Origin
Santa Rosa, CA
Late night in Santa Rosa on Tuesday
Local time
4:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Santa Rosa, CA to Anaheim, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 30m
Distance
453.6 mi
730 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$104
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 23m
★
6 AM
8h 31m
8 AM
8h 46m
10 AM
8h 36m
12 PM
8h 35m
3 PM
8h 37m
5 PM
8h 45m
8 PM
8h 26m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Rosa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Santa Rosa to Anaheim is 453.6 miles and takes about 8h 30m via Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, and Redwood Highway, with a fuel budget near $104 and likely requiring an overnight stop. This trip takes you through California's Pacific Coast region, transitioning from northern to southern landscapes. With a significant portion on major highways, expect a straightforward drive that prioritizes getting you to your destination efficiently. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct path with minimal detours, but be prepared for a full day of driving or plan for an overnight stay to make it more relaxed.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
226.8 miles from Santa Rosa, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 15m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 224.4 mi | 4h |
| I 5 Truck | 83.3 mi | 1h 36m |
| Redwood Highway | 36.9 mi | 43m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 20.7 mi | 24m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 16.4 mi | 18m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 13.6 mi | 17m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 224.4 mi, about 4h
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Rosa, CA and Anaheim, CA.
1
Start on 4th Street
446 ft
·
19 sec
·
4th Street
2
Turn left onto B Street
329 ft
·
18 sec
·
B Street
3
Turn right onto 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
3rd Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward CA 12, US 101 South
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco
6
Merge onto US 101
37 mi
·
43 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 80; I 580
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
11 mi
·
11 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
15
Merge onto I 5
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
0.3 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 158
Toward I 405 South
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
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 Ana
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
21
Merge onto I 5
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Exit 111
Toward Lincoln Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Turn left onto West Lincoln Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
West Lincoln Avenue
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto South Anaheim Boulevard
370 ft
·
14 sec
·
South Anaheim Boulevard
25
Turn right
200 ft
·
14 sec
26
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 8.5-hour estimated drive time, splitting this trip over two days is advisable to avoid fatigue. Aim to depart Santa Rosa in the morning to maximize daylight. With two recommended stops, plan to break up the 453.6 miles. A good strategy would be to cover roughly half the distance on day one, perhaps stopping around the halfway point or where lodging is convenient. Keep an eye on fuel levels, especially when transitioning between highway segments, as the estimated fuel cost is $104.
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 drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 226.8 miles from Santa Rosa, CA, or about 4h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 100 miles or 1h 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 226.8 miles or 4h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 226.8 miles or 4h 15m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 17m
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 Santa Rosa, 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.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Santa Rosa, CA
Aim for roughly 227 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Anaheim, CA
Aim for roughly 227 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 100 miles from Santa Rosa, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
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.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
227 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Manteca, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
227 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Manteca, CA after about 227 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 100 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 226.8 miles from Santa Rosa, 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 224.4 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 227 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.
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 245 decision points cluster between mile 37.6 and 429.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
37.6 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
8
55 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
I 580 / Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...
8
55.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockt...
8
404.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 30m 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
429.8 mi into trip
|
~8h 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...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$104.26 one way
$208.51 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
159 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $107.44 | $214.87 |
| premium | $6.18 | $110.31 | $220.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $100.15 | $200.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$104
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$234–$344
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 158.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 136.1 | 1 | $47.63 | $21.77 |
| Efficient EV | 113.4 | 1 | $39.69 | $18.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 181.4 | 2 | $63.50 | $29.03 |
Gas CO2
159 kg
EV CO2
53 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.
Destination
Anaheim, CA
Late night in Anaheim on Tuesday
Local time
4:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
8h 30m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with 91% of the route utilizing them. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 224.4 miles on the Westside Freeway. The highway portion will likely involve merging with truck traffic on the I 5 Truck route and cruising along the Redwood Highway. Expect the transition from highway to surface roads to occur relatively late in the drive, given the high highway share.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 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 37.6 miles in near I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 24 significant decision points across 453.6 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 37.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.2 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Santa Rosa, CA and Anaheim, CA, road signs point toward Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose and Santa Ana.
Oakland
37.6 mi in
|
~45m
|
via I 580
Hayward
55 mi in
|
~1h 7m
|
via I 580
Stockton
55 mi in
|
~1h 7m
|
via I 580
Alameda
55 mi in
|
~1h 7m
|
via I 580
San Jose
55 mi in
|
~1h 7m
|
via I 580
Santa Ana
429.8 mi in
|
~8h
|
via I 5
About the Cities
Starting in Santa Rosa, CA
Full guide →Santa Rosa is the largest city in Sonoma County, California, and fifth largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is a jumping off point for visiting the wine country of Sonoma County and the Napa Valley, or driving out to the beautiful coastal and parks throughout the Sonoma County.
Arriving in Anaheim, CA
Full guide →Founded 1857
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
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 — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 227 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 37.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 55.2 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.5 hours each way, a round trip means 17.0 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.
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.
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