Road Trip From San Francisco To Portland, Oregon
The long drive from San Francisco to Portland, Oregon can take you along the Pacific Highway, through ancient forests and along the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains - all amazing choices meaning you can take different routes on the way and when you come back.
The 635-mile road trip from San Francisco to Portland will take 10 hours to drive before taking stops into account. Longer routes along the Pacific Coast Highway or the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades are 900 and 820 miles long taking 17 to 18 hours.
Keep reading to learn all about the best routes, places to stop and things to see along the way.
How far is it from San Francisco to Portland and how long will the road trip take?
| Route | Distance | Driving Time |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Route (via I-5) | 635 miles | 10 hours |
| Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1 and US-101) | 820 miles | 18 hours |
| Mountain Route (Sierra Nevada & Cascades) | 900 miles | 17 hours |
The direct route from San Francisco to Portland is approximately 635 miles and will take around ten hours to drive before accounting for rest, gas or overnight stops.
Given the distance involved, you probably don't want to spend an entire day sat in a car so even if you're picking the fastest route, allow at least 3 days to explore some of the National Parks and sights along the way.
If you have time on your hands, driving from San Francisco to Portland through the mountains will take 17 hours and following the Pacific Coast Highway will take a whopping 18 hours on the road.
Both have endless amazing places to stop and explore so you'd really want to allocate a minimum of 5 days if you're taking one of the longer routes.
Best road trip route from San Francisco to Portland
Although Google and your GPS will try to convince you otherwise, there are a few amazing alternative routes for driving from San Francisco to Portland.
Whether you want to hug the jagged coastline, spend time hiking in the forests among giant sequoias or explore the fresh mountain air of the Sierra Nevada, there is a route for you.
If you're not doing a one-way drive, you may want to take different routes on the way up from San Francisco to Portland and a different one coming back to make the most of the amazing nature and sights along the way.