This 115.2-mile journey from Stockton, CA to Windsor, CA takes approximately 2 hours and 34 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day road trip. You'll navigate local streets for the entirety of this drive, with no highway segments, which can offer a more intimate look at the landscape. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $27. Given the route's profile as a turn-heavy local drive, expect a more engaged driving experience. Both Stockton and Windsor are located within the Pacific Coast region, so you'll be staying within familiar territory for this relatively short excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
57.6 miles from Stockton, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
CA 12
50.9 mi
1h 9m
Redwood Highway
25.1 mi
29m
Westside Freeway
12 mi
13m
Fremont Drive
4.9 mi
7m
Carneros Highway
4.4 mi
6m
Stage Gulch Road
3.3 mi
5m
Adobe Road
3.2 mi
4m
Saint Helena Highway
2.6 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
CA 12
— 50.9 mi, about 1h 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stockton, CA and Windsor, CA.
1
Start on East Fremont Street
117 ft·7 sec·East Fremont Street
2
Turn right onto North El Dorado Street
0.1 mi·24 sec·North El Dorado Street
3
Turn left onto East Park Street
1.1 mi·2 min·East Park Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Continue on this road
0.3 mi·41 sec·this road
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
12 mi·13 min·Westside Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward CA 12: Lodi, Fairfield
7
Keep slight left at fork
227 ft·7 sec
8
Turn left onto CA 12
24 mi·33 min·CA 12
Use the straight / left lanes.
9
Enter roundabout onto CA 12
111 ft·1 sec·CA 12
10
Continue on CA 12
13 mi·18 min·CA 12
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on CA 12
7.3 mi·9 min·CA 12
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit onto CA 12
6.7 mi·8 min·CA 12
Exit 39BUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on Airport Boulevard
195 ft·7 sec·Airport Boulevard
14
Turn right onto CA 29
1.3 mi·1 min·Napa–Vallejo Highway
15
Continue on CA 12; CA 29
2.6 mi·3 min·Saint Helena Highway
16
Turn left onto CA 12; CA 121
4.4 mi·6 min·Carneros Highway
Use the left / uturn lanes.
17
Continue on CA 12; CA 121
4.9 mi·7 min·Fremont Drive
18
Enter roundabout onto Arnold Drive
18 ft·0 sec·Arnold Drive
19
Continue on Arnold Drive
1.6 mi·2 min·Arnold Drive
20
Continue on CA 116
3.3 mi·5 min·Stage Gulch Road
21
Turn straight onto Adobe Road
3.2 mi·4 min·Adobe Road
Use the straight lane.
22
Turn straight onto Frates Road
1.4 mi·2 min·Frates Road
23
Turn right onto CA 116
1.3 mi·2 min·Lakeville Highway
Use the right lane.
24
Take the ramp onto CA 116
0.4 mi·50 sec·CA 116
Toward US 101 North
25
Merge onto US 101; CA 116
25 mi·29 min·Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 498Toward Old Redwood Highway, Central WindsorUse the slight right lane.
27
Turn left onto Old Redwood Highway
0.2 mi·34 sec·Old Redwood Highway
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
28
Continue on Windsor River Road
0.3 mi·33 sec·Windsor River Road
29
Enter roundabout onto Windsor River Road
292 ft·5 sec·Windsor River Road
30
Continue on Windsor River Road
89 ft·1 sec·Windsor River Road
31
Arrive at destination
Windsor River Road
Trip Plan
With a manageable 2-hour and 34-minute duration, this 115.2-mile trip from Stockton to Windsor is easily completed in one day. Plan to depart in the morning to take advantage of lighter local traffic, especially since the route involves many turns and local roads. The estimated fuel cost is $27, so ensure your tank is full before you leave Stockton. While there's only one listed stop, the turn-heavy nature of the drive means you'll naturally encounter opportunities for brief breaks in various towns along the way. Keep an eye on your GPS as you transition between North El Dorado Street, East Park Street, and Westside Freeway to ensure you're on the most direct path.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 57.6 miles from Stockton, CA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 50.9 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 25 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.6 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Windsor, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Stockton, 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 Stockton, CA
This is one driving day of about 115.2 miles and 2h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Stockton, 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 CA 12 for about 50.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 114.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|East Park Street
Turn left onto East Park Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
13.6 mi into trip|~17m in
Take the exit toward CA 12: Lodi, Fairfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CA 12: Lodi, Fairfield
5
13.8 mi into trip|~17m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
58.1 mi into trip|~1h 19m in|CA 12
Take the exit onto CA 12
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 39B
8
114.3 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Take the exit toward Old Redwood Highway, Central Windsor
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 498
Toward Old Redwood Highway, Central Windsor
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$26.48 one way
$52.96 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$27.29
$54.57
premium
$6.18
$28.02
$56.03
diesel
$5.61
$25.43
$50.87
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.6
0
$12.10
$5.53
Efficient EV
28.8
0
$10.08
$4.61
EV Truck/SUV
46.1
0
$16.13
$7.37
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Stockton, CA
Late night
in Stockton on Sunday
Local time
12:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Windsor, CA
Late night
in Windsor on Sunday
Local time
12:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
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.
Road read
2h 34m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for the entire 115.2 miles, as this route features a 0% highway share. This means you'll be consistently engaged with navigating through towns and local roads rather than cruising on open freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, but the nature of the route suggests frequent intersections and changes in speed. The drive will likely feel more like a series of connected local trips rather than a single, continuous highway push, requiring your attention throughout the 2-hour and 34-minute duration.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 50.9 mi on CA 12.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near East Park Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 115.2 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 0.2 miles (East Park Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
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 Windsor, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Fairfield 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
Windsor is a town of 27,000 people (2019) in Sonoma County in the Bay Area of California, 9 miles north of Santa Rosa and 63 miles north of San Francisco. It may not be on the main tourist trail through California's Wine Country, but it will appeal to people looking for small, family-owned businesses, an eclectic mix of shops, and summertime entertainment.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 34m. Total distance: 115.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 50.9 miles on CA 12. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Windsor, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (East Park Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Windsor, CA before heading back.
