USA West · road trip
Los Angeles to San Francisco by car
≈ 615 km / 382 mi · ~6 h driving · 5 stops
Los Angeles to San Francisco is ≈ 615 km (382 miles), about 6 hours of driving direct. With the stops below it makes a relaxed 4-day road trip.
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Six hours up the I-5, or a two-day cinematic crawl up Highway 1 past Big Sur — the same two cities, two completely different drives.
Where to stop between Los Angeles and San Francisco
- 1
Los Angeles
Leave the city on US-101 — the Pacific opens up the moment you clear Malibu.
- 2
Santa Barbara
Red-tiled 'American Riviera' — a whitewashed mission and a wharf, the gentle start of the PCH.
- 3
Big Sur
The headline act: redwoods meeting the Pacific, Bixby Bridge, and the McWay waterfall onto the beach.
- 4
Monterey
Cannery Row, a world-class aquarium, and the 17-Mile Drive around Pebble Beach.
- 5
San Francisco
The Golden Gate, cable cars and fog rolling over the hills — the drive's grand finale.
Good to know
The I-5 is the fast inland route; Highway 1 (the PCH) is the reason to make this a road trip — slower, cliff-hugging, and occasionally closed by slides, so check conditions before Big Sur.
Los Angeles to San Francisco — FAQ
- How far is San Francisco from Los Angeles?
- Los Angeles to San Francisco is about 615 km (382 miles) by road.
- How long does it take to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
- Roughly 6 hours of driving direct, before any stops.
- What are the best stops between Los Angeles and San Francisco?
- Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Monterey — all easy to add on the way. Open the drive on the map to see them.
- Is Los Angeles to San Francisco a good road trip?
- Yes — with the stops above it makes a 4-day trip. Stopful maps the whole route, drive times and where to stay.
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