Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 37m
Distance
348.7 mi
561 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$80
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 Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Westmont, CA
Stephen Leonardi
San Jose, CA to Westmont, CA is 348.7 miles and takes about 6h 37m via Westside Freeway, with a fuel budget near $80 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California, traversing the Pacific Coast region for both its start and end points. Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of your journey, making it a straightforward point-to-point trip. With a recommended one-day drive, you can easily complete this route without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
174.4 miles from San Jose, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 18m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 181.1 mi | 3h 14m |
| I 5 Truck | 58.6 mi | 1h 7m |
| Pacheco Pass Highway | 40.6 mi | 50m |
| I 405 Truck | 23 mi | 26m |
| US 101 | 20.3 mi | 23m |
| CA 85 | 5.1 mi | 5m |
| Guadalupe Parkway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Golden State Freeway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Westmont, 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
Continue on CA 87
Take the exit
Continue on CA 87
Turn left
Merge onto CA 85
Continue on CA 85
Continue on US 101
Take the exit onto CA 152
Turn left onto CA 152
Continue on CA 152
Take the exit
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
Take the exit
Continue on this road
Keep slight right at fork
Turn left onto South La Cienega Boulevard
Turn left onto West Century Boulevard
Turn right onto South Normandie Avenue
Turn right onto West 105th Street
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Given the 6h 37m estimated drive time, starting early in the morning will help you avoid the heaviest traffic, especially as you approach the Los Angeles area. The route is designed for a single day of travel, so you can afford to be flexible with your stops. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch without a significant break is over 180 miles. Planning your fuel stops strategically along the Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck will ensure a smooth journey.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
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 77 miles or 1h 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 174.4 miles or 3h 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Westmont, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving San Jose, 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 Jose, CA
This is one driving day of about 348.7 miles and 6h 37m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
174 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 77 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 174.4 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 181.1 miles.
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 6.1 and 343.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Turn left toward CA 85 South
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Century Boulevard, Los Angeles International Airport, Imperial Highway
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 South La Cienega Boulevard, Century Boulevard West, Los Angeles International Airport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$80.15 one way
$160.29 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $82.59 | $165.18 |
| premium | $6.18 | $84.80 | $169.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $76.99 | $153.98 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$80
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$105–$130
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 122 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 104.6 | 1 | $36.61 | $16.74 |
| Efficient EV | 87.2 | 0 | $30.51 | $13.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 139.5 | 1 | $48.82 | $22.32 |
Gas CO2
122 kg
EV CO2
41 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Partly Cloudy
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Late night in Westmont on Tuesday
Local time
2:10 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
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
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
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the journey utilizing major freeways. You'll encounter long, uninterrupted stretches, including one of 181.1 miles on the Westside Freeway. The drive transitions from the urban environment of San Jose onto the open road, characterized by consistent highway speeds. While primarily a freeway experience, be prepared for the traffic patterns associated with these major arteries.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.1 miles in.
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 25 significant decision points across 348.7 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 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 317.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 6h 37m. Total distance: 348.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 37m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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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