How far is San Diego, CA from Lake Wildwood, CA?

The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Lake Wildwood, CA is about 570.7 miles (918.4 km), with a travel time of about 10h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 503.6 miles (810.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 21h 45m 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
570.68 mi
10h 52m
Flight
503.53 mi
810.35 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
503.53 mi
Kilometers
810.35 km
Flight Time
01h 00m

Driving Distance

Road route
570.68 mi
Kilometers
918.42 km
Drive Time
10h 52m

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 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Lake Wildwood
Sat, Apr 18, 11:55 AM PDT
Return by in San Diego
Sat, Apr 18, 10:47 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Diego
2026-04-18T01:02
Arrive Lake Wildwood
Sat, Apr 18, 11:55 AM PDT
Route Timing
10h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
4:53 PM to 6:23 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
2:14 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
Kettleman City
CA

Census-designated place in Kings County, California

From San Diego
285.5 mi
05h 26m
To Lake Wildwood
285.1 mi
05h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph NE
Destination
69°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Diego and Lake Wildwood.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Lake Wildwood.

  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 right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    25.5 mi · 28 min · Westside Freeway

  28. 28

    Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway

    46 mi · 51 min · Westside Freeway

  29. 29

    Take the exit slight right toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe

    975 ft · 13 sec

  30. 30

    Keep slight right to continue on US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway

    809 ft · 13 sec

  31. 31

    Keep slight left to continue on US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe

    1.1 km · 1 min

  32. 32

    Merge slight left onto Capital City Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Capital City Freeway

  33. 33

    Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway

    9.4 mi · 10 min · Capital City Freeway

  34. 34

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    7 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  35. 35

    Continue on Alan S. Hart Freeway

    16.9 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway

  36. 36

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 49 North: Grass Valley, Placerville

    943 ft · 31 sec

  37. 37

    Turn left onto Grass Valley Highway

    5.8 mi · 9 min · Grass Valley Highway

  38. 38

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway

    36 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway

  39. 39

    Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Grass Valley Highway

  40. 40

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway

    36 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway

  41. 41

    Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Grass Valley Highway

  42. 42

    Continue on State Highway 49

    14.2 mi · 19 min · State Highway 49

  43. 43

    Take the exit slight right

    993 ft · 22 sec

  44. 44

    Turn left onto Eric Rood Memorial Expressway

    7.6 mi · 9 min · Eric Rood Memorial Expressway

  45. 45

    Turn right onto Pleasant Valley Road

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Pleasant Valley Road

  46. 46

    Turn right onto Lake Wildwood Drive

    88 m · 17 sec · Lake Wildwood Drive

  47. 47

    Turn left onto Lake Forest Drive

    1724 ft · 1 min · Lake Forest Drive

  48. 48

    Turn right onto Chaparral Drive

    2800 ft · 2 min · Chaparral Drive

  49. 49

    Turn right onto Swallow Way

    1344 ft · 60 sec · Swallow Way

  50. 50

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Hummingbird Drive

    974 ft · 47 sec · Hummingbird Drive

  51. 51

    Turn left onto Waxwing Court

    640 ft · 28 sec · Waxwing Court

  52. 52

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Waxwing Court

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Diego and Lake Wildwood.

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
52 steps
18 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
13
3 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
297 mi · 52%
San Diego Freeway
75.2 mi · 13%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 9%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 7%
Santa Ana Freeway
30.4 mi · 5%
Alan S. Hart Freeway
16.9 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

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.

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
10h 52m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
21h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+67.1 mi
503.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
05h 26m from San Diego
Leave By
2:14 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Diego and Sunny near Lake Wildwood.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Lake Wildwood?

The road trip is about 570.7 miles (918.4 km) and usually takes 10h 52m 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?

Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 285.5 miles from San Diego and 285.1 miles from Lake Wildwood.

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

The direct path is about 503.6 miles (810.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 67.1 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 $116.19 one way or $232.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 179 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Diego and Sunny near Lake Wildwood.

Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City

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

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

BUS

Kettleman City, California

3 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore, California

34 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Corcoran station

38 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

41 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Lake Wildwood. Straight-line distance: 503.53 mi (810.35 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
Lake Wildwood

#2 Lake Wildwood

Census-designated place in Nevada County, California

Population4,991
Coordinates39.2329500, -121.2005100
Altitude466
CountryUnited States
Start: San Diego (-117.16472, 32.71571)
End: Lake Wildwood (-121.20051, 39.23295)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 918 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)19h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)14h 16m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)11h 24m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)09h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)08h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)07h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
20.14 gal
76.23 L · about $116.19
Round trip
$232.38
40.28 gal · 152.46 L
Estimated CO2
179 kg one way
Round trip: 358 kg / 789 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $116.19 $232.38
Mid-grade $6.07 $122.17 $244.34
Premium $6.24 $125.73 $251.47
Diesel $7.57 $152.40 $304.80

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between San Diego and Lake Wildwood. The current time is 01:02:31.

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.