Origin
Hollister, CA
Afternoon in Hollister on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hollister, CA to Stockton, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 2m
Distance
104.2 mi
168 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$24
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 54m
★
6 AM
2h 3m
8 AM
2h 21m
10 AM
2h 9m
12 PM
2h 7m
3 PM
2h 10m
5 PM
2h 20m
8 PM
1h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hollister, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Stockton, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 104.2-mile drive from Hollister, CA, to Stockton, CA, is easily manageable as a one-day trip, taking approximately 2 hours and 2 minutes. Primarily following the Westside Freeway, CA 156, and Santa Nella Road, this journey is largely highway-focused, making it a practical option for quick travel. With an estimated fuel cost of $24, it’s an economical choice for getting between the Pacific Coast regions of California. Consider this route when you need an efficient way to get from the Hollister area to Stockton without significant detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
52.1 miles from Hollister, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 63.4 mi | 1h 8m |
| CA 156 | 30.7 mi | 36m |
| Santa Nella Road | 3.6 mi | 6m |
| San Felipe Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| South El Dorado Street | 1 mi | 1m |
| West Charter Way | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| San Benito Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North El Dorado Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 63.4 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hollister, CA and Stockton, CA.
1
Start on this road
28 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
161 ft
·
9 sec
·
4th Street
3
Turn right onto CA 156 Business
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
San Benito Street
4
Continue on CA 156 Business
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
San Felipe Road
5
Enter roundabout onto CA 156 Business
144 ft
·
2 sec
·
San Felipe Road
6
Continue on CA 156 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
San Felipe Road
7
Turn right onto CA 156
31 mi
·
36 min
·
CA 156
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward CA 33 North: Santa Nella, Gustine
9
Turn left onto CA 33
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
Santa Nella Road
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward I 5 North
11
Merge onto I 5
38 mi
·
41 min
·
Westside Freeway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
26 min
·
Westside Freeway
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 471
Toward CA 4 West
14
Keep slight right at fork
407 ft
·
5 sec
15
Turn straight onto West Charter Way
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Charter Way
Use the straight / left lanes.
16
Turn left onto South El Dorado Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South El Dorado Street
17
Continue on North El Dorado Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
North El Dorado Street
18
Turn right onto East Fremont Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Fremont Street
19
Arrive at destination
East Fremont Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 2-hour drive, you have flexibility in when you depart. Leaving Hollister in the morning should get you to Stockton with plenty of daylight remaining. While there are no designated stops listed, plan for brief breaks as needed, especially during the 63.4-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $24 estimated cost indicates a need for at least one fill-up on this route. A practical tip: ensure your vehicle is in good condition before setting out, as extended periods on the highway are common.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 52.1 miles from Hollister, CA, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 63.4 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 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 52.1 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Stockton, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hollister, 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 Hollister, CA
This is one driving day of about 104.2 miles and 2h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Hollister, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 63.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
52 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 23 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 52.1 miles from Hollister, 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 63.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
4th Street
Turn left onto 4th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 156 Business / San Benito Street
Turn right onto CA 156 Business / San Benito Street
Navigation decision point
5
3.1 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
CA 156 Business / San Felipe Road
Enter roundabout onto CA 156 Business / San Felipe Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
5
34.5 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Take the exit toward CA 33 North: Santa Nella, Gustine
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 33 North: Santa Nella, Gustine
5
38.4 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North
Navigation decision point
Toward I 5 North
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.95 one way
$47.90 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
37 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $24.68 | $49.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $25.34 | $50.68 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $23.01 | $46.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$49–$74
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 36.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 31.3 | 0 | $10.94 | $5.00 |
| Efficient EV | 26.1 | 0 | $9.12 | $4.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 41.7 | 0 | $14.59 | $6.67 |
Gas CO2
36 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Stockton, CA
Afternoon in Stockton on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Los Banos, CA
52 mi in
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
6 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
2h 2m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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.
Pinnacles National Park
National Park
Around 23 million years ago, a series of volcanic eruptions shaped the landscape that is now Pinnacles National Park. The remnants of these ancient eruptions have formed a striking terrain of rocky sp...
28 mi from route
~70 min detour
$30
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience on this route, with 90% of the drive utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 63.4 miles on the Westside Freeway, offering a consistent pace. While largely a freeway experience, segments on CA 156 and Santa Nella Road may offer slightly different driving characteristics. This road profile suggests a drive where maintaining speed is generally possible, ideal for covering distance efficiently.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.4 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 156. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 4th Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 104.2 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CA 156 Business / San Benito Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (CA 156 Business / San Felipe Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
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.
On the drive from Hollister, CA to Stockton, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Gustine along the way.
Gustine
34.5 mi in
|
~43m
About the Cities
Starting in Hollister, CA
Full guide →Hollister is a city in San Benito County at the north end of the Central Coast region of California.
Arriving in Stockton, CA
Full guide →Founded 1849
Stockton is a city in the San Joaquin Valley in northern California. Sitting on the San Joaquin Delta, Stockton is the world's most inland natural port and used to be a major port city. One of the larger cities along I-5 through the Central Valley, it is a convenient stop and offers a variety of restaurants and accommodations for road-trippers. There are several shopping centers and movie theaters and one art museum but few major attractions.
Top landmarks
- • Haggin Museum — art museum in Stockton, California
- • USCGC Fir — Lighthouse tender
- • USS Lucid — 1953 Aggressive-class minesweeper
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 2h 2m. Total distance: 104.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.4 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (4th Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (CA 156 Business / San Benito Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles (CA 156 Business / San Felipe Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes — Pinnacles National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Stockton, CA before heading back.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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