Origin
Pacifica, CA
Late night in Pacifica on Sunday
Local time
12:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pacifica, CA to San Jose, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
56m
Distance
43.9 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 0m
5 PM
1h 5m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pacifica, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from the Pacific Coast in Pacifica to San Jose, this 46.6-mile journey is a straightforward trek that typically takes about 48 minutes. Since the entire trip is easily manageable in a single day, you do not need to worry about booking overnight accommodations. Budgeting approximately $6 for fuel should comfortably cover your transit between these two California cities. You will navigate via a combination of Cabrillo Highway, Sharp Park Road, and Lundy Way to reach your destination. Because this route involves no mandatory stops, it serves as an efficient connection between these coastal areas.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayshore Freeway | 32.4 mi | 37m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| Sharp Park Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| I 380 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Junipero Serra Freeway | 1.2 mi | 1m |
| Westborough Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pacifica, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on Reina del Mar Avenue
43 ft
·
9 sec
·
Reina del Mar Avenue
2
Turn sharp right onto CA 1
0.7 mi
·
59 sec
·
Cabrillo Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 505A
Toward Sharp Park Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Lundy Way
434 ft
·
8 sec
·
Lundy Way
5
Turn right onto Sharp Park Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Sharp Park Road
6
Continue on Westborough Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Westborough Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 280 South: San Jose
8
Merge onto I 280
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Junipero Serra Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto I 380
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
I 380
Exit 43A
Toward I 380: San Francisco International Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 6A
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, San Francisco International Airport
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto US 101
24 mi
·
27 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 390
Toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on CA 87
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto West Julian Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Julian Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
18
Continue on West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
20
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 miles from Pacifica, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 43.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 1 / Cabrillo Highway
Turn sharp right onto CA 1 / Cabrillo Highway
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
7
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward Sharp Park Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 505A
Toward Sharp Park Road
8
6.7 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward US 101 South: San Jose, San Francisco International Airport
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 6A
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, San Francisco In...
8
31.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
|
US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
8
43.2 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
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 6B
Toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.09 one way
$20.18 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.68 | $21.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.69 | $19.39 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.2 | 0 | $4.61 | $2.11 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.84 | $1.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.15 | $2.81 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
San Jose, CA
Late night in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
12:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
NNW 5 to 14 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
22 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
56m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as this route contains zero highway miles. You will navigate through local roads for the entire 46.6-mile duration, meaning there are no long, uninterrupted highway stretches to let you zone out. The road demands your full attention as you transition off the Cabrillo Highway and maneuver through local street networks. This lack of highway share creates a more technical driving experience compared to standard freeway travel. Prepare yourself for frequent turns and a slower, more engaged pace behind the wheel as you move inland from the coast.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 mi on Bayshore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bayshore Freeway and Guadalupe Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CA 1 / Cabrillo Highway.
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 15 decision points packed into just 43.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 56m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (CA 1 / Cabrillo Highway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Pacifica, CA and San Jose, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles.
San Francisco International Airport
6.7 mi in
|
~11m
Los Angeles
31.9 mi in
|
~41m
|
via US 101
About the Cities
Starting in Pacifica, CA
Full guide →Pacifica is on the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Popular for its beaches, Pacifica has a mix of Bay Area hippies and blue-collar folks (especially in the fishing industry). It's the kind of place where you'll find a gun store next to a yoga studio.
Arriving in San Jose, CA
Full guide →Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern 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 56m. Total distance: 43.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
56m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.4 miles on Bayshore 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 San Jose, 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 (CA 1 / Cabrillo Highway): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Jose, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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