Origin
Vacaville, CA
Late night in Vacaville on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Vacaville, CA to Stockton, 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 24m
Distance
59.5 mi
96 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 29m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 20m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Vacaville, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Stockton, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 59.5-mile drive from Vacaville to Stockton, California, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 24 minutes. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 82% of the journey on major roads, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B. You can expect a fuel cost of around $14 for this stretch. Given the relatively short distance and highway nature, no overnight stops are necessary. This is a practical route for travelers within the Pacific Coast region looking for a quick connection between these two Northern California cities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 12 | 35 mi | 49m |
| Westside Freeway | 12.6 mi | 14m |
| Peabody Road | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| Walters Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Air Base Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Mason Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Elmira Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North El Dorado Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
CA 12
— 35 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Vacaville, CA and Stockton, CA.
1
Start on Merchant Street
17 ft
·
0 sec
·
Merchant Street
2
Turn sharp right onto Elizabeth Street
0.1 mi
·
37 sec
·
Elizabeth Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Mason Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
Mason Street
4
Continue on Elmira Road
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Elmira Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
Turn right onto Peabody Road
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
Peabody Road
Use the left lane.
6
Turn right onto Air Base Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Air Base Parkway
7
Turn left onto Walters Road
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Walters Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
8
Turn left onto CA 12
12 mi
·
16 min
·
CA 12
Use the left lane.
9
Enter roundabout onto CA 12
90 ft
·
1 sec
·
CA 12
10
Continue on CA 12
23 mi
·
32 min
·
CA 12
Use the left lane.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
12
Merge onto I 5
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Toward CA 4
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
16
Continue on East Lafayette Street
385 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Lafayette Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto South El Dorado Street
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
South El Dorado Street
18
Continue on North El Dorado Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
North El Dorado Street
19
Turn right onto East Fremont Street
117 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Fremont Street
20
Arrive at destination
East Fremont Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.7 miles from Vacaville, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 59.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Peabody Road
Turn right onto Peabody Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
7.5 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
Walters Road
Turn left onto Walters Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
45.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
58.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
South El Dorado Street
Turn left onto South El Dorado Street
Navigation decision point
5
59.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m in
|
East Fremont Street
Turn right onto East Fremont Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.68 one way
$27.35 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.09 | $28.19 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.47 | $28.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.14 | $26.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.8 | 0 | $6.25 | $2.86 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.21 | $2.38 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.8 | 0 | $8.33 | $3.81 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Late night in Stockton on Tuesday
Local time
5:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Clear
NW 9 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
51°F
Rio Vista, CA
30 mi in
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
26 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 24m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this 59.5-mile journey, with 82% of the route utilizing major roads like CA 12 and the Westside Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a substantial 35 miles on CA 12, offering a consistent pace. While much of the drive is on these faster roadways, segments on roads like Peabody Road will introduce slight variations. The overall character is one of efficient travel, prioritizing directness over scenic detours, suitable for those who want to cover ground quickly.
82% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35 mi on CA 12.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 12 and Westside Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Peabody Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.5 miles you will encounter 16 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 0.8 miles (Peabody Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles (Walters Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 45.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Vacaville, CA
Full guide →Founded 1852
Vacaville is in Solano County in the Sacramento Valley of California.
Top landmarks
- • Will H. Buck House — Vacaville, 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 1h 24m. Total distance: 59.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35 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 Stockton, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 (Peabody Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles (Walters Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 45.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. 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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