How far is Seattle, WA from San Diego, CA?
The driving distance from Seattle, WA to San Diego, CA is about 1255.7 miles (2020.9 km), with a travel time of about 23h 52m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 1063.8 miles (1712 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 47h 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.
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 23h 52m.
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.
County seat of Tehama County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Seattle and San Diego.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seattle and San Diego.
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1
Start on the route
9 m · 8 sec
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2
Turn left onto Madison Street
62 m · 11 sec · Madison Street
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3
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
94 m · 15 sec · 4th Avenue
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4
Turn right onto Spring Street
647 ft · 26 sec · Spring Street
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5
Take the ramp right toward I 5 South: Portland
1151 ft · 28 sec
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6
Continue straight
3180 ft · 1 min
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7
Keep slight left to continue on I 90 East, I 5 South: Bellevue, Portland
45 m · 2 sec
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8
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Tacoma, Portland
589 ft · 8 sec
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9
Keep slight left to continue on Airport Way
93 m · 4 sec
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10
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Sea-Tac Airport
30.4 mi · 38 min
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11
Keep slight right
126.2 mi · 2 hr 23 min
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12
Keep slight left
431.3 mi · 8 hr 28 min
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13
Keep slight left to continue on Cascade Wonderland Highway
35.5 mi · 39 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway
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14
Continue on Westside Freeway
93 mi · 1 hr 40 min · Westside Freeway
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15
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
15.7 mi · 17 min · Westside Freeway
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16
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
78.8 mi · 1 hr 28 min · Westside Freeway
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17
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway
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18
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway
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19
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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20
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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21
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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22
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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23
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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24
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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26
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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27
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
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28
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
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29
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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30
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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31
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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32
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min
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33
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue
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34
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue
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35
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road
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36
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
1479 ft · 21 sec
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37
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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38
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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39
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
76.5 mi · 1 hr 29 min · San Diego Freeway
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40
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
1164 ft · 28 sec
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41
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
592 ft · 15 sec
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42
Continue on Front Street
2662 ft · 2 min · Front Street
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43
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Front Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Seattle and San Diego.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
I 5 South
Keep slight left
431 mi · 08h 28m
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.
Mostly Sunny leaving Seattle and Mostly Sunny near San Diego.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Seattle to San Diego?
The road trip is about 1255.7 miles (2020.9 km) and usually takes 23h 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?
Red Bluff is a useful midpoint, sitting about 628.1 miles from Seattle and 627.6 miles from San Diego.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 1063.8 miles (1712 km), while the road route adds roughly 191.9 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 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 $231.87 one way or $463.75 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 393.8 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Seattle and Mostly Sunny near San Diego.
Stop Ideas Near Red Bluff
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 Red Bluff.
Red Bluff, California
Corning, California
Redding station
Redding (RABA Transit Center), California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Seattle and San Diego. Straight-line distance: 1063.77 mi (1711.97 km).
#1 Seattle
The eighteenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the Seattle metropolitan area.
| Population | 769,714 |
| Coordinates | 47.6062100, -122.3320700 |
| Altitude | 56 |
| Country | United States |
#2 San Diego
The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,422,420 |
| Coordinates | 32.7157100, -117.1647200 |
| Altitude | 20 |
| Country | United States |
End: San Diego (-117.16472, 32.71571)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 2021 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 41h 50m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 31h 23m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 25h 06m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 20h 55m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 17h 56m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 15h 39m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.23 | $231.87 | $463.75 |
| Mid-grade | $5.57 | $246.67 | $493.35 |
| Premium | $5.77 | $255.71 | $511.43 |
| Diesel | $5.47 | $242.24 | $484.49 |
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 Washington · Aug 11, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.