How far is Portola, CA from San Diego, CA?
The driving distance from Portola, CA to San Diego, CA is about 605.2 miles (973.9 km), with a travel time of about 10h 35m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 523.5 miles (842.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 21h 11m 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 10h 35m.
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 Inyo County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Portola and San Diego.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Portola and San Diego.
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1
Start on the route
21 m · 7 sec
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2
Turn right onto East Sierra Avenue
2774 ft · 59 sec · East Sierra Avenue
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3
Continue on Feather River Highway
23 mi · 27 min · Feather River Highway
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4
Take the ramp slight right toward US 395 South: Reno, Carson City
1996 ft · 26 sec
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5
Merge slight left onto Route 395
7.5 mi · 9 min · Route 395
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6
Continue on Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
50.9 mi · 58 min · Martin Luther King Junior Memorial Highway
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7
Turn left onto South Carson Street
11 mi · 14 min · South Carson Street
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8
Take the exit slight right
149 m · 13 sec
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9
Turn straight onto Woodfords Road
1740 ft · 43 sec · Woodfords Road
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10
Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward County Road
44 m · 2 sec · County Road
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11
Exit the roundabout onto County Road
1.1 mi · 2 min · County Road
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12
At the end of the road, turn right
65.5 mi · 1 hr 30 min
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13
Turn left onto Emigrant Street
2635 ft · 42 sec · Emigrant Street
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14
At the end of the road, turn right onto Sinclair Street
549 ft · 14 sec · Sinclair Street
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15
Turn left onto Main Street
43.8 mi · 53 min · Main Street
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16
Continue straight
43.6 mi · 51 min
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17
Turn right onto North Barlow Lane
1 mi · 2 min · North Barlow Lane
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18
Turn left onto West Line Street
1.5 mi · 3 min · West Line Street
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19
Turn right onto South Main Street
2.4 mi · 4 min · South Main Street
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20
Continue on El Camino Sierra
5 mi · 6 min · El Camino Sierra
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21
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
7.4 mi · 9 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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22
Continue on North Main Street
1317 ft · 32 sec · North Main Street
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23
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
26.1 mi · 31 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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24
Continue on North Edwards Street
1.1 km · 2 min · North Edwards Street
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25
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
15.1 mi · 18 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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26
Continue on North Main Street
2.2 mi · 5 min · North Main Street
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27
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
56.1 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Grand Army of the Republic Highway
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28
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
7 mi · 8 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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29
Keep slight left to continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
29.7 mi · 35 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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30
Continue on Red Mountain Road
1.5 km · 2 min · Red Mountain Road
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31
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
66.7 mi · 1 hr 21 min · Blue Star Memorial Highway
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32
Take the exit straight toward I 15 South: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
1.1 km · 1 min
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33
Merge slight left onto Barstow and Mojave Freeway
3.4 mi · 4 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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34
Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
5.6 mi · 6 min · CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway
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35
Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway
6.3 mi · 7 min · Barstow and Mojave Freeway
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36
Continue on Barstow Freeway
1095 ft · 13 sec · Barstow Freeway
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37
Keep slight left to continue on Barstow Freeway
9.3 mi · 10 min · Barstow Freeway
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38
Continue on San Bernardino Freeway
5.6 mi · 6 min · San Bernardino Freeway
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39
Continue on Riverside Freeway
5.3 mi · 6 min · Riverside Freeway
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40
Take the exit slight right toward I 215 South, CA 60 East: San Diego, Indio
5.1 mi · 6 min
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41
Keep slight right to continue on I 215, CA 60 Truck
2512 ft · 33 sec
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42
Keep slight right
36.3 mi · 41 min
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43
Continue on Avocado Highway
21.9 mi · 24 min · Avocado Highway
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44
Continue on Escondido Freeway
3.4 mi · 4 min · Escondido Freeway
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45
Keep slight right to continue on Escondido Freeway
8.7 mi · 10 min · Escondido Freeway
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46
Continue on Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
4.5 mi · 5 min · Tony Gwynn Memorial Freeway
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47
Continue on Escondido Freeway
3.1 mi · 4 min · Escondido Freeway
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48
Continue on Semper Fi Highway
2.2 mi · 3 min · Semper Fi Highway
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49
Take the exit slight right toward CA 163 South
1.2 km · 52 sec
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50
Continue on Cabrillo Freeway
8.2 mi · 9 min · Cabrillo Freeway
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51
Continue on Cabrillo Parkway
1.5 mi · 2 min · Cabrillo Parkway
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52
Continue on Cabrillo Parkway
1.3 km · 1 min · Cabrillo Parkway
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53
Continue on 10th Avenue
1507 ft · 42 sec · 10th Avenue
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54
Turn right onto Broadway
2811 ft · 1 min · Broadway
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55
Turn left onto Front Street
8 m · 1 sec · Front Street
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56
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Front Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Portola and San Diego.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Blue Star Memorial Highway
Continue on Blue Star Memorial Highway
66.7 mi · 01h 21m
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 then Slight Chance Rain Showers leaving Portola and Mostly Sunny near San Diego.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Portola to San Diego?
The road trip is about 605.2 miles (973.9 km) and usually takes 10h 35m 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?
Lone Pine is a useful midpoint, sitting about 302.5 miles from Portola and 302.6 miles from San Diego.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 523.5 miles (842.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 81.7 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 $123.17 one way or $246.34 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 189.7 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Rain Showers around Portola and Mostly Sunny near San Diego.
Stop Ideas Near Lone Pine
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 Lone Pine.
Visalia, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Portola and San Diego. Straight-line distance: 523.52 mi (842.52 km).
#1 Portola
City in Plumas County, California, United States
| Population | 1,913 |
| Coordinates | 39.8104600, -120.4691000 |
| Altitude | 1480 |
| 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: 974 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 20h 09m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 15h 07m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 12h 06m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 10h 05m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 08h 38m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 07h 32m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $123.17 | $246.34 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $129.51 | $259.02 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $133.29 | $266.58 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $161.56 | $323.11 |
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 19, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.