Origin
Sacramento, CA
Afternoon in Sacramento on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sacramento, CA to Cotati, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 11, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 49m
Distance
83.8 mi
135 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$19
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 42m
★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 6m
10 AM
1h 55m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 56m
5 PM
2h 5m
8 PM
1h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sacramento, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Cotati, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Sacramento, CA to Cotati, CA covers 83.8 miles and takes about 1h 49m 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, Adobe Road, CA 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 37.9 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.09 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.9 miles from Sacramento, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 49m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 37.9 mi | 43m |
| Adobe Road | 9.5 mi | 15m |
| CA 12 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| Fremont Drive | 4.9 mi | 7m |
| Carneros Highway | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Yolo Causeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Stage Gulch Road | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| Capital City Freeway | 3.2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 37.9 mi, about 43m
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 Cotati, 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
38 mi
·
43 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto CA 12
6.7 mi
·
8 min
·
CA 12
Exit 39B
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Airport Boulevard
195 ft
·
7 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
11
Turn right onto CA 29
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Napa–Vallejo Highway
12
Continue on CA 12; CA 29
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
13
Turn left onto CA 12; CA 121
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Carneros Highway
Use the left / uturn lanes.
14
Continue on CA 12; CA 121
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
Fremont Drive
15
Enter roundabout onto Arnold Drive
18 ft
·
0 sec
·
Arnold Drive
16
Continue on Arnold Drive
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Arnold Drive
17
Continue on CA 116
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Stage Gulch Road
18
Turn straight onto Adobe Road
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Adobe Road
Use the straight lane.
19
Continue on Adobe Road
6.2 mi
·
11 min
·
Adobe Road
20
At end of road, turn right onto Old Redwood Highway
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Old Redwood Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
21
Turn left onto La Plaza
201 ft
·
8 sec
·
La Plaza
22
Arrive at destination
La Plaza
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 41.9 miles from Sacramento, CA, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.9 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 18 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.9 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cotati, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sacramento, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Sacramento, CA
This is one driving day of about 83.8 miles and 1h 49m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Sacramento, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 37.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
42 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 41.9 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 81.1 — 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.
6
46.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
|
CA 12
Take the exit onto CA 12
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39B
7
81.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 45m in
|
Old Redwood Highway
At end of road, turn right onto Old Redwood Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.09 one way
$38.19 round trip
$5.79/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $19.66 | $39.32 |
| premium | $6.14 | $20.26 | $40.51 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $19.69 | $39.37 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.1 | 0 | $8.80 | $4.02 |
| Efficient EV | 21 | 0 | $7.33 | $3.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 33.5 | 0 | $11.73 | $5.36 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Cotati, CA
Afternoon in Cotati on Friday
Local time
3:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 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
1h 49m 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?
83.8 mi in 1h 49m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 12% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.9 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 83.8 miles you will encounter 12 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
229 ft
12 ft
Total Climb
573 ft
Total Descent
491 ft
Highest Point
229 ft
~71.8 mi in
Elevation Range
217 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 Cotati, CA
Full guide →Founded 1963
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 49m. Total distance: 83.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37.9 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 Cotati, 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. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cotati, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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