Origin
San Diego, CA
Afternoon in San Diego on Saturday
Local time
3:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Diego, CA to Ben Lomond, 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 9m
Distance
472.7 mi
761 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$107
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
9h 2m
★
6 AM
9h 10m
8 AM
9h 26m
10 AM
9h 16m
12 PM
9h 14m
3 PM
9h 17m
5 PM
9h 26m
8 PM
9h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Diego, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Ben Lomond, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 472.7-mile journey from San Diego to Ben Lomond, California, is a substantial drive that will take approximately 9 hours and 9 minutes to complete. Given its length and duration, it's best planned as a two-day trip to avoid excessive fatigue. The route primarily follows major freeways like the Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, and Golden State Freeway, making it a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $109, it's a manageable expense for a longer drive. This trip offers a practical way to travel between two points within the Pacific Coast region, largely on well-maintained roads.
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
236.4 miles from San Diego, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 34m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 182.5 mi | 3h 15m |
| San Diego Freeway | 75.2 mi | 1h 27m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 45.3 mi | 52m |
| CA 152 | 36.1 mi | 43m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 30.4 mi | 35m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 13.8 mi | 15m |
| Riverside Road | 9.5 mi | 13m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 182.5 mi, about 3h 15m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 218 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~4,000 veh/hr typical · worst 4,903
Quietest
2 AM
~671 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
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 San Diego, CA and Ben Lomond, CA.
1
Start on Front Street
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
2
Turn left onto West Broadway
290 ft
·
12 sec
·
West Broadway
3
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
1st Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
13 mi
·
15 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
36 mi
·
43 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
7.4 mi
·
8 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Toward Bake Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
Use the slight right lane.
12
Continue on this road
527 ft
·
11 sec
·
this road
13
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Jamboree Road
Use the left / right lanes.
14
Turn left onto El Camino Real
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
El Camino Real
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Newport Avenue
357 ft
·
13 sec
·
Newport Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
17
Merge onto I 5
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
183 mi
·
3 hr 15 min
·
Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 403B
Toward CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose
28
Continue on CA 152; CA33
29 mi
·
33 min
·
CA 152; CA33
Use the straight lane.
29
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 152
7.4 mi
·
10 min
·
CA 152
30
Turn left onto CR G7
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Bloomfield Avenue
31
At end of road, turn right onto CA 25
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Bloomfield Avenue
32
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
33
Merge onto US 101
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
South Valley Freeway
34
Continue on US 101
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
El Camino Real
35
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 347
Toward CA 129 West: Watsonville, Santa Cruz
36
Turn right onto CA 129
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Chittenden Road
37
Continue on CA 129
8.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Riverside Road
38
Enter roundabout onto CA 129
144 ft
·
2 sec
·
Riverside Road
39
Continue on CA 129
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Road
40
Turn right onto Blackburn Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Blackburn Street
41
At end of road, turn left onto CA 152
0.5 mi
·
54 sec
·
East Lake Avenue
42
Turn right onto CA 152
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
Main Street
43
Turn left onto CA 152
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
44
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
45
Merge onto CA 1
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
46
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
Toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland
47
Merge onto CA 17
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Santa Cruz Highway
Use the straight lane.
48
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
Toward Mount Hermon Road
49
Continue on CA 17 Business
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Mount Hermon Road
Use the straight lane.
50
Turn right onto Graham Hill Road
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Graham Hill Road
51
Turn right onto CA 9
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Highway 9
52
Turn right onto Glen Arbor Road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Glen Arbor Road
53
Arrive at destination
Glen Arbor Road
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 9-hour drive, splitting it over two days is highly recommended. Aim to depart early in the morning on your first day to maximize daylight hours and cover a significant portion of the 472.7 miles. With only two planned stops, be sure to strategically choose rest areas or towns that offer amenities for both fuel and a meal. Keep an eye on traffic, especially as you approach and navigate through urban areas. The longest stretch without a major town is 182.5 miles on the Westside Freeway, so ensure you have sufficient fuel before embarking on that segment.
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 236.4 miles from San Diego, CA, or about 4h 34m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 182.5 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 104 miles or 2h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 236.4 miles or 4h 34m 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 236.4 miles or 4h 34m
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 7h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ben Lomond, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA
Aim for roughly 236 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Ben Lomond, CA
Aim for roughly 236 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 104 miles from San Diego, 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 182.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
236 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 Corcoran, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
236 mi · about 4.6h in
A practical overnight split lands near Corcoran, CA after about 236 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 104 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 236.4 miles from San Diego, 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 182.5 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 236 miles or 4.6 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 415 decision points cluster between mile 76.1 and 204.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
76.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward Bake Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Bake Parkway
7
83.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 38m in
Take the exit toward Jamboree Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 100
Toward Jamboree Road
7
84 mi into trip
|
~1h 39m in
|
Jamboree Road
Turn right onto Jamboree Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
9
144.7 mi into trip
|
~2h 52m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
7
204.7 mi into trip
|
~4h in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway toward I 5 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$107.14 one way
$214.28 round trip
$5.76/gal
25.4 MPG avg
165 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $110.84 | $221.69 |
| premium | $6.09 | $113.37 | $226.75 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $100.55 | $201.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$107
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$237–$347
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 165.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $50 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 141.8 | 1 | $49.63 | $22.69 |
| Efficient EV | 118.2 | 1 | $41.36 | $18.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 189.1 | 2 | $66.18 | $30.25 |
Gas CO2
165 kg
EV CO2
55 kg (67% 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
Ben Lomond, CA
Afternoon in Ben Lomond on Saturday
Local time
3:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°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.
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.
Temperature spread
19 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
9h 9m 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 a 90% highway drive on this route, characterized by its consistent speed and focus on efficient travel. The primary roads are the Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, and Golden State Freeway, which offer a smooth and predictable driving experience. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 182.5 miles on the Westside Freeway, so plan your breaks accordingly. This profile generally means a steady pace with limited opportunities for spontaneous scenic detours directly off the main path, emphasizing forward momentum.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
53 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 182.5 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 76.1 miles in near I 5 Truck.
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 41 significant decision points across 472.7 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 76.1 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles (Jamboree Road): Lane positioning matters here.
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 San Diego, CA and Ben Lomond, CA, road signs point toward Hollister, San Jose and Santa Cruz.
Hollister
387.2 mi in
|
~7h 16m
San Jose
387.2 mi in
|
~7h 16m
Santa Cruz
433 mi in
|
~8h 12m
About the Cities
Starting in San Diego, CA
Full guide →Founded 1769
From balmy beaches with a laid-back attitude to a gleaming modern image, San Diego offers much for the tourist to enjoy. Situated on the Southern California seacoast, San Diego is the second largest city in the state, with 1.4 million residents (2020), and has long attracted travelers for its ideal climate, miles of beaches, and location on the Mexican border right across from Tijuana. But there's much more here than surfer culture and a quick hop across the border. A rich maritime and military heritage lives on in San Diego, which is home to the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. The city has also become known for its part in the wildlife conservation movement, owing to the presence of the world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Natural scenery abounds from rocky tidepools and seaside cliffs to desert hills and canyons inland.
Top landmarks
- • Balboa Park — historic park in San Diego, California
- • Cabrillo National Monument — National Monument of the United States and historic district
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 182.5 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 236 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 Ben Lomond, 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 76.1 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 83.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 84 miles (Jamboree Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 9.2 hours each way, a round trip means 18.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Ben Lomond, 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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