Origin
San Jose, CA
Morning in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
9:41 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Twin Lakes, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
48m
Distance
33.4 mi
54 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 44m
★
6 AM
0h 48m
8 AM
0h 56m
10 AM
0h 51m
12 PM
0h 50m
3 PM
0h 51m
5 PM
0h 56m
8 PM
0h 46m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Twin Lakes, CA
ollin focus
Trip Overview
This straightforward 33.4-mile drive from San Jose to Twin Lakes, California, can be completed in about 48 minutes, making it an excellent option for a day trip. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 85% of the journey on main roads like CA 17, Sinclair Freeway, and Ocean Street. With an estimated fuel cost of $8, this short hop is budget-friendly. You won't need to plan for overnight stays, and there are no designated stops recommended, giving you flexibility. The journey stays within the Pacific Coast region, offering a brief but efficient transition between these two California locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 17 | 25.9 mi | 34m |
| Sinclair Freeway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| Ocean Street | 1.2 mi | 3m |
| Santa Cruz Highway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Murray Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East Cliff Drive | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Eaton Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 17
— 25.9 mi, about 34m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Twin Lakes, 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
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Sinclair Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
15 sec
Exit 5B
Toward CA 17 South, I 880 North: Santa Cruz, Oakland
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 17 South: Santa Cruz
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto CA 17
26 mi
·
34 min
·
CA 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on CA 17
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Santa Cruz Highway
Exit 1A
Toward CA 1 North
15
Merge onto CA 1; CA 17
395 ft
·
6 sec
·
Cabrillo Highway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 17
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Santa Cruz Highway
17
Continue on Ocean Street
1.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Ocean Street
Use the straight lane.
18
At end of road, turn left onto East Cliff Drive
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
East Cliff Drive
Use the straight lane.
19
Turn slight left onto Murray Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Murray Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
20
Continue on Eaton Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Eaton Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
21
Turn right onto 7th Avenue
75 ft
·
2 sec
·
7th Avenue
Use the right lane.
22
Arrive at destination
7th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.7 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 175 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 33.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
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
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 5B
Toward CA 17 South, I 880 North: Santa Cruz, Oa...
7
3.9 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 17 South: Santa Cruz
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 17 South: Santa Cruz
7
33.3 mi into trip
|
~48m in
|
7th Avenue
Turn right onto 7th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.68 one way
$15.35 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.91 | $15.82 |
| premium | $6.18 | $8.12 | $16.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.37 | $14.75 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10 | 0 | $3.51 | $1.60 |
| Efficient EV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.92 | $1.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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.
Destination
Twin Lakes, CA
Morning in Twin Lakes on Sunday
Local time
9:41 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°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
26 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
48m 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?
Expect an 85% highway experience on this route, predominantly utilizing CA 17, Sinclair Freeway, and Ocean Street. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 25.9 miles on CA 17, offering a consistent pace for a significant portion of your journey. This drive leans heavily towards efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways. You'll likely encounter a mix of freeway speeds and more urban road conditions as you approach your destination.
85% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 25.9 mi on CA 17.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 17 and Sinclair Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 17 decision points packed into just 33.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 48m.
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.
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.
On the drive from San Jose, CA to Twin Lakes, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Oakland along the way.
Oakland
3.7 mi in
|
~5m
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.
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 48m. Total distance: 33.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 25.9 miles on CA 17. 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 Twin Lakes, 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 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.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Twin Lakes, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Twin Lakes, CA
Explore more options from San Jose, CA or browse trips ending in Twin Lakes, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.