Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Afternoon in Bakersfield on Sunday
Local time
12:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA
Drive Time
6h 23m
Distance
338.9 mi
545 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$78
one way
Bakersfield, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Windsor, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA covers 338.9 miles and takes about 6h 23m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Truxtun Avenue, CA 58, Westside Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $78.48 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
169.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 11m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 23m drive with frequent turns across 338.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Truxtun Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Truxtun Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 58 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Westside Parkway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Stockdale Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 5 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Westside Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Arthur H | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Truxtun Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Windsor, CA.
1
Start on Truxtun Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Truxtun Avenue
2
Continue on Truxtun Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Truxtun Avenue
3
Take the ramp straight toward CA 58: Westside Parkway West
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 58: Westside Parkway West
4
Continue on Westside Parkway
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Westside Parkway
5
Continue on Stockdale Highway
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Stockdale Highway
6
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway
151 ft
·
2 sec
·
Stockdale Highway
7
Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Stockdale Highway
8
Take the exit straight toward I 5 North
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 North
9
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
193 mi
·
3 hr 26 min
·
Westside Freeway
10
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
14
Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
15
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
16
Continue on Eastshore Freeway
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
17
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
18
Keep slight left to continue on US 101 North: San Rafeal
0.7 mi
·
54 sec
·
US 101 North: San Rafeal
19
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
46 mi
·
54 min
·
Redwood Highway
20
Take the exit slight right toward Old Redwood Highway, Central Windsor
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Old Redwood Highway, Central Windsor
21
Turn left onto Old Redwood Highway
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Old Redwood Highway
22
Continue on Windsor River Road
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Windsor River Road
23
Enter the roundabout and take exit 4 toward Windsor River Road
292 ft
·
6 sec
·
Windsor River Road
24
Exit the roundabout onto Windsor River Road
89 ft
·
2 sec
·
Windsor River Road
25
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 169.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA, or about 3h 11m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 169.5 miles or 3h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 15m
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 Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield, CA
This is one driving day of about 338.9 miles and 6h 23m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bakersfield, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 169.5 mi from Bakersfield, CA · 3h 11m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
169 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 169.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Windsor, CA
The final approach into Windsor, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Windsor, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$78.48 one way
$156.96 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
119 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $80.94 | $161.87 |
| premium | $6.24 | $83.30 | $166.59 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $75.29 | $150.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$78
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$103–$128
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 118.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 101.7 | 1 | $35.58 | $16.27 |
| Efficient EV | 84.7 | 0 | $29.65 | $13.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 135.6 | 1 | $47.45 | $21.69 |
Gas CO2
119 kg
EV CO2
40 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Windsor, CA
Afternoon in Windsor on Sunday
Local time
12:21 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Along the Route
57°F
Alameda, CA
169 mi in
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
6h 23m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA covers 338.9 miles and takes about 6h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Truxtun Avenue, CA 58, Westside Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 169.5 miles from Bakersfield, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $78.48 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bakersfield, CA to Windsor, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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