This 216.6-mile drive from Redding, CA to San Francisco, CA is a straightforward 4-hour journey, making it an excellent option for a single-day road trip. You'll primarily be on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway and I-505, with 68% of the route being highway driving. Expect a fuel cost of around $50 for this trip. The drive is focused on efficient travel between the Pacific Coast regions of Northern California. Given its manageable length and duration, it's well-suited for a single-day adventure without the need for an overnight stop.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
108.3 miles from Redding, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
93 mi
1h 39m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
33.9 mi
41m
I 505
33.2 mi
35m
Cascade Wonderland Highway
31.8 mi
34m
Eastshore Freeway
15.2 mi
17m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.4 mi
3m
Route 80
1.4 mi
2m
Tehama Street
1.3 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 93 mi, about 1h 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Redding, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on CA 44; CA 273; US 99 Hist
448 ft·22 sec·South Market Street
2
Turn left onto CA 44; US 99 Hist
1.3 mi·1 min·Tehama Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.6 mi·55 sec
Exit 2AToward I 5 South: SacramentoUse the slight right lane.
4
Merge onto I 5
32 mi·34 min·Cascade Wonderland Highway
5
Continue on I 5
93 mi·1 hr 39 min·Westside Freeway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 505
33 mi·35 min·I 505
Toward I 505 South: Winters, San FranciscoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 1AToward I 80 West: San FranciscoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 80
28 mi·32 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi·1 min·Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Eastshore Freeway
11
Continue on I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 80
14 mi·16 min·Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Eastshore Freeway
Toward San FranciscoUse the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
17
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
18
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi·1 min·Route 80
Exit 2AUse the straight / slight left lanes.
19
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi·32 sec·Route 80
Exit 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 1BToward US 101 North: Golden Gate BridgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi·25 sec·Central Freeway
22
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi·42 sec·Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434BToward Octavia Boulevard, Fell StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Market Street
Use the right lane.
24
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Market Street
25
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Redding to take advantage of lighter traffic as you approach San Francisco. With only one recommended stop and a longest stretch of 93 miles, you have flexibility in when and where you choose to rest. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $50, and plan your refueling accordingly. Since this is a single-day trip, you can be flexible with your timing, but aiming to avoid peak commute hours into San Francisco is always a good strategy.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 108.3 miles from Redding, CA, or about 1h 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 93 miles.
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 48 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 108.3 miles or 1h 57m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 13m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Redding, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Redding, CA
This is one driving day of about 216.6 miles and 4h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Redding, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 93 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 215.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|CA 44; US 99 Hist / Tehama Street
Turn left onto CA 44; US 99 Hist / Tehama Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
7
1.4 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the exit toward I 5 South: Sacramento
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 2A
Toward I 5 South: Sacramento
8
126.8 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|I 505
Keep slight right at fork onto I 505 toward I 505 South: Winters, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 505 South: Winters, San Francisco
8
160 mi into trip|~2h 52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
8
215.2 mi into trip|~4h in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$49.78 one way
$99.57 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$51.30
$102.60
premium
$6.18
$52.67
$105.35
diesel
$5.61
$47.82
$95.65
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$50
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$75–$100
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 75.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65
0
$22.74
$10.40
Efficient EV
54.2
0
$18.95
$8.66
EV Truck/SUV
86.6
1
$30.32
$13.86
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
25 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 17, 2026
Origin
Redding, CA
Night
in Redding on Saturday
Local time
9:34 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Francisco, CA
Night
in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
9:34 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Clear
N 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 3:02AM MST until April 17 at 1:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 2:56AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
16 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
4h 3m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 201.7
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 216.6
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 186.8
Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 216.6
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
$15
near mile 216.6
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 68% of the mileage spent on major freeways. You'll encounter the Westside Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, and I-505 for the bulk of your travel. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 93 miles on the Westside Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While primarily highway, the progression involves transitioning between these main arteries, maintaining a practical and efficient driving experience for most of the 216.6 miles.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 93 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CA 44; US 99 Hist / Tehama Street.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 216.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 44; US 99 Hist / Tehama Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.8 miles (I 505): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The City of Redding, in Shasta County, California, and its surrounding area has numerous outdoor and indoor activities, including two lakes and two active volcanos within close driving distance. The area offers many parks, hiking trails, and adequate shopping.
Redding is a medium-sized city, and the second largest north of Sacramento after Chico. It is also the county seat and lies along the Sacramento River, an important waterway that provides 35 percent of the state's water. It is the last major city between the start of the Cascade mountain range slightly north and the Oregon border.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 3m. Total distance: 216.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 93 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 44; US 99 Hist / Tehama Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 126.8 miles (I 505): 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, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.1 hours — manageable with a long break at San Francisco, CA, but most travelers stay overnight.
