Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 35m
Distance
75.6 mi
122 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Seacliff, CA
Michael Darnall
This 75.6-mile drive from Oakland, CA to Seacliff, CA will take you about 1 hour and 35 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on I-880 and CA-17, with the Nimitz Freeway also playing a role. With a fuel cost estimated at $17, this highway-focused journey is straightforward and efficient. As both your origin and destination are in the Pacific Coast region of California, you'll stay within familiar coastal vibes. It's a manageable distance that doesn't require an overnight stay, offering flexibility for your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37.8 miles from Oakland, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 45m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 31.3 mi | 35m |
| CA 17 | 26.2 mi | 34m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 9.9 mi | 12m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| Madison Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 11th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 14th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Seacliff, CA.
Start on 14th Street
Turn right onto Harrison Street
Turn left onto 11th Street
Turn right onto Madison Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Continue on CA 17
Take the exit
Continue on Cabrillo Highway
Merge onto CA 1
Take the exit
Turn right onto State Park Drive
Turn right onto Seacliff Drive
Turn left onto Beachgate Way
At end of road, turn right onto Coates Drive
Arrive at destination
Given the 1 hour and 35-minute duration, you can easily depart Oakland in the morning and arrive in Seacliff without needing to split the drive. Plan to leave mid-morning to potentially avoid the heaviest commute traffic. With no designated stops in the data, feel free to pull over as needed for breaks or refreshments along the way. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you approach the 31.3-mile stretch on I-880, to ensure you have enough to reach your destination comfortably.
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.
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 17 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37.8 miles or 45m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Seacliff, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Oakland, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Oakland, CA
This is one driving day of about 75.6 miles and 1h 35m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
38 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.
A short stop after about 17 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 37.8 miles from Oakland, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 68.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto 11th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Watsonville, Monterey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$17.38 one way
$34.75 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $17.91 | $35.81 |
| premium | $6.18 | $18.39 | $36.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.69 | $33.38 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 26.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.7 | 0 | $7.94 | $3.63 |
| Efficient EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 30.2 | 0 | $10.58 | $4.84 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Oakland on Tuesday
Local time
4:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Seacliff on Tuesday
Local time
4:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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National Monument
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National Memorial
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Expect an 89% highway experience on this route, characterized by its focus on efficient travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 31.3 miles on I-880, allowing for a consistent pace. While predominantly highway, be aware that road types can shift slightly as you transition between major arteries like I-880 and CA-17. This drive is about covering ground effectively rather than winding scenic byways.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and CA 17. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near 11th Street.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 75.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.4 miles (11th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.6 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakland, CA and Seacliff, CA, road signs point toward Watsonville and Monterey.
Watsonville
Monterey
Founded 1852
Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 35m. Total distance: 75.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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