This 144.7-mile drive from San Francisco, CA to Cedar Ridge, CA is a manageable one-day trip, taking approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes. You'll primarily navigate via the Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway and the MacArthur Freeway, with 57% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $33 for this excursion. The route offers a mixed driving profile, making it suitable for a single day's adventure without the need for an overnight stop. Given its relatively short duration, you'll have plenty of flexibility to depart and arrive at your convenience.
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
72.4 miles from San Francisco, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 27m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi
33m
East F Street
28.3 mi
38m
MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi
18m
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
14.6 mi
16m
CA 49
11.9 mi
17m
East Yosemite Avenue
10.7 mi
15m
CA 120
8.1 mi
9m
Jackson Avenue
7.1 mi
10m
Longest stretch:
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
— 29.3 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Cedar Ridge, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
312 ft·7 sec·Market Street
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·11th Street
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Bryant Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·25 sec
Toward I 80 East: OaklandUse the left / straight lanes.
5
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi·1 min·Route 80
6
Continue on I 80
5.8 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi·1 min
Exit 8BToward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-StocktonUse the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 580
16 mi·18 min·MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Merge onto I 580
12 mi·13 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi·20 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 205
3.9 mi·4 min·Robert T. Monagan Freeway
Toward I 205 East: Tracy, Stockton
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 205
11 mi·11 min·Robert T. Monagan Freeway
13
Merge onto I 5
1.0 mi·1 min·Westside Freeway
14
Take the exit
469 ft·6 sec
Toward CA 120 East: Manteca, Sonora
15
Continue on CA 120
7.8 mi·8 min·CA 120
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit onto CA 120
0.3 mi·36 sec·CA 120
Toward CA 120 East: Sonora, Yosemite AvenueUse the right lane.
17
Turn right onto CA 120
11 mi·15 min·East Yosemite Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
18
Continue on CA 120
0.2 mi·27 sec·California Street
19
Continue on CA 120
7.1 mi·10 min·Jackson Avenue
20
Continue on CA 120; J9; J14
0.9 mi·1 min·Valley Home Road
21
Continue on CA 120; J9; J14
0.9 mi·2 min·North Yosemite Avenue
22
Turn left onto CA 108; CA 120
28 mi·38 min·East F Street
23
Enter roundabout onto CA 49; CA 108
116 ft·2 sec·CA 49; CA 108
24
Continue on CA 49; CA 108
12 mi·17 min·CA 49; CA 108
25
Turn left onto Soulsbyville Road
0.2 mi·34 sec·Soulsbyville Road
26
Turn right onto Longeway Road
3.2 mi·6 min·Longeway Road
27
At end of road, turn left onto Longeway Road
0.4 mi·55 sec·Longeway Road
28
Turn right onto Big Hill Road
347 ft·9 sec·Big Hill Road
29
Turn right onto Kewin Mill Road
2.6 mi·6 min·Kewin Mill Road
30
At end of road, turn right onto Kewin Mill Road
157 ft·9 sec·Kewin Mill Road
31
Turn left onto Estralita Drive
443 ft·19 sec·Estralita Drive
32
Arrive at destination
Estralita Drive
Trip Plan
For this 3-hour and 15-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from San Francisco to maximize your daylight and avoid potential traffic. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. The estimated fuel cost is $33, so ensure your tank is full before you leave urban areas. Keep an eye out for transitions between the main freeways and local roads, as this is where the drive's character changes. Planning for a brief stop to stretch your legs about halfway through is a good idea, especially during the 29.3-mile stretch on the Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72.4 miles from San Francisco, CA, or about 1h 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.3 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 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72.4 miles or 1h 27m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Ridge, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Francisco, 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 Francisco, CA
This is one driving day of about 144.7 miles and 3h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from San Francisco, 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 Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway for about 29.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 23
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 77.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 80 East: Oakland
8
8 mi into trip|~13m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-St...
6
36.4 mi into trip|~46m in|I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
54.3 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|I 205 / Robert T. Monagan Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 205 / Robert T. Monagan Freeway toward I 205 East: Tracy, Stockton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 205 East: Tracy, Stockton
7
77.8 mi into trip|~1h 33m in|CA 120
Take the exit onto CA 120 toward CA 120 East: Sonora, Yosemite Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 120 East: Sonora, Yosemite Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.26 one way
$66.52 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg51 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$34.27
$68.54
premium
$6.18
$35.19
$70.38
diesel
$5.61
$31.95
$63.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 50.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.4
0
$15.19
$6.95
Efficient EV
36.2
0
$12.66
$5.79
EV Truck/SUV
57.9
0
$20.26
$9.26
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 Apr 19, 2026
Origin
San Francisco, CA
Late night
in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Ridge, CA
Late night
in Cedar Ridge on Tuesday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°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
18 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
3h 15m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The drive presents a mixed profile, blending highway speeds with more local road segments. With 57% of the route on highways, you’ll experience some stretches of faster travel. The longest uninterrupted segment you'll encounter is 29.3 miles on the Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway. As you progress, the road character will shift, moving from urban-focused freeways to potentially less congested arteries as you approach Cedar Ridge. This variation means you won't be stuck in a monotonous interstate grind for the entire journey.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.3 mi on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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.
Driving Effort10/10
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 23 significant decision points across 144.7 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 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 36.4 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between San Francisco, CA and Cedar Ridge, CA, road signs point toward Hayward-Stockton, Stockton and Sonora.
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
•Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
•Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
•San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 15m. Total distance: 144.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.3 miles on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Cedar Ridge, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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 36.4 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Cedar Ridge, CA, but most travelers stay overnight.
