How far is Riverside, CA from Capitola, CA?

The driving distance from Riverside, CA to Capitola, CA is about 390.2 miles (627.9 km), with a travel time of about 07h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 330.6 miles (532.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 04m 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
390.18 mi
07h 32m
Flight
330.63 mi
532.09 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Riverside.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
330.63 mi
Kilometers
532.09 km
Flight Time
00h 39m

Driving Distance

Road route
390.18 mi
Kilometers
627.94 km
Drive Time
07h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Capitola
Thu, Apr 16, 4:08 PM PDT
Return by in Riverside
Thu, Apr 16, 11:40 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Riverside
2026-04-16T08:36
Arrive Capitola
Thu, Apr 16, 4:08 PM PDT
Route Timing
07h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:32 PM to 3:02 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
8:56 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Riverside
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
Lost Hills
CA

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

From Riverside
195.1 mi
03h 46m
To Capitola
195.1 mi
03h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Thursday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 15 mph NW
Destination
68°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 16 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Riverside and Capitola.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Riverside and Capitola.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    55 m · 14 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right

    29 m · 7 sec

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Magnolia Avenue

    70 m · 15 sec · Magnolia Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    3.5 mi · 6 min · Central Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Van Buren Boulevard

    6.1 mi · 8 min · Van Buren Boulevard

  6. 6

    Continue on Mission Boulevard

    1434 ft · 24 sec · Mission Boulevard

  7. 7

    Take the ramp slight left toward CA 60 West

    1617 ft · 41 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway

    12.1 mi · 14 min · Pomona Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 71 South, CA 71 North: Corona, Pomona

    1213 ft · 30 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 71 North: Pomona

    2510 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    811 ft · 20 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left onto Chino Valley Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Chino Valley Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 57 North

    1.2 km · 2 min

  14. 14

    Continue straight

    3.4 mi · 4 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on I 210 West: Pasadena

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Foothill Freeway

    18.3 mi · 21 min · Foothill Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    25.6 mi · 30 min · Foothill Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right

    686 ft · 9 sec

  19. 19

    Merge slight right

    1.6 km · 1 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  21. 21

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    182.5 mi · 3 hr 16 min · Westside Freeway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose

    1038 ft · 27 sec

  24. 24

    Continue straight

    28.7 mi · 33 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight right

    7.4 mi · 10 min

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Bloomfield Avenue

    3.2 mi · 5 min · Bloomfield Avenue

  27. 27

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Bloomfield Avenue

    1.4 km · 1 min · Bloomfield Avenue

  28. 28

    Take the ramp left

    1205 ft · 16 sec

  29. 29

    Merge slight left onto South Valley Freeway

    2.9 mi · 3 min · South Valley Freeway

  30. 30

    Continue on El Camino Real

    2.3 mi · 3 min · El Camino Real

  31. 31

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 129 West: Watsonville, Santa Cruz

    1435 ft · 19 sec

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Chittenden Road

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Chittenden Road

  33. 33

    Continue on Riverside Road

    8.6 mi · 12 min · Riverside Road

  34. 34

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Riverside Road

    44 m · 2 sec · Riverside Road

  35. 35

    Exit the roundabout onto Riverside Road

    1.4 km · 1 min · Riverside Road

  36. 36

    Turn right onto Blackburn Street

    2243 ft · 1 min · Blackburn Street

  37. 37

    At the end of the road, turn left onto East Lake Avenue

    2844 ft · 55 sec · East Lake Avenue

  38. 38

    Turn right onto Main Street

    1560 ft · 30 sec · Main Street

  39. 39

    Turn left onto Main Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Main Street

  40. 40

    Take the ramp straight

    1260 ft · 31 sec

  41. 41

    Merge slight left onto Cabrillo Highway

    9.2 mi · 11 min · Cabrillo Highway

  42. 42

    Take the exit slight right toward Park Avenue

    1027 ft · 32 sec

  43. 43

    Turn left onto Park Avenue

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Park Avenue

  44. 44

    Turn left onto Monterey Avenue

    1035 ft · 23 sec · Monterey Avenue

  45. 45

    Turn right onto Capitola Avenue

    1326 ft · 41 sec · Capitola Avenue

  46. 46

    Turn right onto Riverview Drive

    21 m · 5 sec · Riverview Drive

  47. 47

    Keep slight left to continue on Riverview Drive

    58 m · 15 sec · Riverview Drive

  48. 48

    Continue on Riverview Drive

    24 m · 5 sec · Riverview Drive

  49. 49

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Riverview Drive

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Riverside and Capitola.

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
49 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
15
6 merges, 9 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
183 mi · 47%
Foothill Freeway
81.2 mi · 21%
CA 152 West
36.3 mi · 9%
Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 6%
Pomona Freeway
12.1 mi · 3%
Riverside Road
9.52 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

183 mi · 03h 16m

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
07h 32m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+59.6 mi
330.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lost Hills
03h 46m from Riverside
Leave By
8:56 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny leaving Riverside and Sunny near Capitola.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Riverside to Capitola?

The road trip is about 390.2 miles (627.9 km) and usually takes 07h 32m 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 195.1 miles from Riverside and 195.1 miles from Capitola.

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

The direct path is about 330.6 miles (532.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 59.6 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 $79.44 one way or $158.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 122.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny around Riverside and Sunny near Capitola.

Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lost Hills, 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 Lost Hills.

RAIL

Wasco station

33 mi away
700 G Street
BUS

Kettleman City, California

47 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
RAIL

Corcoran station

55 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
RAIL

Bakersfield

67 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Riverside and Capitola. Straight-line distance: 330.63 mi (532.09 km).

Riverside

#1 Riverside

The most populous city in Riverside County, California and the center of the Riverside metropolitan area.

Population330,786
Coordinates33.9533500, -117.3961600
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Capitola

#2 Capitola

City in California

Population9,959
Coordinates36.9752300, -121.9532900
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Start: Riverside (-117.39616, 33.95335)
End: Capitola (-121.95329, 36.97523)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 628 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 45m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 34m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 52m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.77 gal
52.12 L · about $79.44
Round trip
$158.88
27.54 gal · 104.24 L
Estimated CO2
122.4 kg one way
Round trip: 244.7 kg / 539 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $79.44 $158.88
Mid-grade $6.07 $83.53 $167.06
Premium $6.24 $85.97 $171.93
Diesel $7.57 $104.20 $208.40

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Riverside and Capitola. The current time is 08:36:17.

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.