Origin
Petaluma, CA
Late night in Petaluma on Tuesday
Local time
2:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Petaluma, CA to San Francisco, 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
57m
Distance
39.3 mi
63 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Petaluma, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Petaluma to San Francisco is a quick 39.1-mile journey that typically takes about 53 minutes. Because of the manageable distance and duration, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate via D Street, Lakeville Street, and US 101 South to complete the transit. With a modest fuel budget of just $5, it remains an economical way to travel between these two Pacific Coast locations. Whether you are heading into the city for business or leisure, the route offers a straightforward connection within California.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 31.1 mi | 38m |
| Golden Gate Bridge | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Presidio Parkway | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Webster Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Lakeville Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Divisadero Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| California Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Oak Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 31.1 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Petaluma, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Petaluma Boulevard South
77 ft
·
6 sec
·
Petaluma Boulevard South
2
Turn right onto D Street
0.3 mi
·
56 sec
·
D Street
3
Turn right onto Lakeville Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Lakeville Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto US 101
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
10 mi
·
13 min
·
Redwood Highway
Toward US 101: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 101
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden Gate Bridge
8
Merge
34 ft
·
0 sec
9
Keep slight left at fork
130 ft
·
1 sec
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
11
Continue on US 101; CA 1
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Presidio Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on US 101
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Richardson Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Continue on US 101
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Lombard Street
14
Turn right onto Divisadero Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Divisadero Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto California Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
California Street
16
Turn right onto Webster Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Webster Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn left onto Oak Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Oak Street
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto Gough Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Gough Street
19
Turn slight left onto Market Street
183 ft
·
15 sec
·
Market Street
Use the slight left lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
21
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 39 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.6 miles from Petaluma, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 38.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South: San Francisco
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco
7
22.1 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
US 101 / Redwood Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Redwood Highway toward US 101: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101: San Francisco
6
36.3 mi into trip
|
~49m in
|
Divisadero Street
Turn right onto Divisadero Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
37.5 mi into trip
|
~52m in
|
Webster Street
Turn right onto Webster Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
38.5 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
Oak Street
Turn left onto Oak Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.03 one way
$18.07 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.31 | $18.62 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.56 | $19.11 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.68 | $17.35 |
Estimated Tolls: $9.00
Golden Gate Bridge
$9.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$9
Total
$18
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.13 | $1.89 |
| Efficient EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.7 | 0 | $5.50 | $2.52 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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 Francisco, CA
Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
2:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
8 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
57m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. While the route spans 39.1 miles, it features a 0% highway share, meaning you will spend your time navigating surface streets rather than sustained high-speed lanes. Your journey begins with a series of turns on D Street, which holds the record as the longest uninterrupted stretch of the trip. The character of the road shifts significantly as you transition from the local streets of Petaluma onto Lakeville Street and eventually the US 101 corridor. Prepare for a dynamic driving experience that demands your full attention behind the wheel.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.1 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 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 14 decision points packed into just 39.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Petaluma, CA
Full guide →Founded 1858
Petaluma is a charming historic town of 60,000 people (2020) amid the hills and pastures of Sonoma County in the Bay Area of California. Petaluma is known for its well-preserved historic center and as a local hub for the Petaluma Valley region of Sonoma County.
Top landmarks
- • Free Public Library of Petaluma — research library and history museum
- • United States Post Office — historic post office in Petaluma, California
- • Petaluma Historic Commercial District — historic district in California, United States
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →“Frisco” · Founded 1776
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Top landmarks
- • Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
- • Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
- • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
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 57m. Total distance: 39.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m 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 31.1 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $9.00 in tolls one way, starting with Golden Gate Bridge. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Francisco, 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 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 22.1 miles (US 101 / Redwood Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 36.3 miles (Divisadero Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime 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 San Francisco, 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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