Stockton to Hercules is 65.2 miles and takes about 1h 26m via CA 4, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. The route is predominantly highway, making it a quick option for commuting or a short hop between cities. Given its short duration and low fuel cost, it's an accessible trip for most drivers.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
CA 4
53.5 mi
1h 7m
West Charter Way
4.5 mi
7m
Marsh Creek Road
3.9 mi
5m
John Muir Parkway
1.4 mi
2m
North Center Street
1.3 mi
2m
Bayfront Boulevard
0.3 mi
<1m
Railroad Avenue
0.2 mi
<1m
East Fremont Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
CA 4
— 53.5 mi, about 1h 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stockton, CA and Hercules, CA.
1
Start on East Fremont Street
501 ft·31 sec·East Fremont Street
2
Turn left onto North Center Street
1.3 mi·2 min·North Center Street
3
Turn right onto West Charter Way
4.5 mi·7 min·West Charter Way
Use the straight lane.
4
Continue on CA 4
15 mi·22 min·CA 4
Use the straight lane.
5
Continue on CA 4
1.5 mi·2 min·CA 4
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Turn left onto CA 4
3.9 mi·5 min·Marsh Creek Road
7
Turn right onto CA 4
23 mi·26 min·CA 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
14 mi·16 min·CA 4
Toward CA 4: Richmond, MartinezUse the straight lane.
9
Continue on CA 4
1.4 mi·2 min·John Muir Parkway
Exit 1AToward San Pablo AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Bayfront Boulevard
0.3 mi·39 sec·Bayfront Boulevard
11
Continue on Railroad Avenue
0.2 mi·31 sec·Railroad Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
Railroad Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 32.6 miles from Stockton, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 48.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North Center Street
Turn left onto North Center Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|West Charter Way
Turn right onto West Charter Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
4
22.5 mi into trip|~34m in|CA 4 / Marsh Creek Road
Turn left onto CA 4 / Marsh Creek Road
Navigation decision point
5
26.4 mi into trip|~40m in|CA 4
Turn right onto CA 4
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
48.9 mi into trip|~1h 6m in|CA 4
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4 toward CA 4: Richmond, Martinez
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward CA 4: Richmond, Martinez
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.85 one way
$29.71 round trip
$5.79/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.96
$15.30
$30.59
premium
$6.14
$15.76
$31.52
diesel
$5.97
$15.32
$30.63
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.6
0
$6.85
$3.13
Efficient EV
16.3
0
$5.71
$2.61
EV Truck/SUV
26.1
0
$9.13
$4.17
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (65% 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.
Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026
Origin
Stockton, CA
Afternoon
in Stockton on Friday
Local time
4:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
NNW 1 to 8 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 2:35PM PDT until September 3 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 12:11PM PDT until September 2 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Hercules, CA
Afternoon
in Hercules on Friday
Local time
4:31 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Drizzle
SSW 6 to 15 mph17% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 2:35PM PDT until September 3 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued September 1 at 12:11PM PDT until September 2 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 26m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 84% of the 65.2 miles on freeway. You'll experience 53.5 miles on CA 4 as the longest continuous stretch. Expect a more urban feel with frequent exits for the majority of the trip, transitioning to surface roads as you near Hercules.
84% 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: 53.5 mi on CA 4.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 4 and West Charter Way. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Center Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 26m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (West Charter Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles (CA 4 / Marsh Creek Road): Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
366 ft0 ft
Total Climb
746 ft
Total Descent
687 ft
Highest Point
366 ft
~46.6 mi in
Elevation Range
366 ft
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 Stockton, CA to Hercules, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Martinez along the way.
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
Pinole is in the north of Contra Costa County in the San Francisco Bay Area in California on the southern shore of San Pablo Bay. Hercules is a suburban community next door. Neither of them have much to attract tourists, but they do have a selection of restaurants as well as walking and biking paths through the wetlands along the bay.
The longest stretch is about 53.5 miles on CA 4. 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 (North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (West Charter Way): Lane positioning matters here; at 22.5 miles (CA 4 / Marsh Creek Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Hercules, CA before heading back.
