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Trip from Oakland, CA to Strawberry, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

36m

Distance

24.5 mi

39 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 9 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city and county seat of Alameda County, California, United States

Oakland, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Strawberry, CA, CA

Strawberry, CA

Rashed Paykary

Trip Overview

This straightforward 24.5-mile drive from Oakland to Strawberry, California, is easily manageable as a day trip, taking only about 36 minutes. You'll primarily be on major freeways, including the John T. Knox Freeway and Eastshore Freeway, before transitioning to the Redwood Highway. With a projected fuel cost of around $6, this route is budget-friendly for a short excursion. Given its brevity and highway-focused profile, it's a convenient option for a quick journey within the Pacific Coast region. Plan for a smooth and efficient trip, as there are no recommended stops.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
John T. Knox Freeway 11.6 mi 15m
Eastshore Freeway 3.3 mi 4m
Redwood Highway 2.5 mi 3m
MacArthur Freeway 1.7 mi 2m
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East 1.5 mi 2m
Reed Boulevard 0.4 mi 1m
14th Street 0.4 mi 1m
John B. Williams Freeway 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: John T. Knox Freeway — 11.6 mi, about 15m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Strawberry, CA.

1

Start on 14th Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · 14th Street
2

Turn right onto Castro Street

0.2 mi · 34 sec · Castro Street
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward I 980 East, CA 24: Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Hayward
4

Merge onto I 980

0.4 mi · 25 sec · John B. Williams Freeway
5

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward Use the slight right lane.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Freeway Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 580

1.7 mi · 2 min · MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 80; I 580

3.3 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

12 mi · 15 min · John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 13B Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 35 sec
Exit 2A Toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East

1.5 mi · 2 min · Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East
Use the straight lane.
12

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco Use the left / straight lanes.
13

Merge onto US 101

2.5 mi · 3 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight lane.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Exit 447 Toward CA 131: Tiburon Boulevard, East Blithedale Avenue Use the slight right lane.
15

Turn left onto CA 131

263 ft · 6 sec · East Blithedale Avenue
16

Continue on CA 131

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Tiburon Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Turn slight right

181 ft · 8 sec
Toward US 101 North: Eureka Use the right lane.
18

Turn right onto Redwood Highway Frontage Road

0.1 mi · 19 sec · Redwood Highway Frontage Road
19

Turn left onto Reed Boulevard

0.3 mi · 49 sec · Reed Boulevard
20

Continue on Reed Boulevard

34 ft · 1 sec · Reed Boulevard
21

Continue on Reed Boulevard

0.2 mi · 39 sec · Reed Boulevard
22

Turn right onto Inez Place

308 ft · 13 sec · Inez Place
23

Arrive at destination

Inez Place

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 23.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
1.2 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the exit toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward

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 580: San Francisco, Hayward
8
1.5 mi into trip | ~3m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Fre...
9
7.1 mi into trip | ~11m in | I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 13B Toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
7
18.7 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2A Toward Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
8
23.4 mi into trip | ~33m in

Take the exit toward CA 131: Tiburon Boulevard, East Blithedale Avenue

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 447 Toward CA 131: Tiburon Boulevard, East Blitheda...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.63 one way

$11.26 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 9 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $5.80 $11.61
premium $6.18 $5.96 $11.92
diesel $5.61 $5.41 $10.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.4 0 $2.57 $1.18
Efficient EV 6.1 0 $2.14 $0.98
EV Truck/SUV 9.8 0 $3.43 $1.57

Gas CO2

9 kg

EV CO2

3 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.

Forecast as of Apr 20, 2026

Origin

Oakland, CA

Late night in Oakland on Tuesday

Local time

3:40 AM

PDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Strawberry, CA

Late night in Strawberry on Tuesday

Local time

3:40 AM

PDT

Current temp

72°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

25 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

36m 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 highway-focused experience for most of this 24.5-mile journey. Approximately 69% of the drive is on high-speed roadways, offering a consistent pace. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 11.6 miles on the John T. Knox Freeway, allowing for a good period of steady driving. While predominantly freeway, the transition to the Redwood Highway might introduce a slight change in road character, though the overall feel remains efficient. This route prioritizes getting you to your destination with minimal fuss.

69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.6 mi on John T. Knox Freeway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John T. Knox Freeway and Eastshore Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 18 decision points packed into just 24.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Oakland, CA to Strawberry, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Rafael along the way.

San Rafael

7.1 mi in | ~11m | via I 580

About the Cities

Starting in Oakland, CA

Full guide →

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

  • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
  • Lake Merritt — lagoon in Oakland, California, USA
  • Oakland Museum of California — art museum in Oakland, 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 36m. Total distance: 24.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

36m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.6 miles on John T. Knox Freeway. 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 Strawberry, 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 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). 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 Strawberry, 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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