How far is Mill Valley, CA from Chula Vista, CA?

The driving distance from Mill Valley, CA to Chula Vista, CA is about 530.2 miles (853.3 km), with a travel time of about 08h 45m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 476.5 miles (766.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 31m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
530.24 mi
08h 45m
Flight
476.52 mi
766.89 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Mill Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
476.52 mi
Kilometers
766.89 km
Flight Time
00h 57m

Driving Distance

Road route
530.24 mi
Kilometers
853.34 km
Drive Time
08h 45m

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 08h 45m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chula Vista
Thu, Apr 23, 6:11 AM PDT
Return by in Mill Valley
Thu, Apr 23, 2:56 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Mill Valley
2026-04-22T21:25
Arrive Chula Vista
Thu, Apr 23, 6:11 AM PDT
Route Timing
08h 45m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:46 PM to 4:16 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
6:28 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Mill Valley
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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.

Mid-route stop
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Mill Valley
261.5 mi
04h 22m
To Chula Vista
268.7 mi
04h 22m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph WSW
Destination
64°F
Wednesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Mill Valley and Chula Vista.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Mill Valley and Chula Vista.

  1. 1

    Start on Sunnyside Avenue

    76 m · 10 sec · Sunnyside Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Hill Street

    90 m · 11 sec · Hill Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East Blithedale Avenue

    1.8 mi · 5 min · East Blithedale Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 101 North: Eureka

    1197 ft · 20 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway

    2.6 mi · 4 min · Redwood Highway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward San Anselmo, Richmond Bridge

    845 ft · 21 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Richmond Bridge

    724 ft · 18 sec

  8. 8

    Turn slight right onto Richmond Bridge

    82 m · 6 sec

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Sir Francis Drake Boulevard East

  10. 10

    Take the ramp straight toward I 580 East

    1740 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto John T. Knox Freeway

    11.6 mi · 14 min · John T. Knox Freeway

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway

    3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80

    1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  25. 25

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana

    1.3 km · 57 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight left

    788 ft · 10 sec

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South

    981 ft · 13 sec

  30. 30

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  31. 31

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  32. 32

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  33. 33

    Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min

  34. 34

    Turn right onto Newport Avenue

    1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue

  35. 35

    Turn left onto Walnut Avenue

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue

  36. 36

    Turn left onto Jamboree Road

    2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road

  37. 37

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South

    1479 ft · 21 sec

  38. 38

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  39. 39

    Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  40. 40

    Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway

    62.4 mi · 1 hr 13 min · San Diego Freeway

  41. 41

    Take the exit slight left

    1.3 km · 55 sec

  42. 42

    Continue on Jacob Dekema Freeway

    18.6 mi · 21 min · Jacob Dekema Freeway

  43. 43

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 54 East, CA 54 West

    1234 ft · 30 sec

  44. 44

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 54 West

    1631 ft · 40 sec

  45. 45

    Merge slight left onto South Bay Freeway

    2230 ft · 27 sec · South Bay Freeway

  46. 46

    Take the exit slight right toward Highland Avenue, 4th Avenue

    1451 ft · 44 sec

  47. 47

    Turn left onto Highland Avenue

    1711 ft · 31 sec · Highland Avenue

  48. 48

    Continue on 4th Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · 4th Avenue

  49. 49

    Turn right onto F Street

    98 m · 34 sec · F Street

  50. 50

    Continue on F Street

    83 m · 5 sec · F Street

  51. 51

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · F Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Mill Valley and Chula Vista.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
51 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
19
10 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
283 mi · 53%
San Diego Freeway
63.2 mi · 12%
Santa Ana Freeway
35 mi · 7%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 6%
I 405 South
25 mi · 5%
Jacob Dekema Freeway
18.6 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

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.

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
08h 45m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+53.7 mi
476.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 22m from Mill Valley
Leave By
6:28 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Light Rain leaving Mill Valley and Partly Sunny near Chula Vista.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Mill Valley to Chula Vista?

The road trip is about 530.2 miles (853.3 km) and usually takes 08h 45m 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?

Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 261.5 miles from Mill Valley and 268.7 miles from Chula Vista.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 476.5 miles (766.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 53.7 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 $107.94 one way or $215.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 166.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around Mill Valley and Partly Sunny near Chula Vista.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Buttonwillow, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buttonwillow.

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Mill Valley and Chula Vista. Straight-line distance: 476.52 mi (766.89 km).

Mill Valley

#1 Mill Valley

City in Marin County, California, United States

Population14,323
Coordinates37.9060400, -122.5449800
Altitude24
CountryUnited States
Chula Vista

#2 Chula Vista

The second most populous city in San Diego County, California.

Population272,979
Coordinates32.6400500, -117.0842000
Altitude21
CountryUnited States
Start: Sunnyside Avenue (-122.544979, 37.906102)
End: F Street (-117.084196, 32.640039)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 853 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 40m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)13h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 50m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 36m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
18.71 gal
70.83 L · about $107.94
Round trip
$215.88
37.42 gal · 141.66 L
Estimated CO2
166.3 kg one way
Round trip: 332.6 kg / 733 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $107.94 $215.88
Mid-grade $6.07 $113.49 $226.99
Premium $6.24 $116.81 $233.61
Diesel $7.57 $141.58 $283.16

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Mill Valley and Chula Vista. The current time is 21:25:52.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.