
Origin
La Riviera, CA
Morning
in La Riviera on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Francisco, CA
Morning
in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
6:49 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°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.
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
24 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 57m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
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...
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...
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 95.8
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,...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
$15
near mile 95.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 32% of it on the freeway. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 56.3 miles on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect urban merging and dense exits as you approach San Francisco. The transition from highway to surface roads will occur gradually.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 56.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 around 0.3 miles in near Folsom Boulevard.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 95.8 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: at 0.3 miles (Folsom Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 50 / El Dorado Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 86 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 57m. Total distance: 95.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). 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 56.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 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 (Folsom Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (US 50 / El Dorado Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 86 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (5 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.
