Origin
Lodi, CA
Evening in Lodi on Sunday
Local time
5:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lodi, CA to Sacramento, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
45m
Distance
35.9 mi
58 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 41m
★
6 AM
0h 45m
8 AM
0h 53m
10 AM
0h 48m
12 PM
0h 47m
3 PM
0h 48m
5 PM
0h 52m
8 PM
0h 43m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lodi, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Lodi to Sacramento, you are in for a quick 37.2-mile journey through the heart of the Pacific Coast region. Expect to spend about 42 minutes behind the wheel, making this a perfect day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via East Lodi Avenue, Cherokee Lane, and CA 99 to reach your destination. With a fuel budget of approximately $9, this trip is highly economical for travelers moving between these two California cities. Since the entire route is contained within the same region, you will experience a consistent local atmosphere from start to finish.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 99 | 31.4 mi | 36m |
| L Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Cherokee Lane | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Lodi Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| I Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Capital City Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| 16th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 30th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 99
— 31.4 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lodi, CA and Sacramento, CA.
1
Start on South Sacramento Street
50 ft
·
4 sec
·
South Sacramento Street
2
Turn right onto East Lodi Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Lodi Avenue
3
Turn left onto CA 99 Business
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Cherokee Lane
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward CA 99: Sacramento, Lodi Lake
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
6
Merge onto CA 99
31 mi
·
36 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on Capital City Freeway
0.5 mi
·
32 sec
·
Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 7A
Toward N Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto 30th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
30th Street
10
Turn left onto L Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
L Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto US 40 Historic
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
16th Street
12
Turn left onto I Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Turn left onto 9th Street
71 ft
·
1 sec
·
9th Street
14
Arrive at destination
9th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18 miles from Lodi, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 35.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward CA 99: Sacramento, Lodi Lake
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 99: Sacramento, Lodi Lake
5
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CA 99
Merge onto CA 99
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
33.6 mi into trip
|
~40m in
Take the exit toward N Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7A
Toward N Street
5
34 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
L Street
Turn left onto L Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
35.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
I Street
Turn left onto I Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.25 one way
$16.50 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.50 | $17.01 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.73 | $17.46 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.93 | $15.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.77 | $1.72 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.14 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Evening in Sacramento on Sunday
Local time
5:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
NNW 15 mph
0% chance
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
23 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
45m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This 37.2-mile trip is defined as a turn-heavy local drive, requiring your full attention as you transition between local roads and state highways. You will not find any long, monotonous highway stretches here, as the route relies on a mix of surface streets and CA 99 rather than a single interstate grind. The driving experience is characterized by frequent navigational changes rather than high-speed cruising. Because the highway share is 0%, you should prepare for a more hands-on driving experience that reflects the local infrastructure of the region. Expect a steady pace that keeps you engaged with the road rather than settling into a long-distance rhythm.
89% 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: 31.4 mi on CA 99.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 99 and L Street. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 35.9 miles you will encounter 10 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 1.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
64 ft
27 ft
Total Climb
17 ft
Total Descent
40 ft
Highest Point
64 ft
~5.1 mi in
Elevation Range
36 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Lodi, CA
Full guide →Lodi is a city in San Joaquin County in California's San Joaquin Valley.
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 45m. Total distance: 35.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 31.4 miles on CA 99. 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 Sacramento, 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 1.3 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.8 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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