Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from San Jose, CA to Buttonwillow, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

4h 8m

Distance

217 mi

349 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$50

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

7 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
3h 55m ★
6 AM
4h 8m
8 AM
4h 34m
10 AM
4h 17m
12 PM
4h 15m
3 PM
4h 19m
5 PM
4h 33m
8 PM
4h 0m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city and county seat of Santa Clara County, California, United States

San Jose, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Buttonwillow, CA, CA

Buttonwillow, CA

Anna Arysheva

Trip Overview

The drive from San Jose, CA to Buttonwillow, CA covers 217 miles and takes about 4h 8m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, Pacheco Pass Highway, US 101 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 138.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $49.88 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

108.5 miles from San Jose, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 8m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 8m. Total distance: 217 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

4h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 4h 8m highway drive covering 217 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and Pacheco Pass Highway. The longest continuous stretch is about 138.9 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 138.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Pacheco Pass Highway. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North San Pedro Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 217 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North San Pedro Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | North San Pedro Street

Turn left onto North San Pedro Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the ramp toward CA 87 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward CA 87 South
7
6.1 mi into trip | ~8m in

Take the exit toward Santa Teresa Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 1C Toward Santa Teresa Boulevard
8
6.6 mi into trip | ~8m in

Turn left toward CA 85 South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane. Toward CA 85 South
8
212.8 mi into trip | ~3h 59m in

Take the exit toward Buttonwillow, McKittrick

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 263 Toward Buttonwillow, McKittrick

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 138.9 mi 2h 28m
Pacheco Pass Highway 40.6 mi 50m
US 101 20.3 mi 23m
CA 85 5.1 mi 5m
Guadalupe Parkway 4.1 mi 4m
Buttonwillow Drive 3.6 mi 6m
Guadalupe Freeway 1.4 mi 1m
CA 152 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 138.9 mi, about 2h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Buttonwillow, CA.

1

Start on North Market Street

110 ft · 5 sec · North Market Street
2

Turn right onto Devine Street

275 ft · 17 sec · Devine Street
3

Turn left onto North San Pedro Street

306 ft · 17 sec · North San Pedro Street
4

Turn right onto West Saint James Street

0.1 mi · 16 sec · West Saint James Street
5

Continue on West Julian Street

356 ft · 7 sec · West Julian Street
Use the straight lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward CA 87 South Use the right lane.
7

Merge onto CA 87

1.4 mi · 1 min · Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on CA 87

4.1 mi · 4 min · Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 30 sec
Exit 1C Toward Santa Teresa Boulevard Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Continue on CA 87

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Santa Teresa Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11

Turn left

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward CA 85 South Use the left lane.
12

Merge onto CA 85

4.7 mi · 5 min · CA 85
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on CA 85

0.4 mi · 27 sec · CA 85
Exit 1A Toward US 101 South
14

Continue on US 101

20 mi · 23 min · US 101
15

Take the exit onto CA 152

0.3 mi · 39 sec · CA 152
Toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
16

Turn left onto CA 152

353 ft · 12 sec · East 10th Street
17

Continue on CA 152

41 mi · 50 min · Pacheco Pass Highway
18

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 5: Los Angeles
19

Merge onto I 5

139 mi · 2 hr 28 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 49 sec
Exit 263 Toward Buttonwillow, McKittrick Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Turn straight onto Buttonwillow Drive

3.6 mi · 6 min · Buttonwillow Drive
22

Turn left onto West 1st Street

0.3 mi · 1 min · West 1st Street
23

Arrive at destination

East 1st Street

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 108.5 miles from San Jose, CA, or about 2h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 138.9 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 48 miles or 58m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 108.5 miles or 2h 8m 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 22m

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 San Jose, 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 San Jose, CA

This is one driving day of about 217 miles and 4h 8m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from San Jose, 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.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 138.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 108.5 mi from San Jose, CA · 2h 8m into the drive

city in Santa Clara County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gilroy, CA

109 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

Gilroy, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 48 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Los Banos, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 108.5 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 138.9 miles.

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.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Urban Putt San Jose

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

San Jose, California

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

Hours: 5–10 pm

+18339984994

Visit website

Urban Putt San Jose

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 5–10 pm

+18339984994

Visit website

Round1 Bowling & Arcade Eastridge Shopping Center

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~11 min detour

4.6 mi from route ~11 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 10 am–2 pm

+14085138290

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 108.5

Firebaugh, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18777983752

Visit website

Rivian Adventure Network

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 108.5

Firebaugh, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18337484267

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.1 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 108.5

Firebaugh, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 139.5

Coalinga, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 170.5

Kettleman City, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

3 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 139.5

Coalinga, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

EV Range Charging Station

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, ~9 min detour

3.4 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 170.5

Kettleman City, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18333872643

Visit website

Breakout Studios

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: Closed

+14083201962

Visit website

Rotary PlayGarden

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 10 am–6:30 pm

+14082987657

Visit website

The Tech Interactive

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.6 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 10 am–3 pm

+14082948324

Visit website

San Jose Museum of Art

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 4–9 pm

+14082716840

Visit website

Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 9:30 am–4:30 pm

+14082985437

Visit website

Guadalupe River Park

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+14082987657

Visit website

Smash City Rage Rooms

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.1 mi from route ~3 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+14085640916

Visit website

Discovery Meadow

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour

San Jose, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+14082987657

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$49.88 one way

$99.75 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 76 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $51.40 $102.79
premium $6.18 $52.77 $105.54
diesel $5.61 $47.91 $95.82

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$50

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$75–$100

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 75.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

7 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Rivian Adventure Network

Firebaugh, California

Rivian

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Firebaugh, California

Tesla

1 DCFC

EV Range Charging Station

Kettleman City, California

Other

1 DCFC

Electrify America Charging Station

Kettleman City, California

Electrify America

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Coalinga, California

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

Electrify America Charging Station

Coalinga, California

Electrify America

1 DCFC

Electrify America Charging Station

Firebaugh, California

Electrify America

1 DCFC

Electrify America: 3 Rivian: 1 Tesla: 1 Other: 1 ChargePoint: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $23 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 65.1 0 $22.78 $10.42
Efficient EV 54.3 0 $18.99 $8.68
EV Truck/SUV 86.8 1 $30.38 $13.89

Gas CO2

76 kg

EV CO2

25 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

San Jose, CA

Evening in San Jose on Thursday

Local time

6:05 PM

PDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Buttonwillow, CA

Evening in Buttonwillow on Thursday

Local time

6:05 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

6 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

4h 8m 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 San Jose, CA to Buttonwillow, CA covers 217 miles and takes about 4h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, Pacheco Pass Highway, US 101. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 108.5 miles from San Jose, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $49.88 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 217 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North San Pedro Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 6.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from San Jose, 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

Continue From Buttonwillow, CA

San Francisco, CA 258.5 mi · 4h 49m Anaheim, CA 151.6 mi · 2h 56m Long Beach, CA 149.7 mi · 2h 54m Los Angeles, CA 125.6 mi · 2h 26m

More from San Jose, CA

Mesa Verde, CA 554.1 mi · 10h 20m Descanso, CA 490.2 mi · 9h 24m Alpine, CA 479.4 mi · 9h 12m Eucalyptus Hills, CA 469.5 mi · 9h Chula Vista, CA 468.3 mi · 8h 58m Indian Wells, CA 461.4 mi · 8h 43m

More trips to Buttonwillow, CA

San Francisco, CA 257.7 mi Laguna, CA 250.8 mi Los Angeles, CA 126.4 mi
Overnight trips from San Jose, CA Scenic drives in CA

Explore more options from San Jose, CA or browse trips ending in Buttonwillow, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for San Jose, CA or Buttonwillow, CA on MapSof.net.