Traffic Predict
Los Angeles to Bakersfield: Thanksgiving Traffic 2026
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 177 minutes, 4 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (130 minutes) or 9 pm (126 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 4:30 pm (146 minutes); around 7:30 am it takes 124 minutes.
Day by day
- Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (131 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (190 minutes, 8 minutes more than a normal Tuesday).
- Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 am (126 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (177 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Wednesday).
- Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8 am (118 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (187 minutes, 35 minutes less than a normal Thursday).
- Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 am (122 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (190 minutes, 28 minutes less than a normal Friday).
- Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 7 am (129 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (156 minutes, 7 minutes less than a normal Saturday).
- Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (124 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (146 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Sunday).
Drive time by departure
| Leave | 5am | 6am | 7am | 8am | 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm | 9pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue Nov 24 | 126 | 134 | 133 | 133 | 136 | 149 | 152 | 154 | 157 | 172 | 190 | 180 | 181 | 164 | 152 | 140 | 128 |
| Wed Nov 25 | 126 | 134 | 128 | 126 | 130 | 139 | 151 | 153 | 158 | 156 | 169 | 174 | 161 | 144 | 136 | 139 | 126 |
| Thu Nov 26 | 122 | 129 | 121 | 118 | 120 | 124 | 133 | 136 | 140 | 140 | 168 | 187 | 165 | 140 | 140 | 140 | 131 |
| Fri Nov 27 | 124 | 132 | 124 | 122 | 130 | 133 | 141 | 150 | 154 | 170 | 187 | 161 | 151 | 141 | 137 | 142 | 130 |
| Sat Nov 28 | 125 | 131 | 129 | 131 | 133 | 134 | 142 | 146 | 144 | 144 | 148 | 153 | 155 | 137 | 136 | 137 | 126 |
| Sun Nov 29 | 124 | 125 | 124 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 140 | 139 | 141 | 142 | 139 | 142 | 145 | 143 | 141 | 140 | 129 |
Minutes for the 112-mile drive, streets included (hover a cell for a normal day). Estimated from this trip's typical speeds and how much each freeway on it sped up or slowed down on past Thanksgivings (2016 onward, leaving out 2020), hour by hour. A crash or storm can change any single day.
Los Angeles to Bakersfield on a normal day →
Thanksgiving traffic across California · Traffic estimator
Questions
What is the worst time to drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield for Thanksgiving?
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving (November 25), the drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield is longest leaving around 3:30 pm: about 177 minutes, 4 minutes less than on a normal Wednesday. Leave around 9 am (130 minutes) or 9 pm (126 minutes) instead. Coming back on Sunday, November 29, the slowest time to leave is around 4:30 pm (146 minutes); around 7:30 am it takes 124 minutes.
How long does the drive from Los Angeles to Bakersfield take over Thanksgiving?
Tuesday, November 24: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (131 minutes), slowest around 3 pm (190 minutes, 8 minutes more than a normal Tuesday). Wednesday, November 25: fastest leaving around 8 am (126 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (177 minutes, 4 minutes less than a normal Wednesday). Thursday, November 26: fastest leaving around 8 am (118 minutes), slowest around 3:30 pm (187 minutes, 35 minutes less than a normal Thursday). Friday, November 27: fastest leaving around 8 am (122 minutes), slowest around 2:30 pm (190 minutes, 28 minutes less than a normal Friday). Saturday, November 28: fastest leaving around 7 am (129 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (156 minutes, 7 minutes less than a normal Saturday). Sunday, November 29: fastest leaving around 7:30 am (124 minutes), slowest around 4:30 pm (146 minutes, 3 minutes less than a normal Sunday).