How far is San Diego, CA from Riverdale, CA?

The driving distance from San Diego, CA to Riverdale, CA is about 330.3 miles (531.6 km), with a travel time of about 06h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 298.9 miles (481.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 53m 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
330.31 mi
06h 26m
Flight
298.97 mi
481.14 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
298.97 mi
Kilometers
481.14 km
Flight Time
00h 36m

Driving Distance

Road route
330.31 mi
Kilometers
531.58 km
Drive Time
06h 26m

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 06h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Riverdale
Sun, Apr 19, 1:10 PM PDT
Return by in San Diego
Sun, Apr 19, 7:36 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Diego
2026-04-19T06:43
Arrive Riverdale
Sun, Apr 19, 1:10 PM PDT
Route Timing
06h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:27 PM to 1:57 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
11:06 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

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Val Verde
CA

Census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California

From San Diego
165.3 mi
03h 13m
To Riverdale
165 mi
03h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph NW
Destination
82°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Diego and Riverdale.

  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

    88.4 mi · 1 hr 35 min · Westside Freeway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 41: Kettleman City, Fresno

    1978 ft · 48 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight right

    97 m · 9 sec

  29. 29

    Merge slight left

    33.6 mi · 44 min

  30. 30

    Turn left onto West Mount Whitney Avenue

    3.3 mi · 6 min · West Mount Whitney Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn right onto South Valentine Avenue

    27 m · 4 sec · South Valentine Avenue

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Valentine Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
32 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
3 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
88.4 mi · 27%
San Diego Freeway
75.2 mi · 23%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 15%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 11%
CA 41
34 mi · 10%
Santa Ana Freeway
30.4 mi · 9%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

88.4 mi · 01h 35m

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
06h 26m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.4 mi
298.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Val Verde
03h 13m from San Diego
Leave By
11:06 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Diego and Mostly Sunny near Riverdale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Diego to Riverdale?

The road trip is about 330.3 miles (531.6 km) and usually takes 06h 26m 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?

Val Verde is a useful midpoint, sitting about 165.3 miles from San Diego and 165 miles from Riverdale.

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

The direct path is about 298.9 miles (481.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.4 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 $67.27 one way or $134.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 103.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Val Verde

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

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

RAIL

Santa Clarita-Newhall, California

14 mi away
24300 Railroad Avenue
RAIL

Simi Valley

20 mi away
5050 Los Angeles Avenue
RAIL

Chatsworth station

22 mi away
10040 Old Depot Plaza Road
BUS

Fillmore, California

24 mi away
718 West Ventura St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Diego and Riverdale. Straight-line distance: 298.97 mi (481.14 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
Riverdale

#2 Riverdale

Census-designated place (CDP) in Fresno County, California, United States

Population3,153
Coordinates36.4310600, -119.8595800
Altitude68
CountryUnited States
Start: San Diego (-117.16472, 32.71571)
End: Riverdale (-119.85958, 36.43106)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 532 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 00m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 36m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 30m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 43m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.66 gal
44.12 L · about $67.27
Round trip
$134.53
23.32 gal · 88.24 L
Estimated CO2
103.6 kg one way
Round trip: 207.2 kg / 457 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $67.27 $134.53
Mid-grade $6.07 $70.73 $141.46
Premium $6.24 $72.79 $145.59
Diesel $7.57 $88.23 $176.46

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

There is no time difference between San Diego and Riverdale. The current time is 06:43:36.

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.