How far is San Francisco, CA from La Jolla, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to La Jolla, CA is about 493.5 miles (794.2 km), with a travel time of about 09h 22m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 447.1 miles (719.6 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 18h 44m 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 09h 22m.
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 Kern County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and La Jolla.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and La Jolla.
-
1
Start on Market Street
95 m · 8 sec · Market Street
-
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street
-
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street
-
4
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland
1538 ft · 26 sec
-
5
Merge slight right onto Route 80
1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80
-
6
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
7
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.6 km · 1 min
-
8
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
-
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
-
14
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
-
15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
-
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
-
17
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
-
18
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
-
19
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
20
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
21
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
-
22
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
-
23
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
-
24
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
25
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
26
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
27
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min
-
28
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue
-
29
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue
-
30
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road
-
31
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
1479 ft · 21 sec
-
32
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
33
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
34
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
64.7 mi · 1 hr 16 min · San Diego Freeway
-
35
Take the exit slight right toward La Jolla Village Drive
1606 ft · 45 sec
-
36
Turn right onto La Jolla Village Drive
1.1 km · 1 min · La Jolla Village Drive
-
37
Turn left onto Torrey Pines Road
1.7 mi · 3 min · Torrey Pines Road
-
38
Keep slight right to continue on Torrey Pines Road
1 mi · 2 min · Torrey Pines Road
-
39
Turn right onto Prospect Place
1044 ft · 21 sec · Prospect Place
-
40
Continue on Prospect Street
1228 ft · 29 sec · Prospect Street
-
41
Turn left onto Herschel Avenue
48 m · 6 sec · Herschel Avenue
-
42
Turn right
77 m · 19 sec
-
43
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and La Jolla.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi · 04h 00m
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.
Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near La Jolla.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to La Jolla?
The road trip is about 493.5 miles (794.2 km) and usually takes 09h 22m 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 246.7 miles from San Francisco and 246.8 miles from La Jolla.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 447.1 miles (719.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.4 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 $109.00 one way or $218.01 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 154.7 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near La Jolla.
Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills
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 Lost Hills.
Wasco station
Kettleman City, California
Corcoran station
Bakersfield
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and La Jolla. Straight-line distance: 447.13 mi (719.59 km).
#1 San Francisco
The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.
| Population | 866,606 |
| Coordinates | 37.7749300, -122.4194200 |
| Altitude | 16 |
| Country | United States |
#2 La Jolla
Located along the Pacific coastline in San Diego County, this hilly community sits at a mean elevation of approximately 105 feet and features rugged ocean bluffs alongside sandy beaches.
| Population | 0 |
| Coordinates | 32.8472700, -117.2742000 |
| Altitude | 32 |
| Country | United States |
End: La Jolla (-117.2742, 32.84727)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 794 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 26m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 20m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 09h 52m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 13m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 03m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 09m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $6.26 | $109.00 | $218.01 |
| Mid-grade | $6.50 | $113.15 | $226.30 |
| Premium | $6.69 | $116.46 | $232.91 |
| Diesel | $8.41 | $146.47 | $292.94 |
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 · Oct 15, 2026