Origin
Bakersfield, CA
Evening in Bakersfield on Friday
Local time
7:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 12m
Distance
153.3 mi
247 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$35
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 1m
★
6 AM
3h 12m
8 AM
3h 36m
10 AM
3h 21m
12 PM
3h 18m
3 PM
3h 22m
5 PM
3h 35m
8 PM
3h 5m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bakersfield, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Buellton, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA covers 153.3 miles and takes about 3h 12m 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 $35.23 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
76.7 miles from Bakersfield, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 36m into the drive .
About the Cities
Starting in Bakersfield, CA
Full guide →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 3h 12m. Total distance: 153.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 3h 12m drive with frequent turns across 153.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 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. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA is easy. At 3h 12m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Truxtun Avenue | — | — |
| CA 58 | — | — |
| Westside Parkway | — | — |
| Stockdale Highway | — | — |
| Enos Lane | — | — |
| Taft Highway | — | — |
| West Side Highway | — | — |
| California Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Truxtun Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bakersfield, CA and Buellton, 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 3 toward Enos Lane
325 ft
·
4 sec
·
Enos Lane
7
Exit the roundabout onto Enos Lane
5.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Enos Lane
8
Keep slight right to continue on Enos Lane
289 ft
·
6 sec
·
Enos Lane
9
Turn straight onto Taft Highway
17 mi
·
23 min
·
Taft Highway
10
Continue on West Side Highway
5.7 mi
·
7 min
·
West Side Highway
11
Continue on California Street
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
California Street
12
At the end of the road, turn right onto Poso Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Poso Street
13
Continue on West Side Highway
76 mi
·
1 hr 29 min
·
West Side Highway
14
Take the exit left
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
15
Merge slight left onto El Camino Real
34 mi
·
39 min
·
El Camino Real
16
Take the exit slight right toward CA 246
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
CA 246
17
Turn right
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
18
Turn right
289 ft
·
29 sec
19
Turn sharp left
164 ft
·
12 sec
20
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 76.7 miles from Bakersfield, CA, or about 1h 36m 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 34 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.7 miles or 1h 36m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buellton, 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 153.3 miles and 3h 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 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 76.7 mi from Bakersfield, CA · 1h 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 76.7 miles from Bakersfield, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Buellton, CA
The final approach into Buellton, 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 Buellton, 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
$35.23 one way
$70.47 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $36.31 | $72.62 |
| premium | $6.18 | $37.28 | $74.56 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.85 | $67.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$35
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$60–$85
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46 | 0 | $16.10 | $7.36 |
| Efficient EV | 38.3 | 0 | $13.41 | $6.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.3 | 0 | $21.46 | $9.81 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Buellton, CA
Evening in Buellton on Friday
Local time
7:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
Temperature spread
10 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
3h 12m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA covers 153.3 miles and takes about 3h 12m 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 76.7 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 $35.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA is easy. At 3h 12m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bakersfield, CA to Buellton, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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