Origin
Riverdale, GA
Morning in Riverdale on Tuesday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverdale, GA to California, GA
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
53m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 49m
★
6 AM
0h 54m
8 AM
1h 3m
10 AM
0h 57m
12 PM
0h 56m
3 PM
0h 57m
5 PM
1h 2m
8 PM
0h 51m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverdale, GA
Enam Sape
California, GA
Lesli Whitecotton
Trip Overview
Riverdale, GA to California, GA is 38.3 miles and takes about 53 minutes via Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within the Southeast region, specifically Georgia, making it a convenient local drive. The route is a mixed bag, offering a brief experience of major highway travel without requiring an overnight stay. Consider this drive for a quick transit between two points in the area, keeping the limited duration and distance in mind for your planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter | 12.8 mi | 14m |
| C H James Parkway | 7.4 mi | 10m |
| Tom Murphy Freeway | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Thornton Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Riverdale Road | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Hiram Acworth Highway | 2 mi | 3m |
| Church Street | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Wendy Bagwell Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
— 12.8 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverdale, GA and California, GA.
1
Start on this road
39 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto GA 139
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto GA 139
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Church Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on GA 139
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverdale Road
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
46 sec
Toward I 285 West
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 285
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 10B
Toward I 20 West: Tom Murphy Freeway, Birmingham
Use the slight left lane.
8
Merge onto I 20
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Tom Murphy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 44
Toward GA 6: Thornton Road, Austell
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
175 ft
·
4 sec
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto GA 6
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
Thornton Road
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on US 278; GA 6
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
C H James Parkway
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on US 278; GA 6
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Wendy Bagwell Parkway
Use the left / straight lanes.
14
Continue on US 278; GA 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jimmy Lee Smith Parkway
Use the straight / slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto GA 92
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Hiram Acworth Highway
16
Arrive at destination
GA 92
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.2 miles from Riverdale, GA, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
GA 139 / Main Street
Turn left onto GA 139 / Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.7 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 285 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 285 West
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward I 20 West: Tom Murphy Freeway, Birmingham
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 10B
Toward I 20 West: Tom Murphy Freeway, Birmingha...
8
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward GA 6: Thornton Road, Austell
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 44
Toward GA 6: Thornton Road, Austell
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.99 one way
$11.98 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $6.55 | $13.10 |
| premium | $4.70 | $7.09 | $14.18 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
California, GA
Morning in California on Tuesday
Local time
6:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
79°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
1 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
53m 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?
This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 39% of it on major highways. You'll encounter stretches on the Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter, C H James Parkway, and Tom Murphy Freeway. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll navigate is 12.8 miles on the Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. Expect a dynamic drive that transitions between faster-paced highway travel and potentially more local road conditions as you progress through the 38.3 miles.
39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.8 mi on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near GA 139 / Main Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 38.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (GA 139 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 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 Riverdale, GA and California, GA, road signs point toward Birmingham and Austell.
Birmingham
16.9 mi in
|
~22m
Austell
23.5 mi in
|
~30m
About the Cities
Arriving in California, GA
Full guide →One of the most diverse states in the Union, California has a culture ranging from the easygoing surf spots on the beaches of Southern California to the glamor of Hollywood, and the counterculture and thriving businesses of the Bay Area. The state, which is on the west coast of the U.S., also varies greatly in natural beauty, from redwood forests on the North Coast to the ski resorts of the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains and the harsh desert of Death Valley. The largest state in the U.S. by population and the third largest by area, California boasts world-famous attractions and sights: Disneyland, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Napa Valley wine country, and the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney.
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 53m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.8 miles on Atlanta Bypass / The Perimeter. 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 California, GA 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 (GA 139 / Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 California, GA 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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