Origin
Riverside, CA
Afternoon in Riverside on Saturday
Local time
2:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverside, CA to Cloverdale, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 39m
Distance
509.9 mi
821 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$116
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 30m
★
6 AM
9h 39m
8 AM
9h 56m
10 AM
9h 45m
12 PM
9h 43m
3 PM
9h 46m
5 PM
9h 56m
8 PM
9h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverside, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Cloverdale, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Riverside, CA to Cloverdale, CA is 509.9 miles and takes about 9h 39m via Westside Freeway, Saint Helena Highway, and Foothill Freeway, with a fuel budget near $116 and likely needing an overnight stop. This long-haul drive spans the Pacific Coast region of California, taking you from Southern California inland before heading north. It's a substantial drive, best split over two days to comfortably manage the 9.5 hours of driving time. Plan for this trip to be mostly highway cruising, so consider your entertainment and comfort for extended periods behind the wheel.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
255 miles from Riverside, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Saint Helena Highway | 51.2 mi | 59m |
| Foothill Freeway | 43.9 mi | 50m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.1 mi | 42m |
| Golden State Freeway | 22.3 mi | 25m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| Donald D Doyle Highway | 15.2 mi | 17m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 81 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~1,500 veh/hr typical · worst 2,272
Quietest
2 AM
~312 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
4.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 44 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverside, CA and Cloverdale, CA.
1
Start on this road
181 ft
·
13 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
94 ft
·
7 sec
3
Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue
228 ft
·
14 sec
·
Magnolia Avenue
4
Turn left onto Central Avenue
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Van Buren Boulevard
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Van Buren Boulevard
Use the right lane.
6
Continue on Mission Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Mission Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward CA 60 West
8
Merge onto CA 60
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Pomona Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Exit 29B
Toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 71 North: Pomona
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto CA 71
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Chino Valley Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 57 North
14
Continue on CA 57
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
2 min
Exit 25C
Toward I 210 West: Pasadena
16
Merge onto I 210
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210
26 mi
·
29 min
·
Foothill Freeway
Exit 26A
Toward I 210 West: Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Use the slight right lane.
19
Merge onto I 5 Truck
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
20
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
24
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
25
Merge onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 44B
Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
Use the slight right lane.
28
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Merge onto I 680
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Continue on I 680
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Toward I 680, CA 24
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680
243 ft
·
3 sec
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
33
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the slight right lane.
34
Keep slight left at fork onto I 780
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 780
Toward I 780: Benicia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
35
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 1B
Toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Use the slight right lane.
36
Keep slight left at fork
448 ft
·
11 sec
Toward I 80 East: Sacramento
Use the slight left lane.
37
Merge onto I 80
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 33
Toward CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
39
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 37: Napa
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Continue on CA 37
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 37
Toward CA 37
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 19
Toward CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Turn right onto CA 29
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sonoma Boulevard
Use the right lane.
43
Continue on CA 29
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Broadway Street
Use the straight lane.
44
Continue on CA 29
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Napa–Vallejo Highway
Use the left lane.
45
Continue on CA 12; CA 29
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
46
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
47
Continue on CA 29; CA 128
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
48
Continue on CA 128
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Boulevard
49
Continue on CA 128
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
50
Continue on CA 128
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
51
At end of road, turn right onto CA 128
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Geyserville Avenue
52
Turn left onto CA 128
359 ft
·
6 sec
·
Canyon Road
53
Take the exit onto CA 128
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
CA 128
54
Merge onto US 101; CA 128
7.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
55
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Toward Citrus Fair Drive
56
Turn left onto Citrus Fair Drive
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Citrus Fair Drive
57
Turn right onto South Cloverdale Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
South Cloverdale Boulevard
58
Arrive at destination
North Cloverdale Boulevard
Trip Plan
Given the 9h 39m estimated duration, this trip is best broken into two days. Aim to depart early in the morning to maximize daylight, especially if you plan to stop for the night around the halfway point. With two recommended stops, you can break up the 509.9 miles into manageable segments. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $116, and plan your refueling stops accordingly, especially before heading into longer stretches like the 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 255 miles from Riverside, CA, or about 4h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 112 miles or 2h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 255 miles or 4h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 255 miles or 4h 51m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cloverdale, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Riverside, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Riverside, CA
Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Cloverdale, CA
Aim for roughly 255 miles and 4.8 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 112 miles from Riverside, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 225.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
168 mi into the route
Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch
This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
337 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Mountain View, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
255 mi · about 4.8h in
A practical overnight split lands near Tracy, CA after about 255 miles or 4.8 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 112 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 255 miles from Riverside, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 255 miles or 4.8 hours on the road.
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 465 decision points cluster between mile 22.4 and 418.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
22.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
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 29B
Toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona
8
50.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
I 210 / Foothill Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 210 / Foothill Freeway toward I 210 West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 26A
Toward I 210 West: Sacramento
8
397.6 mi into trip
|
~7h 26m in
Take the exit toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
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 44B
Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacr...
9
397.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacr...
8
418.3 mi into trip
|
~7h 50m in
|
I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$115.57 one way
$231.14 round trip
$5.76/gal
25.4 MPG avg
178 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $119.57 | $239.13 |
| premium | $6.09 | $122.30 | $244.59 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $108.46 | $216.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$116
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$246–$356
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 178.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $54 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 153 | 1 | $53.54 | $24.48 |
| Efficient EV | 127.5 | 1 | $44.62 | $20.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 204 | 2 | $71.39 | $32.63 |
Gas CO2
178 kg
EV CO2
60 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Cloverdale, CA
Afternoon in Cloverdale on Saturday
Local time
2:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
9h 39m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect to spend about 77% of your travel time on the highway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 225.6 miles, primarily on the Westside Freeway. After this significant highway portion, you'll transition to more varied road conditions. This route involves significant freeway driving, so be prepared for merging traffic and the general pace of high-speed travel for most of your trip.
77% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
58 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 225.6 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Saint Helena Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 22.4 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 46 significant decision points across 509.9 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 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.4 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 397.6 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 Riverside, CA and Cloverdale, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek, Novato and Auto Mall.
San Francisco
361.1 mi in
|
~6h 45m
|
via I 580
Sacramento
397.6 mi in
|
~7h 26m
Concord
397.6 mi in
|
~7h 26m
Walnut Creek
397.6 mi in
|
~7h 26m
Novato
435.9 mi in
|
~8h 10m
Auto Mall
435.9 mi in
|
~8h 10m
About the Cities
Starting in Riverside, CA
Full guide →Founded 1870
Riverside is a city in Riverside County in California. With a population of over 300,000, the city plays host to a diverse cross-section of people and has a rich history. Riverside is approximately 55 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is a center for higher education, with one community college, a large state university, and two private universities. A hub of regional commerce and transportation, it is a city with an intriguing past and a promising future, and is worth a visit.
Top landmarks
- • Mission Inn — hotel in Riverside, California
- • Universalist Unitarian Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, USA
- • First Congregational Church of Riverside — church building in Riverside, California, United States of America
Arriving in Cloverdale, CA
Full guide →Founded 1872
Cloverdale is in Sonoma County in the Bay Area of California.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 255 miles on day one.
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 Cloverdale, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 22.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.4 miles (I 210 / Foothill Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 397.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.7 hours each way, a round trip means 19.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Cloverdale, CA before the return drive.
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 FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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