How far is San Jose, CA from Summerland, CA?

The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Summerland, CA is about 285.1 miles (458.8 km), with a travel time of about 05h 40m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 239.2 miles (384.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 11h 21m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PST.
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
285.11 mi
05h 40m
Flight
239.15 mi
384.88 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Jose.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
239.15 mi
Kilometers
384.88 km
Flight Time
00h 28m

Driving Distance

Road route
285.11 mi
Kilometers
458.84 km
Drive Time
05h 40m

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 05h 40m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Summerland
Wed, Nov 11, 6:54 AM PST
Return by in San Jose
Wed, Nov 11, 12:35 PM PST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Jose
2026-11-11T01:13
Arrive Summerland
Wed, Nov 11, 6:54 AM PST
Route Timing
05h 40m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PST
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:41 AM to 1:41 PM PST

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
5:38 AM PST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Jose
9:00 PM PST
Early departure recommended

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
Lake Nacimiento
CA

Census designated place

From San Jose
142.2 mi
02h 50m
To Summerland
142.9 mi
02h 50m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Veterans Day

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 6:00 AM PST
Wind
3 mph ENE
Destination
Summerland Weather
CA
Live fallback forecast
80°F
Veterans Day
Using Toro Canyon as the closest live forecast in the Santa Barbara County weather hub.

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Nov 11 6:00 AM PST
Wind
5 mph N

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Jose and Summerland.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Summerland.

  1. 1

    Start on North Market Street

    33 m · 6 sec · North Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Devine Street

    84 m · 18 sec · Devine Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North San Pedro Street

    93 m · 18 sec · North San Pedro Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West Saint James Street

    602 ft · 16 sec · West Saint James Street

  5. 5

    Continue on West Julian Street

    109 m · 7 sec · West Julian Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward CA 87 South

    1213 ft · 32 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Guadalupe Freeway

  8. 8

    Continue on Guadalupe Parkway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Guadalupe Parkway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Santa Teresa Boulevard

    2182 ft · 31 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Santa Teresa Boulevard

    673 ft · 23 sec · Santa Teresa Boulevard

  11. 11

    Turn left onto CA 85 South

    1533 ft · 41 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    4.7 mi · 5 min

  13. 13

    Continue on US 101 South

    1922 ft · 27 sec

  14. 14

    Continue straight

    36.6 mi · 42 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right

    1.2 km · 50 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto El Camino Real

    135.9 mi · 2 hr 37 min · El Camino Real

  17. 17

    Continue on Cabrillo Highway

    11.8 mi · 14 min · Cabrillo Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on El Camino Real

    44.8 mi · 52 min · El Camino Real

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 154: Los Olivos, Lake Cachuma

    1266 ft · 39 sec

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Chumash Highway

    6.4 mi · 10 min · Chumash Highway

  21. 21

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Chumash Highway

    39 m · 2 sec · Chumash Highway

  22. 22

    Exit the roundabout onto Chumash Highway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Chumash Highway

  23. 23

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Chumash Highway

    35 m · 2 sec · Chumash Highway

  24. 24

    Exit the roundabout onto Chumash Highway

    23.9 mi · 33 min · Chumash Highway

  25. 25

    Take the ramp slight left toward US 101 South

    1206 ft · 32 sec

  26. 26

    Merge slight left onto El Camino Real

    9.6 mi · 11 min · El Camino Real

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward Summerland

    1180 ft · 36 sec

  28. 28

    Turn left onto Evans Avenue

    85 m · 11 sec · Evans Avenue

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Ortega Hill Road

    114 m · 13 sec · Ortega Hill Road

  30. 30

    Continue on Lillie Avenue

    978 ft · 41 sec · Lillie Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Valencia Road

    99 m · 18 sec · Valencia Road

  32. 32

    Turn right onto Banner Avenue

    34 m · 5 sec · Banner Avenue

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Banner Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Jose and Summerland.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
33 steps
13 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
14
4 merges, 10 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
11.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
El Camino Real
191 mi · 67%
US 101 South
37.9 mi · 13%
Chumash Highway
32.6 mi · 11%
Cabrillo Highway
11.8 mi · 4%
CA 85 South
4.99 mi · 2%
Guadalupe Parkway
4.09 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

El Camino Real

Merge slight left onto El Camino Real

136 mi · 02h 37m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 40m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
11h 22m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+45.9 mi
239.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lake Nacimiento
02h 50m from San Jose
Leave By
5:38 AM PST
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Jose and Sunny near Summerland.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Summerland?

The road trip is about 285.1 miles (458.8 km) and usually takes 05h 40m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lake Nacimiento is a useful midpoint, sitting about 142.2 miles from San Jose and 142.9 miles from Summerland.

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

The direct path is about 239.2 miles (384.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 45.9 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 8:00 AM PST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 5:38 AM PST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $57.78 one way or $115.57 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 89.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Jose and Sunny near Summerland.

Stop Ideas Near Lake Nacimiento

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Lake Nacimiento and the surrounding midpoint area.
Stop photo coming soon
Scenic stop 14.1 mi away

City Hall Parking Lot

Paso Robles , CA
Paso Robles, CA 93446, United States
Parking lot
Stop photo coming soon
Practical stop 14.3 mi away

Paso Robles Water & Sewer

Paso Robles , CA
821 Pine St #A, Paso Robles, CA 93446, United States
Rating 4.7/5 3 reviews Sewage disposal service,Water utility company
Stop photo coming soon
Meeting point 14.1 mi away

Paso Robles City Clerk

Paso Robles , CA
1000 Spring St, Paso Robles, CA 93446, United States
Rating 5.0/5 6 reviews City government office
Stop photo coming soon
Nearby stop 13.4 mi away

San Luis Obispo County Fire Station #34

Bradley , CA
2300 Ridge Rider Rd, Bradley, CA 93426, United States
Fire station

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Lake Nacimiento.

RAIL

Paso Robles station

21 mi away
800 Pine Street
BUS

Atascadero, California

33 mi away
6910 El Camino Real
BUS

San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly), California

53 mi away
Grand Avenue & Deer Road
RAIL

San Luis Obispo

54 mi away
1011 Railroad Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Summerland. Straight-line distance: 239.15 mi (384.88 km).

San Jose

#1 San Jose

The tenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Jose metropolitan area.

Population1,013,616
Coordinates37.3393900, -121.8949600
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Summerland

Situated on coastal hills sloping toward the Pacific Ocean in Santa Barbara County, this community lies at an elevation of 121 feet.

Population0
Coordinates34.4213800, -119.5965200
Altitude37
CountryUnited States
Start: San Jose (-121.89496, 37.33939)
End: Summerland (-119.59652, 34.42138)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 459 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 42m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 04m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 33m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.06 gal
38.08 L · about $57.78
Round trip
$115.57
20.12 gal · 76.16 L
Estimated CO2
89.4 kg one way
Round trip: 178.8 kg / 394 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.74 $57.78 $115.57
Mid-grade $5.97 $60.04 $120.08
Premium $6.17 $62.06 $124.12
Diesel $8.15 $81.94 $163.88

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 · Nov 10, 2026

There is no time difference between San Jose and Summerland. The current time is 01:13:37.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.