Origin
San Francisco, CA
Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
59.7 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Byron, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
This straightforward 59.7-mile drive from San Francisco to Byron, CA, is easily managed as a day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 16 minutes. The route primarily utilizes CA 4 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a 53% highway share, making it a practical choice for a quick journey. You can expect a fuel cost of around $14 for this stretch. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so no significant regional landscape changes are expected. This route is best suited for those looking for an efficient transit between these two California points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 4 | 23 mi | 26m |
| Caldecott Tunnel | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| CA 242 | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Vasco Road | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Camino Diablo | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Byron, CA.
Start on Market Street
Turn right onto 11th Street
Turn left onto Bryant Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 80
Continue on I 80
Take the exit
Merge onto I 580
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto CA 24
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 24
Continue on CA 24
Merge onto I 680
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242
Merge onto CA 4
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
Continue on Vasco Road
Turn left onto Camino Diablo
Turn right onto J4
Turn left
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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.
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from San Francisco, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 46.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward CA 24 East: Berkeley, Walnut Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.72 one way
$27.44 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.14 | $28.28 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.52 | $29.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.18 | $26.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.9 | 0 | $8.36 | $3.82 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Destination
Late night in Byron on Tuesday
Local time
3:12 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
50°F
Lafayette, CA
30 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
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.
The drive offers a mixed experience, with a significant portion, 53%, on highways. You'll navigate through the Caldecott Tunnel early on, transitioning onto stretches of CA 4 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23 miles on CA 4, providing a good opportunity for consistent driving. This route balances faster highway segments with what is likely more local road travel closer to your destination, offering a varied driving experience without being overly demanding.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 miles you will encounter 17 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 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Francisco, CA and Byron, CA, road signs point toward Hayward-Stockton, Walnut Creek and Pittsburg.
Hayward-Stockton
Walnut Creek
Pittsburg
“Frisco” · Founded 1776
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 59.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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