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Trip from Crescent City, CA to Long Beach, CA

Drive Time

14h 42m

Distance

779.4 mi

1,254 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$180

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 39 min
4 AM
14h 30m ★
6 AM
14h 43m
8 AM
15h 9m
10 AM
14h 52m
12 PM
14h 49m
3 PM
14h 53m
5 PM
15h 8m
8 PM
14h 35m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Crescent City, CA, CA

Crescent City, CA

Michael Darnall

Downtown Long Beach, CA, CA

Long Beach, CA

Saidamir Mukhitdinov

Trip Overview

The drive from Crescent City, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 779.4 miles and takes about 14h 42m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, CA 299, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 424.9 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $180.49 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

4 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

389.7 miles from Crescent City, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 7h 31m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 779.4 miles and 14h 42m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Westside Freeway and CA 299.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 29 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 424.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 299. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 74.5 miles in.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 779.4 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 74.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 211.3 miles (Tehama Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 212.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 22 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
74.5 mi into trip | ~1h 36m in

Take the exit toward CA 299: Weaverville, Redding, Blue Lake, Willow Creek

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

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 299: Weaverville, Redding, Blue Lake,...
6
211.3 mi into trip | ~4h 17m in | Tehama Street

Turn left onto Tehama Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
7
212.9 mi into trip | ~4h 20m in

Take the exit toward I 5 South: Sacramento

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 2A Toward I 5 South: Sacramento
8
732.5 mi into trip | ~13h 45m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 158 Toward I 405 South
7
777 mi into trip | ~14h 37m in

Take the exit toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium

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

Use the slight left / straight lanes. Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center,...

Towns Along This Route

Between Crescent City, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Redding, Blue Lake and Willow Creek.

Redding

74.5 mi in | ~1h 36m

Blue Lake

74.5 mi in | ~1h 36m

Willow Creek

74.5 mi in | ~1h 36m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 424.9 mi 7h 38m
CA 299 136.3 mi 2h 40m
Redwood Highway 73.7 mi 1h 34m
I 5 Truck 58.6 mi 1h 7m
Cascade Wonderland Highway 31.8 mi 34m
I 405 Truck 23 mi 26m
San Diego Freeway 18 mi 20m
Golden State Freeway 4.1 mi 4m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 424.9 mi, about 7h 38m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Crescent City, CA and Long Beach, CA.

1

Start on 9th Street

0.2 mi · 39 sec · 9th Street
2

Turn right onto US 101

0.6 mi · 1 min · L Street
3

Continue on US 101

74 mi · 1 hr 34 min · Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 36 sec
Toward CA 299: Weaverville, Redding, Blue Lake, Willow Creek Use the slight right lane.
5

Continue on CA 299

136 mi · 2 hr 40 min · CA 299
6

Turn right onto Court Street

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Court Street
7

Turn left onto Tehama Street

1.6 mi · 2 min · Tehama Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 55 sec
Exit 2A Toward I 5 South: Sacramento Use the slight right lane.
9

Merge onto I 5

32 mi · 34 min · Cascade Wonderland Highway
10

Continue on I 5

93 mi · 1 hr 39 min · Westside Freeway
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

16 mi · 16 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

79 mi · 1 hr 27 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

0.8 mi · 48 sec · Westside Freeway
14

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

237 mi · 4 hr 13 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

4.1 mi · 4 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

0.3 mi · 17 sec · I 5 Truck
Exit 158 Toward I 405 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck

23 mi · 26 min · I 405 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405

18 mi · 20 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Take the exit

377 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach Use the slight right lane.
21

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 39 sec · this road
Exit 32B Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
22

Merge onto I 710

2.4 mi · 3 min · Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Continue on I 710

0.5 mi · 40 sec · Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium Use the slight left / straight lanes.
25

Continue on Shoreline Drive

1.3 mi · 2 min · Shoreline Drive
26

Turn left onto South Chestnut Place

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
27

Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Ocean Boulevard
28

Continue on East Ocean Boulevard

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
29

Arrive at destination

East Ocean Boulevard

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 4 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 389.7 miles from Crescent City, CA, or about 7h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 424.9 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 171 miles or 3h 29m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 389.7 miles or 7h 31m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 389.7 miles or 7h 31m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 13h 30m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Crescent City, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Crescent City, CA

Aim for roughly 390 miles and 7.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Long Beach, CA

Aim for roughly 390 miles and 7.4 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 171 miles from Crescent City, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 4 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 424.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 389.7 mi from Crescent City, CA · 7h 31m into the drive

Downtown McKinleyville, CA, CA

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

McKinleyville, CA

257 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

Popular next leg

McKinleyville, CA to Long Beach, CA

707.2 mi · 13h 13m

Downtown Davis, CA, CA

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Davis, CA

514 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Davis, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Red Bluff, CA

390 mi · about 7.4h in

A practical overnight split lands near Red Bluff, CA after about 390 miles or 7.4 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

McKinleyville, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 166 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Red Bluff, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 376.6 miles from Crescent City, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 377 miles or 6.4 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Long Beach, CA

The final approach into Long Beach, 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 Long Beach, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Long Beach, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Whiskeytown Lake’s crystal-clear waters are iconic, but this 42,000-acre National Recreation Area offers much more. Explore waterfalls, hike rugged trails, uncover Gold Rush history, and witness the r...

7 mi from route ~18 min detour $15 near mile 181.8
Caution: Winter Hazards on Trails - Downed Trees and High Water
View on nps.gov
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

20 mi from route ~50 min detour Free near mile 727.2
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 649.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$180.49 one way

$360.98 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 273 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $186.14 $372.27
premium $6.24 $191.57 $383.13
diesel $5.64 $173.16 $346.31

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$180

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$310–$420

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 272.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $82 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 233.8 2 $81.84 $37.41
Efficient EV 194.9 2 $68.20 $31.18
EV Truck/SUV 311.8 3 $109.12 $49.88

Gas CO2

273 kg

EV CO2

91 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 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 data refreshed 3 years ago

Origin

Crescent City, CA

Morning in Crescent City on Monday

Local time

7:25 AM

PDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Long Beach, CA

Morning in Long Beach on Monday

Local time

7:25 AM

PDT

Current temp

74°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

11 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

14h 42m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Crescent City, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 779.4 miles and takes about 14h 42m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, CA 299, Redwood Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 390 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 389.7 miles from Crescent City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $180.49 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 4 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 779.4 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 74.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 211.3 miles (Tehama Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 212.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Crescent City, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Redding, Blue Lake and Willow Creek.

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