Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
37.5 mi
60 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Seacliff, CA
Michael Darnall
This straightforward 37.5-mile drive from San Jose to Seacliff, California, will take you about 51 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on CA 17, the Cabrillo Highway, and the Sinclair Freeway, with 76% of the journey on highway roads. With a fuel cost estimated at $9, this is an economical way to travel between the Pacific Coast regions. The route is designed for efficient travel, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 25.9 miles on CA 17. Given its short duration, you won't need to split this drive or plan for an overnight stay.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 17 | 25.9 mi | 34m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| Sinclair Freeway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Seacliff Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| State Park Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| West Julian Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Seacliff, CA.
Start on North Market Street
Turn right onto Devine Street
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
Continue on West Julian Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto CA 87
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 280
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto CA 17
Take the exit
Continue on Cabrillo Highway
Merge onto CA 1
Take the exit
Turn right onto State Park Drive
Turn right onto Seacliff Drive
Turn left onto Beachgate Way
At end of road, turn right onto Coates Drive
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.7 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 30.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
Keep slight right at fork toward I 280 North: San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CA 17 South, I 880 North: Santa Cruz, Oakland
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 17 South: Santa Cruz
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Watsonville, Monterey
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$8.62 one way
$17.24 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $8.88 | $17.76 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.12 | $18.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.28 | $16.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.94 | $1.80 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.28 | $1.50 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15 | 0 | $5.25 | $2.40 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Jose on Tuesday
Local time
4:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Seacliff on Tuesday
Local time
4:42 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 37.5-mile trip. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on freeways, including CA 17 and the Sinclair Freeway, which make up 76% of the route. The longest continuous stretch of driving is 25.9 miles on CA 17, allowing for a steady pace. While largely highway, the Cabrillo Highway portion may offer a slightly different feel as you approach your destination. This drive prioritizes efficient transit over leisurely scenic cruising.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 17 and Cabrillo Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 19 decision points packed into just 37.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 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 Jose, CA and Seacliff, CA, road signs point toward Oakland, Watsonville and Monterey.
Oakland
Watsonville
Monterey
Founded 1777
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 37.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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