Skip to main content

Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 27m

Distance

126.4 mi

203 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 30 min
4 AM
2h 17m ★
6 AM
2h 27m
8 AM
2h 47m
10 AM
2h 34m
12 PM
2h 32m
3 PM
2h 35m
5 PM
2h 46m
8 PM
2h 21m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Downtown Buttonwillow, CA, CA

Buttonwillow, CA

Anna Arysheva

Trip Overview

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA covers 126.4 miles and takes about 2h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $29.05 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

63.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 13m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 27m. Total distance: 126.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 27m 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 2h 27m drive with frequent turns across 126.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Broadway 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 Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA is easy. At 2h 27m 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 Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Broadway
US 101 North
Santa Ana Freeway
Hollywood Freeway
Golden State Freeway
I 5
Westside Freeway
CA 58

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: North Broadway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Buttonwillow, CA.

1

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · West 1st Street
2

Turn right onto North Broadway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Broadway
3

Take the ramp right toward US 101 North, CA 110

0.2 mi · 30 sec · US 101 North, CA 110
4

Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
5

Continue on Hollywood Freeway

15 mi · 19 min · Hollywood Freeway
6

Keep slight left

0.9 mi · 59 sec
7

Merge slight left onto Golden State Freeway

4.5 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
8

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
9

Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
10

Keep slight left

36 mi · 41 min
11

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
12

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

37 mi · 39 min · Westside Freeway
13

Take the exit slight right toward CA 58: Buttonwillow, McKittrick

0.2 mi · 34 sec · CA 58: Buttonwillow, McKittrick
14

Continue on Tracy Avenue

0.3 mi · 30 sec · Tracy Avenue
15

At the end of the road, turn right onto Hageman Road

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Hageman Road
16

Continue on McKittrick Highway

3.9 mi · 5 min · McKittrick Highway
17

Turn right onto North Main Street

348 ft · 17 sec · North Main Street
18

Turn right onto East 1st Street

49 ft · 2 sec · East 1st Street
19

Arrive at your destination

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 63.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 1h 13m 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 28 miles or 32m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 63.2 miles or 1h 13m 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

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buttonwillow, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA

This is one driving day of about 126.4 miles and 2h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 28 miles from Los Angeles, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 63.2 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 1h 13m into the drive

city in Los Angeles County, California, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Santa Clarita, CA

63 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

West Hollywood, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Clarita, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 63.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Buttonwillow, CA

The final approach into Buttonwillow, 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 Buttonwillow, 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

$29.05 one way

$58.10 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 44 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $29.94 $59.88
premium $6.18 $30.74 $61.48
diesel $5.61 $27.91 $55.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 44.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 37.9 0 $13.27 $6.07
Efficient EV 31.6 0 $11.06 $5.06
EV Truck/SUV 50.6 0 $17.70 $8.09

Gas CO2

44 kg

EV CO2

15 kg (66% 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

Los Angeles, CA

Afternoon in Los Angeles on Thursday

Local time

2:33 PM

PDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Buttonwillow, CA

Afternoon in Buttonwillow on Thursday

Local time

2:33 PM

PDT

Current temp

50°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

4 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 27m 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 Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA covers 126.4 miles and takes about 2h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 63.2 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $29.05 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.
The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA is easy. At 2h 27m 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 Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Los Angeles, CA to Buttonwillow, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Buttonwillow, CA to Los Angeles, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

125.6 mi 2h 26m

More trips to Buttonwillow, CA

Explore more options from Los Angeles, CA or browse trips ending in Buttonwillow, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for Los Angeles, CA or Buttonwillow, CA on MapSof.net.