Origin
Tulare, CA
Late night in Tulare on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tulare, CA to Bakersfield, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 11m
Distance
63.7 mi
102 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 6m
★
6 AM
1h 11m
8 AM
1h 23m
10 AM
1h 15m
12 PM
1h 14m
3 PM
1h 16m
5 PM
1h 22m
8 PM
1h 8m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tulare, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 63.7 miles, the drive from Tulare to Bakersfield is a straightforward journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 11 minutes. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region of California, you will find consistent terrain throughout your trip. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay to complete the transit. Budgeting approximately $15 for fuel should comfortably cover your travel costs between these two Central Valley hubs. It is a practical, no-nonsense connection that gets you from point A to point B efficiently without the need for multiple stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State Highway | 53.5 mi | 57m |
| Golden State Freeway | 5.2 mi | 5m |
| Golden State Avenue | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Chester Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| East Bardsley Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South K Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South J Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Golden State Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Golden State Highway
— 53.5 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tulare, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on South J Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
South J Street
2
Continue on South K Street
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
South K Street
3
Turn left onto East Bardsley Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
East Bardsley Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
5
Merge onto CA 99
53 mi
·
57 min
·
Golden State Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on CA 99
5.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 204; CA 99 BUS
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Avenue
Exit 27
Toward CA 204 South: Golden State Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
475 ft
·
13 sec
9
Continue on Golden State Road
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Golden State Road
10
Enter roundabout onto Chester Avenue
193 ft
·
3 sec
·
Chester Avenue
11
Continue on Chester Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Chester Avenue
12
Turn left onto Truxtun Avenue
122 ft
·
7 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
13
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 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 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.8 miles from Tulare, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 62.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
East Bardsley Avenue
Turn left onto East Bardsley Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
3
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp
Navigation decision point
5
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Merge onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
60.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
CA 204; CA 99 BUS / Golden State Avenue
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 204; CA 99 BUS / Golden State Avenue toward CA 204 South: Golden State Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward CA 204 South: Golden State Avenue
6
62.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
|
Chester Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Chester Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.64 one way
$29.28 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $15.09 | $30.17 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.49 | $30.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $14.06 | $28.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
| Efficient EV | 15.9 | 0 | $5.57 | $2.55 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.5 | 0 | $8.92 | $4.08 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 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.
Destination
Bakersfield, CA
Late night in Bakersfield on Tuesday
Local time
3:35 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°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
24 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 11m 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?
You will spend the majority of your time on the Golden State Highway, which accounts for the vast majority of your travel distance. The route features a longest uninterrupted stretch of 53.5 miles, allowing you to settle into a steady rhythm behind the wheel. With only 8% of the journey spent on traditional highways, expect a more turn-heavy, local-road experience as you navigate toward your destination. You will transition through segments of the Golden State Freeway and Golden State Avenue, which gives the drive a varied, localized personality rather than a monotonous interstate grind. It is a functional drive that requires your full attention due to the frequent turns.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 53.5 mi on Golden State Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near East Bardsley Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 11m 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 0.8 miles (East Bardsley Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
453 ft
256 ft
Total Climb
233 ft
Total Descent
106 ft
Highest Point
453 ft
~59.1 mi in
Elevation Range
198 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Tulare, CA
Full guide →Founded 1872
Tulare is a city in Tulare County in California's San Joaquin Valley.
Top landmarks
- • Tulare Union High School — high school in Tulare, 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 1h 11m. Total distance: 63.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (8%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 53.5 miles on Golden State Highway. 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 0.8 miles (East Bardsley Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.6 miles: Navigation decision point; at 1.9 miles (CA 99 / Golden State Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — César E. Chávez National Monument. 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 Bakersfield, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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