Origin
Menlo Park, CA
Late night in Menlo Park on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Menlo Park, CA to Fremont, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
28m
Distance
16.7 mi
27 km
Drive Score
7/10
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 30m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 33m
8 PM
0h 27m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Menlo Park, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 16.7 miles, this quick trip between Menlo Park and Fremont is a straightforward commute that easily fits into a single day. You can expect to spend about 28 minutes behind the wheel, making it a highly efficient connection across the Pacific Coast region. With a fuel budget of roughly $4, it is an economical route that requires zero planned stops. You will primarily navigate via Willow Road and the Dumbarton Bridge before transitioning onto the Nimitz Freeway. Because of its brevity, there is no need for an overnight stay, allowing you maximum flexibility for your schedule. Whether you are heading to Fremont for business or a local visit, this route offers a practical and direct path.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbarton Bridge | 6.6 mi | 8m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 2.6 mi | 2m |
| Willow Road | 2.1 mi | 5m |
| Bayfront Expressway | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Middlefield Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Ravenswood Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| El Camino Real | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dumbarton Bridge
— 6.6 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park, CA and Fremont, CA.
1
Start on this road
121 ft
·
14 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left
38 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn left onto Merrill Street
260 ft
·
18 sec
·
Merrill Street
4
Turn left onto Santa Cruz Avenue
308 ft
·
12 sec
·
Santa Cruz Avenue
5
Turn left onto CA 82
445 ft
·
15 sec
·
El Camino Real
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Turn left onto Ravenswood Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Ravenswood Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn right onto Middlefield Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Middlefield Road
8
Turn left onto Willow Road
1.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Willow Road
Use the left / uturn / straight lanes.
9
Continue on CA 114
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Willow Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto CA 84
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Bayfront Expressway
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on CA 84
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Dumbarton Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Toward I 880 South, CA 84 East: San Jose, Fremont
Use the slight right lane.
13
Merge onto I 880; CA 84
2.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn left
116 ft
·
3 sec
Use the left lane.
16
Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
17
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mowry Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
Mowry Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 15.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Santa Cruz Avenue
Turn left onto Santa Cruz Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
11.9 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward I 880 South, CA 84 East: San Jose, Fremont
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 880 South, CA 84 East: San Jose, Fremo...
8
14.9 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
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 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
6
15.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.84 one way
$7.68 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $3.96 | $7.91 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.06 | $8.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.69 | $7.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.8 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 | 0 | $1.75 | $0.80 |
| Efficient EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.7 | 0 | $2.34 | $1.07 |
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
Fremont, CA
Late night in Fremont on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
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
15 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 16.7-mile journey is best described as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a long-distance cruise. Only 25% of your time will be spent on the highway, meaning you will spend the majority of the trip navigating local infrastructure. A highlight of the experience is the 6.6-mile stretch across the Dumbarton Bridge, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of the drive. As you transition from the local streets of Menlo Park to the Nimitz Freeway in Fremont, the pace shifts from technical turns to a more standard highway flow. Expect a mix of driving conditions that keeps you engaged throughout the half-hour duration.
Only 25% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 6.6 mi on Dumbarton Bridge.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
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 16.7 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Santa Cruz Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Menlo Park, CA
Full guide →Top landmarks
- • Menlo Park station — railway station in Menlo Park, California
- • Church of the Nativity — Menlo Park, California
Arriving in Fremont, CA
Full guide →Founded 1956
Fremont is a suburban city in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; it is the 4th largest city in the Bay Area by population. Fremont is in the southern part of Alameda County, California, between Union City to the north, Sunol and the hills to the east, Milpitas and Santa Clara County to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city of Newark, near the edge of the Bay, is surrounded by the city of Fremont. Fremont industry is not particularly large relative to other parts of the Bay Area, but neither is it a bedroom community. Many people in Fremont work locally in the electronics and high-tech industry, while many others commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco locations for work.
Top landmarks
- • Mission San José — 18th-century Spanish mission in Fremont, California
- • Ardenwood Historic Farm — human settlement in California, United States of America
- • Niles Depot Museum — railway museum in Niles, 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: 16.7 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 with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 6.6 miles on Dumbarton Bridge. 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 Fremont, 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: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Santa Cruz Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 11.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park. 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 Fremont, 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.
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