Origin
Dana Point, CA
Morning in Dana Point on Friday
Local time
9:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Dana Point, CA to Long Beach, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
44.3 mi
71 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Sparse
1 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Dana Point, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Dana Point, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 44.3 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on San Diego Freeway, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, Corona Del Mar Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 14.1 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 44.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Dana Point, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 44.3 miles and takes about 1h 1m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Diego Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near I 5 / San Diego Freeway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.3 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 2.5 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (CA 73 / San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.7 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Merge onto I 5 / San Diego Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CA 73 / San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73 / San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor toward CA 73 North: Long Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 73 North: Long Beach
6
34.7 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
I 405
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
37.4 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
CA 22
Take the exit onto CA 22 toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
6
42.6 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
Rose Avenue
Turn left onto Rose Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor | 14.1 mi | 16m |
| Corona Del Mar Freeway | 4 mi | 4m |
| East 7th Street | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| I 405 | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| CA 22 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Del Obispo Street | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| East 4th Street | 0.7 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 14.1 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Dana Point, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Golden Lantern Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Golden Lantern Street
2
Turn left onto Del Prado Avenue
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
Del Prado Avenue
3
Turn right onto PCH
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Pacific Coast Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Turn left onto Del Obispo Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Del Obispo Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Stonehill Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Stonehill Drive
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 5 North: Los Angeles
7
Merge onto I 5
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73
14 mi
·
16 min
·
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
Toward CA 73 North: Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 73
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Corona Del Mar Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 405
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto CA 22
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 22
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
14
Turn left onto Rose Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rose Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto East 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 4th Street
16
Turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alamitos Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto East Ocean Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.1 mi from Dana Point, CA · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Dana Point, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.18 one way
$20.36 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.49 | $20.98 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.77 | $21.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.78 | $19.56 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.3 | 0 | $4.65 | $2.13 |
| Efficient EV | 11.1 | 0 | $3.88 | $1.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.7 | 0 | $6.20 | $2.84 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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.
Destination
Long Beach, CA
Morning in Long Beach on Friday
Local time
9:02 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Partly Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 1m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Dana Point, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 44.3 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, Corona Del Mar Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 22.1 miles from Dana Point, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.18 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.3 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 2.5 miles (I 5 / San Diego Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (CA 73 / San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.7 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Dana Point, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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