Dos Amigos Vista Point
0 mi from route
Trip from Fairfax, CA to Bakersfield, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 36m
Distance
296.4 mi
477 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$73
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 24m
★
6 AM
5h 37m
8 AM
6h 4m
10 AM
5h 46m
12 PM
5h 44m
3 PM
5h 48m
5 PM
6h 2m
8 PM
5h 29m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Fairfax, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Fairfax, CA to Bakersfield, CA is 296.4 miles and takes about 5h 36m via Westside Freeway, Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway, and William Elton Brown Freeway, with a fuel budget near $71 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route travels within California, moving from the Pacific Coast region towards the interior. It's a primarily highway drive, making it a straightforward option for a single-day trip. Consider this if you need to get from the Bay Area to the southern Central Valley efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
148.2 miles from Fairfax, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 192.5 mi | 3h 26m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 16.4 mi | 18m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 13.6 mi | 17m |
| Stockdale Highway | 9.2 mi | 12m |
| Westside Parkway | 6.7 mi | 7m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 192.5 mi, about 3h 26m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 76 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,635 veh/hr typical · worst 2,375
Quietest
2 AM
~316 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 89 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfax, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on this road
472 ft
·
39 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Center Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Center Boulevard
3
Continue on Red Hill Avenue
0.6 mi
·
57 sec
·
Red Hill Avenue
4
Continue on Fourth Street
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Fourth Street
5
Keep slight left at fork onto Fourth Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Fourth Street
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Hetherton Street
Use the right lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Redwood Highway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 80; I 580
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
11 mi
·
11 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
17
Merge onto I 5
193 mi
·
3 hr 26 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit onto CA 58
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
CA 58
Exit 253
Toward Stockdale Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Turn left onto CA 58
4.8 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
20
Enter roundabout onto CA 58
126 ft
·
1 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
21
Continue on CA 58
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
Westside Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
24
Turn straight onto Truxtun Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Truxtun Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 5.5-hour drive, aim to depart Fairfax early in the morning to avoid peak Bay Area traffic. With a single recommended day, you have flexibility in how you pace yourself, but it's best to plan for one main stop. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially before entering longer stretches with fewer services, as the $71 fuel estimate suggests a full tank will be necessary. Ensure you have enough charging ports for devices, as this is a route best completed without major detours.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 148.2 miles from Fairfax, CA, or about 2h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 192.5 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 65 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 148.2 miles or 2h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bakersfield, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fairfax, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fairfax, CA
This is one driving day of about 296.4 miles and 5h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 65 miles from Fairfax, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 192.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
148 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 65 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 148.2 miles from Fairfax, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 192.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
John "Chuck" Erreca Southbound Rest Area
0 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Northbound Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Coalinga Avenal Safety Roadside Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Lost Hills Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.8 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2 mi from route
Alameda County Industries
2.1 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 4 and 277.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
9
4.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
8
22 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 580 / Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...
8
22.2 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockt...
7
277.5 mi into trip
|
~5h 10m in
|
CA 58
Take the exit onto CA 58 toward Stockdale Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 253
Toward Stockdale Highway
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$72.54 one way
$145.07 round trip
$6.22/gal
25.4 MPG avg
104 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.40 | $74.70 | $149.39 |
| premium | $6.57 | $76.62 | $153.24 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $72.10 | $144.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$73
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$98–$123
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 103.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 88.9 | 1 | $31.12 | $14.23 |
| Efficient EV | 74.1 | 0 | $25.94 | $11.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 118.6 | 1 | $41.50 | $18.97 |
Gas CO2
104 kg
EV CO2
35 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Fairfax, CA
Late night in Fairfax on Sunday
Local time
3:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Clear
0 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Destination
Bakersfield, CA
Late night in Bakersfield on Sunday
Local time
3:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
64°F
Clear
NE 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 17 at 12:00PM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
High Wind Warning
High Wind Warning issued October 16 at 8:41PM PDT until October 18 at 12:00AM PDT by NWS San Diego CA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
5h 36m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 10.2
View on nps.gov
Muir Woods National Monument
National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
6 mi from route
~16 min detour
$15
View on nps.gov
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
7 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 20.4
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Point Reyes National Seashore
National Seashore
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 spec...
17 mi from route
~41 min detour
Free
View on nps.gov
Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
20 mi from route
~51 min detour
Free
near mile 20.4
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is 94% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on freeways. The longest continuous stretch on a freeway is 192.5 miles on the Westside Freeway. You'll notice the transition from more urban merging and exits as you leave the Bay Area to more consistent, faster cruising as you head south. The final portion of the drive will involve fewer exits per mile compared to the initial segments.
94% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 192.5 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 296.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
849 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
1,347 ft
Total Descent
1,054 ft
Highest Point
849 ft
~63.5 mi in
Elevation Range
834 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Fairfax, CA and Bakersfield, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose and Stockdale Highway.
Hayward
22 mi in
|
~32m
|
via I 580
Stockton
22 mi in
|
~32m
|
via I 580
Alameda
22 mi in
|
~32m
|
via I 580
San Jose
22 mi in
|
~32m
|
via I 580
Stockdale Highway
277.5 mi in
|
~5h 10m
|
via CA 58
About the Cities
Starting in Fairfax, CA
Full guide →Fairfax is a cute little town nestled in the hills of Marin County in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Though small, it's surprisingly lively and has kept its historic charm.
Top landmarks
- • Marin Museum of Bicycling — museum in Fairfax, California
Arriving in Bakersfield, CA
Full guide →Founded 1869
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Bakersfield is famous for being the home of country music singers Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and has the nickname "the country music capital of the West Coast."
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 36m. Total distance: 296.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 192.5 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 23 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Bakersfield, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 23 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 4 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Bakersfield, CA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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