The drive from Lawndale, CA to Bakersfield, CA covers 120.4 miles and takes about 2h 19m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck, San Diego Freeway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.5 miles on Golden State Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.67 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.
Midpoint
60.2 miles from Lawndale, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m into the drive
.
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."
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 19m. Total distance: 120.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 19m highway drive covering 120.4 miles, with most of the trip on Golden State Freeway and I 5 Truck. The longest continuous stretch is about 47.5 miles on Golden State Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Golden State Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 47.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Golden State Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 120.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.9 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 North: Santa Monica, San Diego Freeway North
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica, San Diego Fre...
9
33.4 mi into trip|~39m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
6
35 mi into trip|~41m in|I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
71.1 mi into trip|~1h 23m in|I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
118.6 mi into trip|~2h 15m in
Take the exit toward California Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 25
Toward California Avenue
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Golden State Freeway
47.5 mi
52m
I 5 Truck
39.3 mi
45m
San Diego Freeway
30.8 mi
35m
California Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
Chester Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Inglewood Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
Hawthorne Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Golden State Freeway
— 47.5 mi, about 52m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawndale, CA and Bakersfield, CA.
1
Start on Manhattan Beach Boulevard
163 ft·4 sec·Manhattan Beach Boulevard
2
Turn right
175 ft·14 sec
3
Turn right onto Hawthorne Boulevard
66 ft·3 sec·Hawthorne Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Manhattan Beach Boulevard
0.5 mi·57 sec·Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
Turn right onto Inglewood Avenue
0.3 mi·34 sec·Inglewood Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica, San Diego Freeway NorthUse the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 405
31 mi·35 min·San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Exit 161AToward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 TruckUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi·41 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi·25 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 99
25 mi·27 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 25Toward California AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto California Avenue
1.2 mi·2 min·California Avenue
15
Turn left onto Chester Avenue
0.3 mi·39 sec·Chester Avenue
16
Turn right onto Truxtun Avenue
19 ft·0 sec·Truxtun Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Truxtun Avenue
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 60.2 miles from Lawndale, CA, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 47.5 miles.
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 26 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 60.2 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bakersfield, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lawndale, 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 Lawndale, CA
This is one driving day of about 120.4 miles and 2h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Lawndale, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Golden State Freeway for about 47.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 60.2 mi from Lawndale, CA
· 1h 10m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...
17 mi from route
~43 min detour
Free
near mile 16.6
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
25 mi from route
~63 min detour
Free
near mile 103.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.67 one way
$55.35 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$28.52
$57.03
premium
$6.18
$29.28
$58.56
diesel
$5.61
$26.58
$53.17
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.1
0
$12.64
$5.78
Efficient EV
30.1
0
$10.54
$4.82
EV Truck/SUV
48.2
0
$16.86
$7.71
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 14, 2026
Origin
Lawndale, CA
Evening
in Lawndale on Friday
Local time
5:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bakersfield, CA
Evening
in Bakersfield on Friday
Local time
5:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
48°F
Partly Cloudy
0 mph1% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 12:37AM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
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
20 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
2h 19m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Lawndale, CA to Bakersfield, CA covers 120.4 miles and takes about 2h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck, San Diego Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 60.2 miles from Lawndale, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.67 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 120.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 33.4 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 35 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Lawndale, CA to Bakersfield, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument.
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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
