San Leandro to Anaheim is 386.8 miles and takes about 7h 11m via Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck, with a fuel budget near $88 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within California, connecting the Pacific Coast region from north to south. Given the route is almost entirely highway, it's a straightforward trip best suited for those who prefer covering distance efficiently. Plan for a single day of driving, keeping in mind traffic can significantly impact your arrival time, especially as you approach Southern California.
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
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
193.4 miles from San Leandro, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 31m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
224.4 mi
4h
I 5 Truck
83.3 mi
1h 36m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi
33m
Santa Ana Freeway
20.7 mi
24m
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi
18m
Golden State Freeway
5.3 mi
6m
MacArthur Freeway
2.2 mi
2m
East 14th Street
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 224.4 mi, about 4h
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 354 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~2,464 veh/hr typical
· worst 3,254
Quietest
2 AM
~475 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Leandro, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on West Estudillo Avenue
61 ft·5 sec·West Estudillo Avenue
2
Turn right onto CA 185
1.0 mi·1 min·East 14th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Turn slight left onto CA 185
1.0 mi·1 min·East 14th Street
4
Turn left onto 150th Avenue
0.4 mi·51 sec·150th Avenue
5
Turn right onto Freedom Avenue
0.1 mi·14 sec·Freedom Avenue
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·24 sec·this road
Toward I 580 East: HaywardUse the left / straight lanes.
7
Merge onto I 580
2.2 mi·2 min·MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 580
12 mi·13 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi·20 min·Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
11 mi·11 min·William Elton Brown Freeway
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
5.9 mi·6 min·William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Merge onto I 5
224 mi·4 hr·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi·1 hr 6 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi·4 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi·17 sec·I 5 Truck
Exit 158Toward I 405 SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
25 mi·29 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
1.3 mi·1 min·Golden State Freeway
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa AnaUse the slight left / straight lanes.
18
Merge onto I 5
21 mi·24 min·Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.5 mi·33 sec
Exit 111Toward Lincoln AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.3 mi·3 min·West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
370 ft·14 sec·South Anaheim Boulevard
22
Turn right
200 ft·14 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 7h 11m drive, consider departing San Leandro early to bypass morning commute traffic. With a total distance of 386.8 miles, you'll want to plan for at least two brief stops to stretch your legs and refuel. The fuel cost is estimated at $88, so ensure your tank is full before leaving San Leandro. Given it's a single-day drive, your main consideration will be managing potential traffic delays, especially as you get closer to Anaheim.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 193.4 miles from San Leandro, CA, or about 3h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 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 85 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 193.4 miles or 3h 31m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anaheim, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Leandro, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Leandro, CA
This is one driving day of about 386.8 miles and 7h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 85 miles from San Leandro, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 224.4 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 16.3 and 385 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
16.3 mi into trip|~20m 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
275.6 mi into trip|~5h in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
338 mi into trip|~6h 11m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
8
363 mi into trip|~6h 41m in|I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Street, Santa Ana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward CA 60 East, I 5 South: Pomona, Soto Stre...
7
385 mi into trip|~7h 7m in
Take the exit toward Lincoln Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$93.58 one way
$187.16 round trip
$6.15/gal25.4 MPG avg135 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.34
$96.53
$193.06
premium
$6.50
$98.92
$197.85
diesel
$6.28
$95.57
$191.15
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$94
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$119–$144
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 135.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
116
1
$40.61
$18.57
Efficient EV
96.7
1
$33.85
$15.47
EV Truck/SUV
154.7
1
$54.15
$24.76
Gas CO2
135 kg
EV CO2
45 kg (67% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 19, 2026
Origin
San Leandro, CA
Afternoon
in San Leandro on Saturday
Local time
4:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 7 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 19 at 1:23AM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:31PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Anaheim, CA
Afternoon
in Anaheim on Saturday
Local time
4:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Clear
SW 0 to 5 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 19 at 1:23AM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Beach Hazards Statement
Beach Hazards Statement issued October 18 at 12:31PM PDT until October 20 at 9:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
10 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
7h 11m on the road
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.
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...
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 333.5
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...
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,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on highways for 99% of this 386.8-mile trip. The primary routes include the Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. Expect a long stretch of 224.4 miles on the Westside Freeway without needing to exit. The bulk of your drive will be on this well-traveled highway system, meaning you'll encounter frequent on- and off-ramps and varying traffic densities, particularly around urban areas. The route is predominantly highway cruising.
99% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 224.4 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 16.3 miles in near I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway.
Driving Effort9/10
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 20 significant decision points across 386.8 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 16.3 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 275.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 338 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,825 ft57 ft
Total Climb
3,710 ft
Total Descent
2,367 ft
Highest Point
2,825 ft
~303.9 mi in
Elevation Range
2,769 ft
Notable High Points
2,825 ft at ~303.9 miles+1,426 ft prominence
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 Leandro, CA to Anaheim, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Santa Ana along the way.
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. It is best known for being the home of Disneyland. Its second claim to fame is hosting the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels.
Top landmarks
•Disneyland — American theme park in California owned by The Walt Disney Company
•Disney California Adventure — theme park in California, part of Disneyland Resort
•Soarin' — flight motion simulator attraction at Disney parks
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 11m. Total distance: 386.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 11m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 34 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Anaheim, 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 2 meaningful breaks. There are 34 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 16.3 miles (I 580 / Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 275.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 338 miles (I 5 Truck): 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 Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.2 hours each way, a round trip means 14.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Anaheim, CA before the return drive.
