Costco Gas on Your Next Road Trip Can Save Lots of Money
Updated, April 2026, from a 2010 article
Did you know Costco gas is sometimes .15 to .30 cents cheaper than regular name-brand gas, according to Inc? That's a fairly big savings - shop for gas on a major interstate like I-5, and the price difference can be even more dramatic. The problem is, most Costcos are near city centers or shopping areas - not really ideal for the highway traveler. So here are a few you can easily find on the road from LA to SF.
There's a Costco in Lakewood, CA, right behind the Lakewood Center Mall. It's not really freeway close, but about 2 miles east of the 605 Fwy or 2 miles South of the 91 Fwy. The address is 340 Lakewood Center Mall.
Just North of Los Angeles, the Pacoima Costco is very near the 118 Fwy. If you use the 210 to get to I-5, this one is perfect. It's located at 13550 W Paxton in Pacoima.
Travel North out of LA on I-5, and the Costcos get pretty slim. If you need gas just outside the Grapevine, take 99 instead of I-5 for a few miles. The speed limit is still 70 here, so you won't lose much time. The Southwest Bakersfield Costco is located at 3800 Rosedale Hwy, Bakersfield, CA 93308. Don't go back to CA 99; instead, keep driving West, you'll catch I-5 again. The roads are rural, and there's little traffic once you pass a few traffic lights.
In the Bay Area, there's a freeway close to Costco gas in Livermore at 2800 Independence Drive and one in Fairfield at 5101 Business Center Drive.
Or, if you're heading to Sacramento, look for a Costco gas station in Tracy at 3250 W Grant Line Road.
Up Highway 50 on the way to South Lake Tahoe, there are two places just outside Sacramento to get cheap gas. One is off Iron Point Road near El Dorado Hills, but that one can get really crowded. Instead, get off at Sunrise Blvd - there's an older Costco at Sunrise and White Rock Road in Rancho Cordova, 11260 White Rock Road.
Unless you're driving a supercharged F-150, you should be able to hit a Costco and pay less for gas the entire trip.
Soon, Costco will have stand-alone gas stations - via The Drive . The first will be in Mission Viejo, California.
Very Helpful info. I am going to drive from Sacramento back to Los Angeles tomorrow. Fresno should be an ideal midway stop. There is a Costco about a third of a mile off fwy 99. Even if I don't need to refuel there, Costco food court is a good place to get something for lunch.
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ReplyDeleteWe are traveling from SF to LA this week and are coscco members. Gas prices are heading to $5 per gallon. Thank you sooo much for posting this page.
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ReplyDeletemy thirsty 1996 toyota land cruiser and i thank you! LA to SF just got cheaper! what a great post.
ReplyDeletedriving to calsbad (lagoland) and I only like using Costco gas this really helped..
ReplyDeleteVery helpful. Thank you!
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