How far is San Diego, CA from Forest Meadows, CA?

The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Forest Meadows, CA is about 474.7 miles (764 km), with a travel time of about 09h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 418.6 miles (673.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 19h 01m 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
474.73 mi
09h 30m
Flight
418.54 mi
673.58 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Diego.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
418.54 mi
Kilometers
673.58 km
Flight Time
00h 50m

Driving Distance

Road route
474.73 mi
Kilometers
764 km
Drive Time
09h 30m

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 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Forest Meadows
Thu, May 14, 6:04 PM PDT
Return by in San Diego
Fri, May 15, 3:35 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Diego
2026-05-14T08:33
Arrive Forest Meadows
Thu, May 14, 6:04 PM PDT
Route Timing
09h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:31 PM to 5:01 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
4:58 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Diego
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
Oildale
CA

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

From San Diego
237.6 mi
04h 45m
To Forest Meadows
237.2 mi
04h 45m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, May 14 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph W
Destination
55°F
Overnight

Clear

Starts
Thu, May 14 2:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Diego and Forest Meadows.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Forest Meadows.

  1. 1

    Start on Front Street

    8 m · 6 sec · Front Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Broadway

    88 m · 12 sec · West Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn left onto 1st Avenue

    3072 ft · 1 min · 1st Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1017 ft · 25 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

    13.5 mi · 16 min · San Diego Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

    36.3 mi · 43 min · San Diego Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    18.1 mi · 21 min · San Diego Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · San Diego Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right

    6 mi · 7 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road

    1266 ft · 17 sec

  12. 12

    Continue straight

    527 ft · 11 sec

  13. 13

    Turn right onto Jamboree Road

    760 ft · 18 sec · Jamboree Road

  14. 14

    Turn left onto El Camino Real

    2.2 mi · 5 min · El Camino Real

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Newport Avenue

    109 m · 14 sec · Newport Avenue

  16. 16

    Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1127 ft · 17 sec

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    9.4 mi · 11 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  24. 24

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  25. 25

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    27.4 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    6 mi · 7 min · Golden State Freeway

  28. 28

    Continue on Golden State Highway

    111.4 mi · 2 hr · Golden State Highway

  29. 29

    Take the exit slight right toward Avenue 7

    2522 ft · 31 sec

  30. 30

    Merge slight left

    21.4 mi · 24 min

  31. 31

    Keep slight right to continue on Northbound California State Route 99

    22 mi · 25 min · Northbound California State Route 99

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 140 West, CA 59 North

    3271 ft · 1 min

  33. 33

    Turn right onto V Street

    998 ft · 24 sec · V Street

  34. 34

    Turn left onto West 16th Street

    1917 ft · 33 sec · West 16th Street

  35. 35

    Turn right onto Snelling Highway

    17.7 mi · 26 min · Snelling Highway

  36. 36

    Continue on La Grange Road

    118 m · 7 sec · La Grange Road

  37. 37

    Continue on Merced Falls Road

    2230 ft · 40 sec · Merced Falls Road

  38. 38

    Turn left onto La Grange Road

    26.1 mi · 39 min · La Grange Road

  39. 39

    At the end of the road, turn right

    7.3 mi · 10 min

  40. 40

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward the route

    36 m · 2 sec

  41. 41

    Exit the roundabout

    2.6 mi · 4 min

  42. 42

    Turn left onto Rawhide Road

    4 mi · 7 min · Rawhide Road

  43. 43

    Turn slight left

    30 m · 5 sec

  44. 44

    Continue straight

    9.8 mi · 16 min

  45. 45

    Turn sharp right onto Vallecito Road

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Vallecito Road

  46. 46

    At the end of the road, turn right

    11 mi · 16 min

  47. 47

    Turn right onto Cedar Vista Drive

    945 ft · 42 sec · Cedar Vista Drive

  48. 48

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Cedar Vista Drive

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Diego and Forest Meadows.

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
48 steps
17 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
3 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Golden State Highway
111 mi · 23%
Golden State Freeway
83.3 mi · 18%
San Diego Freeway
75.2 mi · 16%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 8%
Santa Ana Freeway
30.4 mi · 6%
La Grange Road
28.8 mi · 6%
Longest Stretch

Golden State Highway

Continue on Golden State Highway

111 mi · 02h 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
09h 30m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
19h 02m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+56.1 mi
418.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Oildale
04h 45m from San Diego
Leave By
4:58 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Diego and Clear near Forest Meadows.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Forest Meadows?

The road trip is about 474.7 miles (764 km) and usually takes 09h 30m 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?

Oildale is a useful midpoint, sitting about 237.6 miles from San Diego and 237.2 miles from Forest Meadows.

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

The direct path is about 418.6 miles (673.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 56.1 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 $96.63 one way or $193.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 148.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Diego and Clear near Forest Meadows.

Stop Ideas Near Oildale

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

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

RAIL

Bakersfield

5 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Wasco station

34 mi away
700 G Street
BUS

Tehachapi, California

61 mi away
Westside of Mullbery Street
BUS

Mojave, California

87 mi away
15900 Sierra Highway

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Forest Meadows. Straight-line distance: 418.54 mi (673.58 km).

San Diego

#1 San Diego

The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.

Population1,422,420
Coordinates32.7157100, -117.1647200
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Forest Meadows

#2 Forest Meadows

Census-designated place in Calaveras County, California

Population1,249
Coordinates38.1685100, -120.4065900
Altitude1028
CountryUnited States
Start: San Diego (-117.16472, 32.71571)
End: Forest Meadows (-120.40659, 38.16851)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 764 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)15h 49m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)11h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 29m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 54m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 46m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 55m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
16.75 gal
63.41 L · about $96.63
Round trip
$193.26
33.5 gal · 126.82 L
Estimated CO2
148.9 kg one way
Round trip: 297.7 kg / 656 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $96.63 $193.26
Mid-grade $6.07 $101.61 $203.21
Premium $6.24 $104.57 $209.14
Diesel $7.57 $126.75 $253.49

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 14, 2026

There is no time difference between San Diego and Forest Meadows. The current time is 08:33:06.

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.