Origin
Buellton, CA
Late night in Buellton on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 10m
Distance
268.4 mi
432 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$62
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 57m
★
6 AM
4h 10m
8 AM
4h 36m
10 AM
4h 19m
12 PM
4h 17m
3 PM
4h 21m
5 PM
4h 35m
8 PM
4h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Buellton, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Chula Vista, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, CA covers 268.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CA 246, I 405 North, I 405 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $61.69 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
134.2 miles from Buellton, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 5m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Chula Vista, CA
Full guide →Chula Vista is a large city in San Diego County in Southern California. It was a farming and dairy city in the early 20th century. By the early 21st century the city had grown tremendously with the addition of several prominent suburbs and business districts. === Understand === Chula Vista Convention & Visitors Bureau website
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 4h 10m. Total distance: 268.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 10m 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 4h 10m drive with frequent turns across 268.4 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 246 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.
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 4h 10m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 246 | — | — |
| I 405 North | — | — |
| I 405 South | — | — |
| San Diego Freeway | — | — |
| Corona Del Mar Freeway | — | — |
| San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor | — | — |
| La Paz Road | — | — |
| CA 73 South | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
CA 246
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Buellton, CA and Chula Vista, CA.
1
Start on the route
161 ft
·
17 sec
·
the route
2
At the end of the road, turn left
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
3
Take the ramp right toward CA 246
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
CA 246
4
Merge slight left
121 mi
·
2 hr 20 min
5
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Sacramento, Santa Monica
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 405 North, I 405 South: Sacramento, Santa Monica
6
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South: San Diego Freeway, Santa Monica
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 405 South: San Diego Freeway, Santa Monica
7
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South: San Diego Freeway
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
I 405 South: San Diego Freeway
8
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
13 mi
·
15 min
·
San Diego Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
27 mi
·
30 min
·
San Diego Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
2.3 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
11
Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
12
Keep slight left
10 mi
·
11 min
13
Keep slight right to continue on Corona Del Mar Freeway
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Corona Del Mar Freeway
14
Continue on San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
10 mi
·
11 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
15
Take the exit slight right toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway
436 ft
·
6 sec
·
La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway
16
Keep slight left to continue on CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway
17
Keep slight left to continue on CA 73 South
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
CA 73 South
18
Merge slight left onto San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
19
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
54 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
San Diego Freeway
20
Take the exit slight left
0.8 mi
·
55 sec
21
Continue on Jacob Dekema Freeway
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Jacob Dekema Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward CA 54 East, CA 54 West
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
CA 54 East, CA 54 West
23
Keep slight right to continue on CA 54 West
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 54 West
24
Merge slight left onto South Bay Freeway
0.4 mi
·
27 sec
·
South Bay Freeway
25
Take the exit slight right toward Highland Avenue, 4th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Highland Avenue, 4th Avenue
26
Turn left onto Highland Avenue
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Highland Avenue
27
Continue on 4th Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
4th Avenue
28
Turn right onto F Street
322 ft
·
34 sec
·
F Street
29
Continue on F Street
272 ft
·
5 sec
·
F Street
30
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 134.2 miles from Buellton, CA, or about 2h 5m 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 59 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 134.2 miles or 2h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Chula Vista, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Buellton, 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 Buellton, CA
This is one driving day of about 268.4 miles and 4h 10m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 59 miles from Buellton, 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 134.2 mi from Buellton, CA · 2h 5m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
134 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 59 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 134.2 miles from Buellton, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Chula Vista, CA
The final approach into Chula Vista, 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 Chula Vista, 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
$61.69 one way
$123.38 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
94 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $63.57 | $127.14 |
| premium | $6.18 | $65.27 | $130.54 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $59.26 | $118.52 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$87–$112
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 93.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 80.5 | 0 | $28.18 | $12.88 |
| Efficient EV | 67.1 | 0 | $23.48 | $10.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 107.4 | 1 | $37.58 | $17.18 |
Gas CO2
94 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Chula Vista, CA
Late night in Chula Vista on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
11 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
4h 10m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, CA covers 268.4 miles and takes about 4h 10m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 246, I 405 North, I 405 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 134.2 miles from Buellton, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $61.69 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. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 4h 10m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Buellton, CA to Chula Vista, 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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