Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 32m
Distance
71.5 mi
115 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
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
Twin Lakes, CA
ollin focus
This 71.5-mile drive from Oakland, CA to Twin Lakes, CA takes approximately 1 hour and 32 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes major highways, with 94% of the journey on high-speed roads, including I 880 and CA 17. With an estimated fuel cost of $16, this is an affordable excursion. Since it's a relatively short and highway-focused trip, you won't need to break it up overnight. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, offering a consistent regional experience.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.7 miles from Oakland, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 43m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 31.3 mi | 35m |
| CA 17 | 26.2 mi | 34m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 9.9 mi | 12m |
| Ocean Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Santa Cruz Highway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Murray Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Cliff Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Twin Lakes, 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
Continue on CA 17
Merge onto CA 1; CA 17
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 17
Continue on Ocean Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Cliff Drive
Turn slight left onto Murray Street
Continue on Eaton Street
Turn right onto 7th Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given the 1 hour and 32-minute duration, this trip is easily manageable in a single day. You can depart anytime that suits you, but leaving earlier in the day might help you avoid any potential local traffic congestion. With no planned stops, you have the flexibility to pull over if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before embarking on the 31.3-mile stretch on I 880. The $16 fuel cost estimate is a good baseline, but it's always wise to have a little extra buffer.
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 16 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.7 miles or 43m 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 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Twin Lakes, 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 71.5 miles and 1h 32m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 35.7 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 71.4 — 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
Turn right onto 7th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$16.43 one way
$32.87 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.93 | $33.87 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.39 | $34.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.79 | $31.57 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.5 | 0 | $7.51 | $3.43 |
| Efficient EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.26 | $2.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28.6 | 0 | $10.01 | $4.58 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Morning in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
9:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Twin Lakes on Sunday
Local time
9:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°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.
Expect a largely highway-focused drive, with 94% of your travel on high-speed roads. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on I 880 and CA 17, including a longest stretch of 31.3 miles on I 880. This means you'll experience consistent speeds for extended periods. The character of the drive is predominantly that of efficient travel between two points, rather than a winding scenic tour. Be prepared for the feel of uninterrupted highway cruising.
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 71.5 miles you will encounter 14 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.
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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 71.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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