Origin
Santa Rosa, CA
Late night in Santa Rosa on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Santa Rosa, CA to Oakland, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
58.1 mi
93 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 25m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 16m
3 PM
1h 18m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Rosa, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Santa Rosa to Oakland is 58.1 miles and takes about 1 hour 13 minutes via Redwood Highway, John T. Knox Freeway, and Eastshore Freeway, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive connects two points within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a mixed driving experience. It's a relatively short trip, making it ideal for a single day of travel without feeling rushed. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward connection between these two Northern California cities, with most of your journey on established highways.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 36.9 mi | 43m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 13.6 mi | 17m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| San Pablo Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Martin Luther King Junior Way | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 14th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Interstate Highway 80 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 36.9 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Rosa, CA and Oakland, 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
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn right onto Watts Street
216 ft
·
11 sec
·
Watts Street
14
Turn right onto Peralta Street
182 ft
·
11 sec
·
Peralta Street
15
Turn left onto 35th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
35th Street
16
Turn right onto San Pablo Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Pablo Avenue
17
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Junior Way
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Way
18
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
19
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29 miles from Santa Rosa, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 37.6 and 55.9 — 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
55.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Take the exit toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, E...
9
55.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.35 one way
$26.71 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $13.76 | $27.52 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.13 | $28.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.83 | $25.66 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.10 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.2 | 0 | $8.13 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Oakland, CA
Late night in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
12:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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.
Road read
1h 13m 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?
This route is a mixed drive, with 31% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll experience stretches on the Redwood Highway, John T. Knox Freeway, and Eastshore Freeway, indicating a blend of freeway speeds and potentially some more varied road conditions. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 36.9 miles on the Redwood Highway, suggesting a significant portion of the drive will be on this particular road. Expect the character of the drive to evolve as you transition between these different roadways.
31% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.9 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.1 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
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
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 Oakland, CA
Full guide →Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
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 1h 13m. Total distance: 58.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.9 miles on Redwood Highway. 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 Oakland, 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 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.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Oakland, 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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