How far is San Francisco, CA from La Quinta, CA?
The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to La Quinta, CA is about 375.9 miles (605 km), with a travel time of about 07h 40m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 318.2 miles (512.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 21m 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 07h 40m.
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.
Small city in Fresno County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Chance Light Rain
Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and La Quinta.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and La Quinta.
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1
Start on Market Street
95 m · 8 sec · Market Street
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2
Turn right onto 11th Street
3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street
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3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street
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4
Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland
1538 ft · 26 sec
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5
Merge slight right onto Route 80
1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80
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6
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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7
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.6 km · 1 min
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8
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
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9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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14
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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15
Keep slight right to continue on CA 14: Truck Route I 5
3199 ft · 39 sec
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16
Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Highway
1631 ft · 40 sec
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17
Turn right onto Sierra Highway
109 m · 11 sec · Sierra Highway
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18
At the end of the road, turn left onto San Fernando Road
1.1 mi · 2 min · San Fernando Road
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19
Turn right onto Balboa Road
944 ft · 35 sec · Balboa Road
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20
Turn straight onto Balboa Boulevard
2.8 mi · 5 min · Balboa Boulevard
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21
Take the ramp right toward CA 118 West
1880 ft · 48 sec
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22
Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Freeway
1.8 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Freeway
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23
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Ronald Reagan Freeway
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24
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Freeway
1.9 mi · 2 min · Ronald Reagan Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Freeway
5.3 mi · 6 min · Ronald Reagan Freeway
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26
Take the exit slight right toward Yosemite Avenue
1649 ft · 44 sec
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27
Turn right onto Yosemite Avenue
1.2 mi · 3 min · Yosemite Avenue
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28
Turn right onto Evening Sky Drive
2689 ft · 2 min · Evening Sky Drive
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29
Turn left onto Las Llajas Canyon Trail
128 m · 32 sec · Las Llajas Canyon Trail
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30
Continue on Las Llajas Canyon Trail
4.2 mi · 41 min · Las Llajas Canyon Trail
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31
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Las Llajas Canyon Trail
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and La Quinta.
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.
Chance Light Rain leaving San Francisco and Sunny near La Quinta.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to La Quinta?
The road trip is about 375.9 miles (605 km) and usually takes 07h 40m 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?
Huron is a useful midpoint, sitting about 188 miles from San Francisco and 187.9 miles from La Quinta.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 318.2 miles (512.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 57.7 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 $76.50 one way or $152.99 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 117.8 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around San Francisco and Sunny near La Quinta.
Stop Ideas Near Huron
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 Huron.
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Hanford station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and La Quinta. Straight-line distance: 318.19 mi (512.08 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 Quinta
Town in Riverside County, California, United States
| Population | 42,271 |
| Coordinates | 34.3277800, -118.6406400 |
| Altitude | 594 |
| Country | United States |
End: La Quinta (-118.64064, 34.32778)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 605 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 12h 31m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 23m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 31m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 15m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 22m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 41m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $76.50 | $152.99 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $80.44 | $160.87 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $82.78 | $165.56 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $100.34 | $200.68 |
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
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.