Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from San Bernardino, CA to Brawley, CA

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 7, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 48m

Distance

145.9 mi

235 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 38m ★
6 AM
2h 49m
8 AM
3h 11m
10 AM
2h 56m
12 PM
2h 54m
3 PM
2h 57m
5 PM
3h 9m
8 PM
2h 42m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown San Bernardino, CA, CA

San Bernardino, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Imperial County, California, United States

Brawley, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from San Bernardino, CA to Brawley, CA covers 145.9 miles and takes about 2h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on CA 86, Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway, Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 70.7 miles on CA 86. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.34 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.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

72.9 miles from San Bernardino, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
CA 86 70.7 mi 1h 24m
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway 38.5 mi 42m
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway 32.5 mi 34m
North Waterman Avenue 3.1 mi 5m
West 5th Street 0.6 mi 1m
Main Street — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: CA 86 — 70.7 mi, about 1h 24m

Traffic on I-10

Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 55 FHWA count stations on your route.

Peak

2 PM

~3,632 veh/hr typical · worst 4,963

Quietest

1 AM

~630 veh/hr

Peak-to-quiet ratio

5.8×

busier at peak than in the quiet hours

12a 6a noon 6p 11p

Averaged across 63 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 San Bernardino, CA and Brawley, CA.

1

Start on West 5th Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West 5th Street
2

Turn right onto North Waterman Avenue

3.1 mi · 5 min · North Waterman Avenue
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 10 East: Redlands
4

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 10 East
5

Merge onto I 10

39 mi · 42 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10

32 mi · 34 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 86

71 mi · 1 hr 24 min · CA 86
Toward CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro Use the straight lane.
8

Arrive at destination

Main Street

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.9 miles from San Bernardino, CA, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 70.7 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 32 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 72.9 miles or 1h 22m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 17m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brawley, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving San Bernardino, 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 San Bernardino, CA

This is one driving day of about 145.9 miles and 2h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from San Bernardino, 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 CA 86 for about 70.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Riverside County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Indio, CA

73 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

Banning, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Indio, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 72.9 miles from San Bernardino, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before CA 86 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 70.7 miles.

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 6

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 75.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | North Waterman Avenue

Turn right onto North Waterman Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
3.9 mi into trip | ~6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward I 10 East
5
4.2 mi into trip | ~7m in | I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Merge onto I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
42.7 mi into trip | ~49m in | I 10 / Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
75.2 mi into trip | ~1h 24m in | CA 86

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 86 toward CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Centro

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward CA 86 South: CA 86 South, Brawley, El Ce...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.34 one way

$64.69 round trip

$5.63/gal 25.4 MPG avg 51 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.81 $33.38 $66.76
premium $5.98 $34.37 $68.73
diesel $5.60 $32.16 $64.32

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 51 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 43.8 0 $15.32 $7.00
Efficient EV 36.5 0 $12.77 $5.84
EV Truck/SUV 58.4 0 $20.43 $9.34

Gas CO2

51 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (67% 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.

Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026

Origin

San Bernardino, CA

Afternoon in San Bernardino on Monday

Local time

12:46 PM

PDT

Current temp

90°F

Sunny

SW 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Dust Advisory

Dust Advisory issued September 1 at 5:41PM MST until September 1 at 6:30PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 5:37PM MST until September 1 at 6:15PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Destination

Brawley, CA

Afternoon in Brawley on Monday

Local time

12:46 PM

PDT

Current temp

105°F

Sunny

WNW 10 mph 2% chance Live forecast

Dust Advisory

Dust Advisory issued September 1 at 5:41PM MST until September 1 at 6:30PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 5:37PM MST until September 1 at 6:15PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ

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

15 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 48m 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?

145.9 mi in 2h 48m, mostly highway — 70.7 mi of that is on CA 86.

71% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 70.7 mi on CA 86.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 86 and Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway. You will hit about 6 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near North Waterman Avenue.

Driving Effort 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 145.9 miles you will encounter 6 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 0.6 miles (North Waterman Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Gently rolling terrain

2,363 ft -204 ft

Total Climb

1,489 ft

Total Descent

2,653 ft

Highest Point

2,363 ft

~20.8 mi in

Elevation Range

2,567 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from San Bernardino, CA to Brawley, CA, road signs begin pointing toward El Centro along the way.

El Centro

75.2 mi in | ~1h 24m | via CA 86

About the Cities

Starting in San Bernardino, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1854

San Bernardino is a city in the Inland Empire in California. It is the site of the first McDonald Brothers Hamburger Stand

Top landmarks

  • • San Bernardino Santa Fe Depot — railway station in San Bernardino, the United States of America
  • • California Theatre of the Performing Arts — theater and performing arts center in San Bernardino, California
  • • San Bernardino County Court House — courthouse in San Bernardino, United States of America

Arriving in Brawley, CA

Full guide →

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 2h 48m. Total distance: 145.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 70.7 miles on CA 86. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.

The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (North Waterman Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 4.2 miles (I 10 / Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway): 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 Brawley, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Brawley, CA

Laguna, CA 571.4 mi · 10h 39m Long Beach, CA 202.4 mi · 4h 3m

More from San Bernardino, CA

Murray Field, CA 698.9 mi · 13h 29m Fortuna, CA 679.2 mi · 13h 2m Shasta Lake, CA 603.5 mi · 11h 5m Chico, CA 524.5 mi · 9h 49m Clearlake, CA 514 mi · 9h 49m Granite Bay, CA 461.6 mi · 8h 35m

More trips to Brawley, CA

Sacramento, CA 580.9 mi Fremont, CA 552.7 mi San Jose, CA 537.3 mi Long Beach, CA 206.3 mi Santa Ana, CA 185.2 mi
Escape planner: San Bernardino, CA Scenic drives in CA

Explore more options from San Bernardino, CA or browse trips ending in Brawley, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.