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Major city · United States

Delano

Stop for half a day on Highway 99 for the Forty Acres labor-history site, or sleep one cheap night; skip if you are not driving.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Delano is a farm town of about 54,000 on Highway 99 in Kern County's San Joaquin Valley, halfway between Bakersfield and Fresno. Its one nationally significant sight is the Forty Acres, the first headquarters of the United Farm Workers, and it works as a two-hour break on a road trip rather than a destination. There is no commercial airport and no rail service, so a car is the only practical way in.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (38 °C (100 °F)+ afternoons), Dec–Feb fog on Highway 99
Airports
BFL · FAT · DLO
Nights
0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Delano911 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Delano, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee to go$2–5
  • BeerDraught beer at a bar$6–9
  • Budget bedBudget motel room (Motel 6, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$70
  • Mid-range bedBudget motel room (Motel 6, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$95
  • High-end bedBudget motel room (Motel 6, Rodeway Inn), a night, per roomUS$130

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$75 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

The Forty Acres (United Farm Workers headquarters)Cesar Chavez and farm-labor historyHighway 99 road stopTable grapes and almonds
Airports
BFL Meadows Field, Bakersfield (Nearest commercial airport, about 50 km (31 mi) south on Highway 99) · FAT Fresno Yosemite International (About 110 km (68 mi) north on Highway 99; more airlines and flights) · DLO Delano Municipal Airport (General aviation only; no scheduled passenger service)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    13°C (55°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    17°C (63°F)

  3. Mar

    Best

    21°C (70°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  5. May

    Best

    30°C (86°F)

  6. Jun

    not flagged

    34°C (93°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    38°C (100°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    37°C (99°F)

  9. Sep

    not flagged

    34°C (93°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    28°C (82°F)

  11. Nov

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    13°C (55°F)

Best: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (38°C (100°F)), coolest Jan (3°C (37°F) low), wettest Jan (7 rain days), driest Jul (0). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Delano: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

13°C (55°F)

3°C (37°F)

7 rd

Feb

17°C (63°F)

5°C (41°F)

7 rd

Mar

21°C (70°F)

7°C (45°F)

6 rd

Apr

25°C (77°F)

9°C (48°F)

3 rd

May

30°C (86°F)

13°C (55°F)

2 rd

Jun

34°C (93°F)

17°C (63°F)

1 rd

Jul

38°C (100°F)

20°C (68°F)

0 rd

Aug

37°C (99°F)

19°C (66°F)

0 rd

Sep

34°C (93°F)

16°C (61°F)

1 rd

Oct

28°C (82°F)

11°C (52°F)

2 rd

Nov

19°C (66°F)

6°C (43°F)

4 rd

Dec

13°C (55°F)

3°C (37°F)

6 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Delano is a driving town: Highway 99 bisects it and almost every motel, restaurant and store has free parking. Delano Area Rapid Transit (DART) runs three local bus lines from 6:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 4:40pm on Saturdays and some holidays. Kern Regional Transit connects to Bakersfield and other Kern County towns. Without a car, plan around the DART timetable rather than assuming you can walk between sights.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Bakersfieldgo

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive south on Highway 99, about 50 km (31 mi)

Basque restaurants, the Kern County Museum and a bigger hotel choice.

Buttonwillow

caution

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive south on Highway 99 then west on Highway 58

Mostly a highway services stop and a race track; little else.

Taft

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Drive south via Highway 33 and Highway 119

Oil-history town; pair it with the West Kern Oil Museum if open.

Tehachapi

go

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive south on Highway 99 then east on Highway 58

Cooler mountain air and the Tehachapi Loop; a better overnight than Delano.

Ridgecrestovernight

Door to door: About 2 h 30 min

Drive east on Highway 178 via Bakersfield

Gateway to the Mojave desert sights; too far for a return day.

Maricopa

skip

Door to door: About 1 h 30 min

Drive south via Highway 33

Very small; only worth it if you are already heading that way.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Girard Street motel strip

Highway 99 interchange cluster: Holiday Inn Express, Rodeway Inn and others within a short walk of each other. Best for one night with a car.

Cecil Avenue

Motel 6 and several restaurants; closer to the older downtown grid.

County Line Road

Best Western Liberty Inn at the north edge of town; quietest, but you need a car for everything.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–90 excl. bed
Mid
$90–150 excl. bed
High
$150+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range chain room (Holiday Inn Express, Best Western)1 × 1 night × US$150US$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130US$260
Fuel, Highway 99 leg of about 150 km1 × US$20US$20
DART local bus day of riding2 × US$4US$8
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$47
Trip total≈ US$258 per person per day, bed includedUS$515

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices are shown before sales tax. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee to go$2–5
Mexican plate at a taqueria$10–16
Pizza, medium$14–22
Draught beer at a bar$6–9
9-hole round at Delano Golf Course$18–20
Gallon of petrol$4–5

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Delano is a normal working farm town, not a tourist target, and violent crime runs above the California average. The practical rules: park in lit motel lots, do not walk the highway shoulders at night, do not pick up hitchhikers near the prisons, and treat summer heat as the main health risk.
  • Two state prisons sit near town; do not pick up hitchhikers on the highway or back roads.
  • A 911 call from a mobile phone may reach the California Highway Patrol rather than the Delano dispatcher: give your street address and cross street clearly.
  • Summer afternoons regularly pass 38 °C (100 °F); carry water and do not leave anyone in a parked car.
  • Winter tule fog on Highway 99 can cut visibility to a few car lengths: slow down and use low beams.
  • The Forty Acres is a working site with limited visitor infrastructure; check hours before driving out.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Delano Police Department (non-emergency)
+1 661-721-3377
Delano Regional Medical Center (24 h ER)
+1 661-725-4800

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

DelanoDelano

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Can you take me to this address, please?To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Delano Police (non-emergency)+1 661-721-3377
  • Delano Regional Medical Center+1 661-725-4800

Embassy

No embassies in Delano. Your country's consulate is most likely in Los Angeles or San Francisco; check before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bakersfield → Delano, Highway 99 by car: about 50 km (31 mi), 45 min
  • Fresno → Delano, Highway 99 by car: about 110 km (68 mi), 1 h 15 min
  • DART local bus: weekday service 6:30am–5:30pm; Saturday 9am–4:40pm; exact fare check with DART

Say or show

  • Where is the Highway 99 on-ramp? — Where is the highway entrance?
  • Is parking free here? — Is there parking here?
  • Can we get the check, please? — The bill, please
  • Do you take credit cards? — Do you take card?

Tipping is expected in the US: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Delano. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (38 °C+ afternoons), Dec–Feb fog on Highway 99 · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources