Origin
San Jose, CA
Late night in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Moss Beach, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 2m
Distance
46.1 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Moss Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
San Jose to Moss Beach is 46.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 2 minutes via Sinclair Freeway and Cabrillo Highway North, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive takes you from the Pacific Coast region of California to the same region, primarily along coastal highways. It's a straightforward, relatively short trip that offers a change of scenery without demanding a full day's commitment. Consider this route if you're looking for a quick coastal excursion or a way to connect two points along the California coast efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sinclair Freeway | 30 mi | 34m |
| Cabrillo Highway North | 6.1 mi | 9m |
| San Mateo Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| Half Moon Bay Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Julian Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sinclair Freeway
— 30 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Moss Beach, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
110 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Turn right onto Devine Street
275 ft
·
17 sec
·
Devine Street
3
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
306 ft
·
17 sec
·
North San Pedro Street
4
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
West Saint James Street
5
Continue on West Julian Street
356 ft
·
7 sec
·
West Julian Street
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward CA 87 South
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto CA 87
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Guadalupe Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 280 South, I 280 North: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Use the slight right lane.
10
Merge onto I 280
30 mi
·
34 min
·
Sinclair Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
421 ft
·
8 sec
Exit 33
Toward CA 92: Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, Hayward
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 92 West: Half Moon Bay
13
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
this road
14
Turn slight right onto CA 92
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Half Moon Bay Road
15
Continue on CA 92
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
San Mateo Road
16
Turn right onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the right lane.
17
Turn right onto CA 1
6.1 mi
·
9 min
·
Cabrillo Highway North
Use the right lane.
18
Arrive at destination
CA 1
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.1 miles from San Jose, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 31.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North San Pedro Street
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward CA 87 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 87 South
8
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward I 280 South, I 280 North: San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 280 South, I 280 North: San Francisco
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 280 North: San Francisco
8
31.6 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward CA 92: Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, Hayward
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 33
Toward CA 92: Half Moon Bay, San Mateo, Hayward
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.60 one way
$21.19 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.92 | $21.84 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.21 | $22.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.18 | $20.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Moss Beach, CA
Late night in Moss Beach on Sunday
Local time
12:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
24 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
1h 2m 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?
This route is largely highway-focused, with 66% of the drive on highways, giving it a consistent pace. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 30 miles on Sinclair Freeway, which keeps the momentum going. As you transition to Cabrillo Highway North and then San Mateo Road, the character may shift slightly, but the overall feel remains that of a highway-centric journey. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes covering ground efficiently, with the occasional turn onto different main roads.
66% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30 mi on Sinclair Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Sinclair Freeway and Cabrillo Highway North. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North San Pedro Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (North San Pedro Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Jose, CA and Moss Beach, CA, road signs point toward San Mateo and Hayward.
San Mateo
31.6 mi in
|
~38m
Hayward
31.6 mi in
|
~38m
About the Cities
Starting in San Jose, CA
Full guide →Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern California.
Arriving in Moss Beach, 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 1h 2m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30 miles on Sinclair Freeway. 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 Moss Beach, 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 0.1 miles (North San Pedro Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Moss Beach, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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