How far is Palm Desert, CA from San Francisco, CA?
The driving distance from Palm Desert, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 503.6 miles (810.5 km), with a travel time of about 07h 55m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 439.4 miles (707.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 50m 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 07h 55m.
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.
Place in Kern County California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Partly Sunny
Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Palm Desert and San Francisco.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palm Desert and San Francisco.
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1
Start on San Luis Rey Avenue
132 m · 25 sec · San Luis Rey Avenue
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2
Turn right onto East Palm Canyon Drive
1.3 km · 1 min · East Palm Canyon Drive
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3
Turn right onto Monterey Avenue
6 mi · 9 min · Monterey Avenue
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4
Continue on Monterey Avenue
69 m · 11 sec · Monterey Avenue
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5
Take the ramp slight right toward I-10: WEST
2232 ft · 27 sec
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6
Merge slight left onto Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
19.3 mi · 21 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
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7
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
39.9 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
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8
Continue on San Bernardino Freeway
13.9 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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9
Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
9.3 mi · 10 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
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10
Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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11
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
1.4 km · 1 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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12
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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13
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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14
Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway
1.3 km · 55 sec · San Bernardino Freeway
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15
Take the exit slight right toward CA 57: Santa Ana
1086 ft · 27 sec
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16
Keep slight right to continue on CA 57 North
2267 ft · 55 sec
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17
Continue straight
3.4 mi · 4 min
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18
Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena
1.1 mi · 2 min
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19
Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway
18.3 mi · 21 min · Foothill Freeway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
25.6 mi · 30 min · Foothill Freeway
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21
Keep slight right
686 ft · 9 sec
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22
Merge slight right
1.6 km · 1 min
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23
Keep slight left
36.1 mi · 42 min
-
24
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway
-
26
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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27
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
28
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.6 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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30
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway
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31
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway
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32
Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco
1.5 km · 1 min
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33
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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34
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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35
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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36
Continue on Route 80
1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80
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37
Continue on Route 80
1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80
-
38
Continue on Route 80
1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80
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39
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
1919 ft · 39 sec
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40
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway
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41
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard
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42
Turn right onto Market Street
629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street
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43
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street
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44
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Market Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Palm Desert and San Francisco.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi · 04h 02m
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.
Partly Sunny leaving Palm Desert and Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Palm Desert to San Francisco?
The road trip is about 503.6 miles (810.5 km) and usually takes 07h 55m 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 250.8 miles from Palm Desert and 252.8 miles from San Francisco.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 439.4 miles (707.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 64.2 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 $102.52 one way or $205.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 157.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Palm Desert and Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.
Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow
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 Buttonwillow.
Wasco station
Bakersfield
Corcoran station
Kettleman City, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Palm Desert and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 439.37 mi (707.09 km).
#1 Palm Desert
A city in Riverside County, California.
| Population | 53,524 |
| Coordinates | 33.7225500, -116.3769700 |
| Altitude | 67 |
| Country | United States |
#2 San Francisco
The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.
| Population | 866,606 |
| Coordinates | 37.7749300, -122.4194200 |
| Altitude | 16 |
| Country | United States |
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 810 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 46m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 35m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 10h 04m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 23m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 11m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 16m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $102.52 | $205.03 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $107.79 | $215.59 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $110.94 | $221.88 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $134.47 | $268.93 |
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 · May 05, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.