How far is Inverness, CA from San Diego, CA?
The driving distance from Inverness, CA to San Diego, CA is about 546.7 miles (879.9 km), with a travel time of about 09h 26m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 490.9 miles (790 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 09h 26m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
Census-designated place in Kern County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Clear
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Inverness and San Diego.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Inverness and San Diego.
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1
Start on Argyle Street
36 m · 6 sec · Argyle Street
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2
Turn right onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
3.5 mi · 7 min · Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
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3
Turn right onto Bear Valley Road
2.3 mi · 4 min · Bear Valley Road
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4
At the end of the road, turn right onto Shoreline Highway
628 ft · 24 sec · Shoreline Highway
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5
Turn left onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
14.9 mi · 30 min · Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
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6
Turn right onto Broadway
2117 ft · 1 min · Broadway
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7
Continue on Center Boulevard
1.6 mi · 5 min · Center Boulevard
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8
Continue on Red Hill Avenue
3133 ft · 57 sec · Red Hill Avenue
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9
Continue on Fourth Street
2658 ft · 49 sec · Fourth Street
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10
Keep slight left to continue on Fourth Street
1.1 mi · 2 min · Fourth Street
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11
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
652 ft · 17 sec · Hetherton Street
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12
Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
1389 ft · 36 sec
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13
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
1805 ft · 28 sec · Redwood Highway
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14
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13.6 mi · 17 min · John T. Knox Freeway
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15
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway
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16
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80
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17
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway
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18
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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19
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
20
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
21
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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22
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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23
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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24
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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26
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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27
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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28
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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30
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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31
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
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32
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
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33
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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34
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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35
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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36
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min
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37
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue
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38
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue
-
39
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road
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40
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
1479 ft · 21 sec
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41
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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42
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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43
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
76.5 mi · 1 hr 29 min · San Diego Freeway
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44
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
1164 ft · 28 sec
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45
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
592 ft · 15 sec
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46
Continue on Front Street
2662 ft · 2 min · Front Street
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47
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Front Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Inverness and San Diego.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi · 04h 00m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Mostly Clear leaving Inverness and Sunny near San Diego.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Inverness to San Diego?
The road trip is about 546.7 miles (879.9 km) and usually takes 09h 26m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 268 miles from Inverness and 278.7 miles from San Diego.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 490.9 miles (790 km), while the road route adds roughly 55.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $120.77 one way or $241.55 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 171.4 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Clear around Inverness and Sunny near San Diego.
Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lost Hills.
Wasco station
Kettleman City, California
Corcoran station
Bakersfield
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Inverness and San Diego. Straight-line distance: 490.9 mi (790.03 km).
#1 Inverness
Situated on the western shore of Tomales Bay in Marin County, California, this unincorporated community lies at an elevation of roughly 43 feet.
| Population | 0 |
| Coordinates | 38.1010300, -122.8569400 |
| Altitude | 13 |
| Country | United States |
#2 San Diego
The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,422,420 |
| Coordinates | 32.7157100, -117.1647200 |
| Altitude | 20 |
| Country | United States |
End: Front Street (-117.164717, 32.71571)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 880 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 18h 13m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 13h 40m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 10h 56m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 09h 06m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 48m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 49m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $6.26 | $120.77 | $241.55 |
| Mid-grade | $6.50 | $125.37 | $250.73 |
| Premium | $6.69 | $129.03 | $258.06 |
| Diesel | $8.41 | $162.29 | $324.57 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in California · Oct 15, 2026