Your thoughts - Driving from Downtown San Francisco to Fresno
 

This will be on a Tuesday in October.
I will be able to leave downtown San Francisco around 730pm.
3 routes are suggested by Google:
1. 580E to 99S
2. 580E to 5S to 152E to 99S
3. 101S to 152E to 99S
They all claim to have approx the same drive time of 3.5 hours.

I really dread this long drive after dark.
Can anyone offer up any suggestions or guidance on this trip... other than cancelling or taking a plane :)
Thanks so much!

When I have to drive to Fresno (ugh!!) from SF, I take alternative number 2, out of habit I think and because I have found 99S to be slower during the day. At night you may not want to take 5, lots of trucks hauling butt to LA, and it will be very dark, not much lighting on the road.

I would also do option 2. Freeway/4 lane all the way to Fresno. I don't mind I-5 at all, and detest 99, so the less time to spend on it the better.

This is so helpful! Thank you both for your comments!

I'm answering in case future visitors wonder about this drive.

There's another route they didn't mention... take the 280 out of SF. It's a beautiful and scenic drive, with foothills and greenery along the west side of 280, especially surprising considering you're in the midst of city life. (Of course this is pointless if you leave after dark.) The 280 then meets up with 101 just south of San Jose, then take that to 152 to 99. The stretch of 152 west of I-5 is also quite nice - lots of foothills, trees, birds, and empty spaces.

This way you can avoid I-5, which, contrary to others, I find to be the most mind-numbing stretch of road in the USA, other than I-80 in Nebraska.

Leaving from downtown SF, i would do option 2 also...I had to do weekly trip from SF to Fresno for many months...tried All routes..280 as noted is beautiful but better appreciated during day..
watch your speed on 152...CHP monitoring it lately..

TTP: First question is - how good are you driving in mountains at night?

The only thing about Route #2 is the first half of the 152 segment. There are a couple of branches in the road which could lead you astray in the dark/semidark, aside from the winding mountain road. Make sure you have a good map or can access a map along the way.

Otherwise, I would suggest following Lisagirl's route.

The OP asked this seven months ago.

(and really, I ask you -- how many people willingly drive to Fresno >) :) )

Heehee janis - that was my first thought too.

janis, here's lisagirl's response seven months later to revive this thread: <i>I'm answering in case <b>future visitors</b> wonder about this drive.</i>

Besides which, has TravelPro returned to say which route worked best for him/her? No. So he/she is probably still wandering around the hills of 152. :)

>>janis, here's lisagirl's response seven months later to revive this thread: I'm answering in case future visitors wonder about this drive.<<

Yes, I know what lisagirl posted - and why. However the next two posters apparently thought they were responding to TxTravelPro's 7 month old question/route options . . .

Perhaps Travel Pro stopped off in Los Banos and had lunch and drinks at the Woolgrower's and never got out of the place:!

My husband's done the reverse (Fresno to SF) using #2, in under 3 hours. Traffic was good, though.