Origin
West Menlo Park, CA
Late night in West Menlo Park on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Menlo Park, CA to San Francisco, 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
45m
Distance
31.7 mi
51 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 42m
★
6 AM
0h 46m
8 AM
0h 54m
10 AM
0h 49m
12 PM
0h 48m
3 PM
0h 49m
5 PM
0h 53m
8 PM
0h 44m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Menlo Park, CA
Stephen Leonardi
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are heading from West Menlo Park to San Francisco, expect a straightforward 34.5-mile journey that typically takes about 42 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited as a simple one-day outing, as the distance is short enough that you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to cover the distance. Because this route avoids highways entirely, you will spend your time navigating local streets, which offers a different pace than a standard interstate commute. Both the starting point and your destination sit within the Pacific Coast region, keeping the environment consistent throughout your travels.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayshore Freeway | 20.3 mi | 23m |
| James Lick Freeway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Woodside Road | 3 mi | 6m |
| Alameda de las Pulgas | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Central Freeway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Ashton Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 20.3 mi, about 23m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Menlo Park, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on this road
117 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Ashton Avenue
295 ft
·
17 sec
·
Ashton Avenue
3
Turn right onto Alameda de las Pulgas
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Alameda de las Pulgas
4
Turn right onto CA 84
3.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Woodside Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Merge onto US 101
20 mi
·
23 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on US 101
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
James Lick Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on US 101
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Freeway
Toward Civic Center, Golden Gate Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
12
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.9 miles from West Menlo Park, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 5 and 31.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
5
5.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
30.9 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Octavia Boulevard
Continue onto Octavia Boulevard toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
5
31.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
31.5 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
Market Street
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.29 one way
$14.57 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.51 | $15.02 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.71 | $15.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.00 | $14.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.7 | 0 | $4.44 | $2.03 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
San Francisco, CA
Late night in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
4:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°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
18 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
45m 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?
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will spend your time navigating through Ashton Avenue, Alameda de las Pulgas, and Woodside Road, which defines the technical nature of the commute. Since the road consists entirely of local thoroughfares, you won't encounter any long, monotonous highway stretches. Expect to stay alert behind the wheel as you maneuver through these surface streets. The character of the drive is defined by its constant turns, requiring your full attention as you transition from the suburban feel of West Menlo Park toward the city.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 20.3 mi on Bayshore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bayshore Freeway and James Lick Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5 miles in.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 31.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 45m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles (Octavia Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in West Menlo Park, CA
Full guide →Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →“Frisco” · Founded 1776
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Top landmarks
- • Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
- • Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
- • San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
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 45m. Total distance: 31.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 20.3 miles on Bayshore Freeway. 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 San Francisco, 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 5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.6 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.9 miles (Octavia Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (5 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 San Francisco, 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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