Origin
Lemon Grove, CA
Late night in Lemon Grove on Sunday
Local time
1:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lemon Grove, CA to San Diego, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
12m
Distance
8.8 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 13m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lemon Grove, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from the suburban feel of Lemon Grove to the heart of San Diego, this 8.9-mile journey is your most direct option. Taking just 14 minutes, the route utilizes Broadway, CA 94 West, and the Martin Luther King Junior Freeway to bridge the two Pacific Coast locations. You will not need an overnight stay for this trip, as it is easily completed in a single day. With fuel costs estimated at just $1, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute. This drive functions perfectly as a straightforward connection rather than a scenic excursion. It is a practical choice for anyone needing a reliable, fast path between these two California points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Junior Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| Broadway | 2 mi | 4m |
| 16th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Front Street | <0.1 mi | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
— 6.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lemon Grove, CA and San Diego, CA.
1
Start on this road
127 ft
·
16 sec
·
this road
2
Turn slight left onto Broadway
172 ft
·
9 sec
·
Broadway
3
Continue on Broadway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward CA 94 West: Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
5
Merge onto CA 94
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Turn right onto 16th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
16th Street
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto Broadway
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left onto Front Street
26 ft
·
0 sec
·
Front Street
Use the left lane.
9
Arrive at destination
Front Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 65 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Broadway
Turn slight left onto Broadway
Navigation decision point
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CA 94 / Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
Merge onto CA 94 / Martin Luther King Junior Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
7.7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
16th Street
Turn right onto 16th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
7.9 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
Broadway
Turn left onto Broadway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Front Street
Turn left onto Front Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.02 one way
$4.05 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
3 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.08 | $4.17 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.14 | $4.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.94 | $3.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 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
San Diego, CA
Late night in San Diego on Sunday
Local time
1:01 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
16 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
12m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through the urban environment. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this trip features zero highway percentage, meaning you will be navigating surface streets and local connectors for the entire 8.9 miles. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on Broadway, you should anticipate frequent stops and constant adjustments behind the wheel. The personality of this road is defined by its technical, localized nature rather than high-speed cruising. You will experience a steady, bustling pace that reflects the dense, interconnected layout of the Pacific Coast region.
73% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
9 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.4 mi on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Martin Luther King Junior Freeway and Broadway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Broadway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 12m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (CA 94 / Martin Luther King Junior Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles (16th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in San Diego, CA
Full guide →Founded 1769
From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana. But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.
Top landmarks
- • Balboa Park — historic park in San Diego, California
- • Cabrillo National Monument — National Monument of the United States and historic district
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 12m. Total distance: 8.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.4 miles on Martin Luther King Junior 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: near the start (Broadway): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (CA 94 / Martin Luther King Junior Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.7 miles (16th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cabrillo National Monument. 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 Diego, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Diego, CA
More trips to San Diego, CA
Explore more options from Lemon Grove, CA or browse trips ending in San Diego, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.