Traveling from Yuba City to San Francisco covers 118.8 miles and typically takes about 2 hours and 31 minutes. Since this journey stays within the Pacific Coast region, it is well-suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $28 for fuel to complete the trip. Utilizing a combination of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, the Eastshore Freeway, and the Sutter Causeway, you will navigate a transition from the inland areas toward the coast. This route offers a straightforward path for travelers looking to move efficiently between these two California locations.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59.4 miles from Yuba City, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 18m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
48.3 mi
58m
Eastshore Freeway
15.2 mi
17m
Sutter Causeway
12.7 mi
16m
Vic Fazio Highway
10.7 mi
12m
CA 99
8.7 mi
10m
County Road 102
8 mi
11m
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.4 mi
3m
South George Washington Boulevard
2.5 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
— 48.3 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Yuba City, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on this road
117 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn right
151 ft·16 sec
3
Turn left onto Plumas Street
0.3 mi·54 sec·Plumas Street
4
Turn right onto Bridge Street
1.1 mi·2 min·Bridge Street
5
Turn left onto CA 99
8.7 mi·10 min·CA 99
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward CA 113 South: Woodland, Tudor Road
7
Turn right onto CA 113
2.1 mi·2 min·Tudor Road
Use the right lane.
8
Continue on CA 113
2.5 mi·3 min·South George Washington Boulevard
9
Continue on CA 113
13 mi·16 min·Sutter Causeway
10
Continue on E8
7.9 mi·11 min·County Road 102
11
Continue on E8
128 ft·6 sec·County Road 102
12
Turn right onto East Main Street
1.3 mi·2 min·East Main Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward CA 113 South: Davis
14
Merge onto CA 113
11 mi·12 min·Vic Fazio Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Merge onto I 80; CA 113
42 mi·48 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on I 80
1.0 mi·1 min·Carquinez Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Eastshore Freeway
18
Continue on I 80
3.4 mi·3 min·Linus F. Claeys Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on I 80
14 mi·16 min·Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi·1 min·Eastshore Freeway
Toward San FranciscoUse the slight left lane.
21
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi·33 sec·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
23
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
24
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi·24 sec·Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
25
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi·1 min·Route 80
Exit 2AUse the straight / slight left lanes.
26
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi·32 sec·Route 80
Exit 1AUse the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 1BToward US 101 North: Golden Gate BridgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi·25 sec·Central Freeway
29
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi·42 sec·Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434BToward Octavia Boulevard, Fell StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Market Street
Use the right lane.
31
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi·35 sec·Market Street
32
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Trip Plan
Planning for one scheduled stop is a smart way to break up the 2-hour and 31-minute travel time. Since this is a relatively short trip, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits your schedule, though monitoring traffic patterns on the Eastshore Freeway is recommended to avoid delays. Keep your fuel budget of $28 in mind when planning your refueling stops along the way. Because the route features a high density of local, turn-heavy roads, ensure your vehicle is comfortable for frequent steering adjustments rather than just long-distance cruising. Prioritize your single stop during the longer stretches to stay refreshed before hitting the more technical local segments.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.4 miles from Yuba City, CA, or about 1h 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 48.3 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 26 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.4 miles or 1h 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 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Yuba City, 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 Yuba City, CA
This is one driving day of about 118.8 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Yuba City, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway for about 48.3 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 1.5 and 117.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.5 mi into trip|~3m in|CA 99
Turn left onto CA 99
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
35.6 mi into trip|~49m in|East Main Street
Turn right onto East Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
109 mi into trip|~2h 15m in|Eastshore Freeway
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward San Francisco
6
110.5 mi into trip|~2h 18m in|I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
117.4 mi into trip|~2h 28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.31 one way
$54.61 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$28.14
$56.28
premium
$6.18
$28.89
$57.78
diesel
$5.61
$26.23
$52.46
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.6
0
$12.47
$5.70
Efficient EV
29.7
0
$10.40
$4.75
EV Truck/SUV
47.5
0
$16.63
$7.60
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Yuba City, CA
Night
in Yuba City on Saturday
Local time
9:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
San Francisco, CA
Night
in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
9:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°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.
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
25 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
2h 31m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 102.4
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...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 118.8
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...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 90.1
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 118.8
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,...
12 mi from route
~30 min detour
$15
near mile 118.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that balances highway efficiency with more technical sections. Only 24% of your total mileage is spent on highways, meaning you will spend a significant portion of the journey navigating local roads. Your longest uninterrupted segment is a 48.3-mile stretch on the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, which provides the most consistent pace of the trip. As you transition between these different road types, the character of the drive shifts from high-speed transit to more focused, hands-on maneuvering. Stay alert, as the mix of fast freeway stretches and winding local paths requires consistent attention behind the wheel.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 48.3 mi on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near CA 99.
Driving Effort10/10
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 118.8 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 1.5 miles (CA 99): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.6 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 109 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 31m. Total distance: 118.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 48.3 miles on Dwight D. Eisenhower 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 San Francisco, 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 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles (CA 99): Lane positioning matters here; at 35.6 miles (East Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 109 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial (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.
