Origin
Sacramento, CA
Afternoon in Sacramento on Saturday
Local time
3:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to American Canyon, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 8m
Distance
55.5 mi
89 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 3m
★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 19m
10 AM
1h 12m
12 PM
1h 11m
3 PM
1h 13m
5 PM
1h 19m
8 PM
1h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
American Canyon, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sacramento, CA to American Canyon, CA covers 55.5 miles and takes about 1h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Yolo Causeway, Capital City Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 42.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.64 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 42.2 mi | 48m |
| Yolo Causeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Capital City Freeway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
| American Canyon Road | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| 9th Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| P Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Broadway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Donaldson Way | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 42.2 mi, about 48m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,234 veh/hr typical · worst 7,344
Quietest
2 AM
~609 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 69 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 Sacramento, CA and American Canyon, CA.
1
Start on 9th Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
9th Street
2
Turn right onto P Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
P Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
Use the slight left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 518
Toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 80
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Yolo Causeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 80
42 mi
·
48 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 36
Toward American Canyon Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto American Canyon Road
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
American Canyon Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Turn right onto CA 29
0.4 mi
·
34 sec
·
Broadway Street
Use the right lane.
12
Turn left onto West Donaldson Way
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
West Donaldson Way
13
Turn right onto Carolyn Drive
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Carolyn Drive
14
Arrive at destination
Carolyn Drive
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.7 miles from Sacramento, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 51.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 50: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
8
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 West: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 518
Toward US 50 West: San Francisco
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
51.1 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward American Canyon Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 36
Toward American Canyon Road
5
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
|
American Canyon Road
Turn right onto American Canyon Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.64 one way
$25.29 round trip
$5.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $13.02 | $26.04 |
| premium | $6.14 | $13.42 | $26.83 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $13.04 | $26.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.83 | $2.66 |
| Efficient EV | 13.9 | 0 | $4.86 | $2.22 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
American Canyon, CA
Afternoon in American Canyon on Saturday
Local time
3:56 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Clear
SW 7 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:56PM PDT until September 12 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued September 11 at 6:28PM PDT until September 13 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 8m 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?
55.5 mi in 1h 8m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 6% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.2 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 1.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
464 ft
19 ft
Total Climb
641 ft
Total Descent
625 ft
Highest Point
464 ft
~51.5 mi in
Elevation Range
445 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Sacramento, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Sacramento is the state capital of California in the United States. It is the regional center for the Greater Sacramento metropolitan area, which dominates much of the surrounding Sacramento Valley and stretches into parts of Gold Country. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in California, settled between the confluences of the Sacramento and American rivers. The city has been the site of many important historic events that have shaped California and U.S. history, most notably the California Gold Rush and location of the original terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Much of this historical legacy has been preserved, especially in the historic Old Sacramento district, where buildings and railroads from that era continue to attract visitors. However, Sacramento is not a city that is stuck in the past. As the capital of the most populous U.S.
Top landmarks
- • California State Capitol — state capitol building of the U.S. state of California
- • Crocker Art Museum — art museum in Sacramento, California
- • Sacramento Valley Station — main railroad and light rail station in Sacramento, California
Arriving in American Canyon, CA
Full guide →Founded 1992
Vallejo is in Solano County in the San Francisco Bay Area of 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 1h 8m. Total distance: 55.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 8m 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 42.2 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. 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 American Canyon, 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 1.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 1.9 miles (US 50; I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Muir Woods National Monument (5 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 American Canyon, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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