Origin
Lexington Hills, CA
Afternoon in Lexington Hills on Sunday
Local time
12:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lexington Hills, CA to San Jose, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
18.1 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 26m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lexington Hills, CA
Simon Steiner
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Lexington Hills to San Jose is 18.1 miles and takes about 28 minutes via Santa Cruz Highway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a quick, local drive connecting two points within the Pacific Coast region of California. Given its short distance and duration, this route is ideal for a flexible day trip or as part of a larger journey. You'll experience a primarily local road feel with a brief highway segment. Plan for a straightforward transit between these two California locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Highway | 11 mi | 14m |
| Sinclair Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| Aldercroft Heights Road | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Idylwild Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Locust Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Old Santa Cruz Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Panorama Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Santa Cruz Highway
— 11 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lexington Hills, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on Panorama Drive
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Panorama Drive
2
Turn left onto Locust Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Drive
3
Turn right onto Aldercroft Heights Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Aldercroft Heights Road
4
Continue on Aldercroft Heights Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Aldercroft Heights Road
5
Continue on Old Santa Cruz Highway
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Old Santa Cruz Highway
6
Turn right onto Idylwild Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Idylwild Road
7
Turn right onto CA 17
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Santa Cruz Highway
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 27A
Toward I 280 South: Downtown San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 280
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Sinclair Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 3A
Toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 87 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 13.6 and 17.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
13.6 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 280 South: Downtown San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27A
Toward I 280 South: Downtown San Jose
8
16.4 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
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 3A
Toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose Inter...
8
16.7 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airp...
7
17.4 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 87 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 87 North
9
17.7 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Julian Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.16 one way
$8.32 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.29 | $8.57 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.40 | $8.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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 Jose, CA
Afternoon in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
12:36 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
14 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
28m 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 route is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting frequent adjustments rather than a straight shot. With only a 12% highway share, most of your journey will be on local roads, including Santa Cruz Highway, Sinclair Freeway, and Aldercroft Heights Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 11 miles on Santa Cruz Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before you navigate more turns. Expect a varied driving experience that requires your attention throughout the 28-minute trip.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11 mi on Santa Cruz Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 18.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 28m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in San Jose, CA
Full guide →Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern 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 28m. Total distance: 18.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11 miles on Santa Cruz 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 Jose, 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 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 16.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Jose, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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