Origin
Merced, CA
Afternoon in Merced on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Merced, 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
1h 23m
Distance
69.6 mi
112 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 17m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 36m
10 AM
1h 28m
12 PM
1h 27m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 36m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Merced, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Stockton, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 70.3 miles through the heart of California's Pacific Coast region, this drive between Merced and Stockton is a straightforward journey typically taking about 1 hour and 14 minutes. Because the trip is short, it is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight lodging. You can expect to budget roughly $16 for fuel, making it an affordable excursion for a quick commute or local travel. Since the entire route stays within the same region, you will find a consistent feel as you move from one city to the other. It is a practical, no-nonsense path that relies on local roads rather than long stretches of interstate.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 99 | 63.8 mi | 1h 14m |
| CA 4 | 3 mi | 3m |
| West 16th Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North El Dorado Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South El Dorado Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| M Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Canal Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 99
— 63.8 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Merced, CA and Stockton, CA.
1
Start on Canal Street
282 ft
·
14 sec
·
Canal Street
2
At end of road, turn right onto West Main Street
475 ft
·
20 sec
·
West Main Street
3
Turn left onto M Street
399 ft
·
15 sec
·
M Street
4
Turn right onto CA 99 Business
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West 16th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
Toward CA 99 North
6
Merge onto CA 99
64 mi
·
1 hr 14 min
·
CA 99
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 4
3.0 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 4
Toward CA 4
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 66A
Toward Downtown
9
Turn right onto South El Dorado Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
South El Dorado Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on North El Dorado Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
North El Dorado Street
11
Turn right onto East Fremont Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Fremont Street
12
Arrive at destination
East Fremont Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 34.8 miles from Merced, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before CA 99 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 63.8 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 69.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto West Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CA 99 Business / West 16th Street
Turn right onto CA 99 Business / West 16th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
2.2 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 99
Merge onto CA 99
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
66 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
CA 4
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 4 toward CA 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward CA 4
6
69.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
South El Dorado Street
Turn right onto South El Dorado Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.00 one way
$31.99 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
24 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $16.48 | $32.97 |
| premium | $6.18 | $16.93 | $33.85 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.37 | $30.73 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$16
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 20.9 | 0 | $7.31 | $3.34 |
| Efficient EV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 27.8 | 0 | $9.74 | $4.45 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
12:17 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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
1h 23m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive as you navigate your way toward Stockton. Unlike a high-speed interstate haul, this route features zero highway miles, requiring your full attention as you transition between West Main Street, M Street, and West 16th Street. The character of the road is defined by its local pacing, which keeps you engaged with frequent turns rather than monotonous cruising. Because there are no long highway stretches to settle into, the drive requires a more active driving style than a typical cross-country trip. You will find that the lack of highway travel keeps the pace steady but requires you to stay alert for intersections and local traffic patterns.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 63.8 mi on CA 99.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 99 and CA 4. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near West Main 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 69.6 miles you will encounter 9 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: at 0.1 miles (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CA 99 Business / West 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Merced, CA
Full guide →Merced is a city of 86,000 people (2020) in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Located along State Route 99 which runs between the agricultural cities of the eastern San Joaquin Valley, Merced is also a gateway to Yosemite via State Route 140. Merced is less than two hours by car from Yosemite National Park to the east and Monterey Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and several beaches to the west.
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 1h 23m. Total distance: 69.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 63.8 miles on CA 99. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (West Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (CA 99 Business / West 16th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.2 miles (CA 99): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Stockton, CA
More trips to Stockton, CA
Explore more options from Merced, CA or browse trips ending in Stockton, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.