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Trip from Durham, CA to Long Beach, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

9h 12m

Distance

490.9 mi

790 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$113

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
9h 4m ★
6 AM
9h 12m
8 AM
9h 29m
10 AM
9h 18m
12 PM
9h 16m
3 PM
9h 19m
5 PM
9h 28m
8 PM
9h 7m

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 Durham, CA, CA

Durham, CA

Stephen Leonardi

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Long Beach, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Durham, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 490.9 miles and takes about 9h 12m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, CA 70 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 303.7 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $112.83 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

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

245.4 miles from Durham, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 37m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 9h 12m highway drive covering 490.9 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. The longest continuous stretch is about 303.7 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 31 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 303.7 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.2 miles in near CA 149.

Driving Effort 9/10

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

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 23 significant decision points across 490.9 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 6.2 miles (CA 149): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles (CA 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 145 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 23 key points

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

8
6.2 mi into trip | ~10m in | CA 149

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149 toward Oroville, Marysville

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward Oroville, Marysville
6
47.8 mi into trip | ~1h in | CA 70

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
145 mi into trip | ~2h 49m in | I 5 / Westside Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
444 mi into trip | ~8h 14m 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
488.5 mi into trip | ~9h 7m 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,...

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 303.7 mi 5h 28m
I 5 Truck 58.6 mi 1h 7m
CA 70 49.2 mi 58m
I 405 Truck 23 mi 26m
San Diego Freeway 18 mi 20m
Golden State Highway 7.7 mi 8m
CA 149 5.5 mi 6m
Bernie Richter Memorial Highway 4.9 mi 5m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 303.7 mi, about 5h 28m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Midway

71 ft · 8 sec · Midway
2

Turn left onto Durham-Dayton Highway

4.5 mi · 7 min · Durham-Dayton Highway
3

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 26 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
4

Merge onto CA 99

1.3 mi · 1 min · CA 99
5

Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149

5.5 mi · 6 min · CA 149
Toward Oroville, Marysville Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6

Merge onto CA 70

19 mi · 22 min · CA 70
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on CA 70

11 mi · 12 min · CA 70
8

Continue on CA 70

1.5 mi · 3 min · CA 70
Use the straight lane.
9

Turn right onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 31 sec · 5th Street
10

Turn left onto CA 70

4.2 mi · 5 min · E Street
11

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70

18 mi · 20 min · CA 70
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Merge onto CA 99

4.9 mi · 5 min · Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
13

Continue on CA 99

7.7 mi · 8 min · Golden State Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto I 5

66 mi · 1 hr 13 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

0.8 mi · 48 sec · Westside Freeway
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

237 mi · 4 hr 13 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

4.1 mi · 4 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

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.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck

23 mi · 26 min · I 405 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight right at fork onto I 405

18 mi · 20 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

377 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach Use the slight right lane.
23

Continue on this road

0.3 mi · 39 sec · this road
Exit 32B Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
24

Merge onto I 710

2.4 mi · 3 min · Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25

Continue on I 710

0.5 mi · 40 sec · Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium Use the slight left / straight lanes.
27

Continue on Shoreline Drive

1.3 mi · 2 min · Shoreline Drive
28

Turn left onto South Chestnut Place

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
29

Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Ocean Boulevard
30

Continue on East Ocean Boulevard

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
31

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 245.4 miles from Durham, CA, or about 4h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 303.7 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 108 miles or 2h 8m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 245.4 miles or 4h 37m 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 245.4 miles or 4h 37m

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 7h 59m

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 Durham, 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 Durham, CA

Aim for roughly 245 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Long Beach, CA

Aim for roughly 245 miles and 4.6 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 108 miles from Durham, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 303.7 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 245.4 mi from Durham, CA · 4h 37m into the drive

county seat of Madera County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Madera, CA

245 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 Madera, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Madera, CA

245 mi · about 4.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Madera, CA after about 245 miles or 4.6 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Laguna, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 108 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Turlock, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 245.4 miles from Durham, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 303.7 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 245 miles or 4.6 hours on the road.

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.

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...

17 mi from route ~41 min detour Free near mile 457
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...

29 mi from route ~73 min detour Free near mile 372.4
View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$112.83 one way

$225.66 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 172 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $116.27 $232.54
premium $6.18 $119.38 $238.76
diesel $5.61 $108.38 $216.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$113

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$243–$353

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 171.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 147.3 1 $51.54 $23.56
Efficient EV 122.7 1 $42.95 $19.64
EV Truck/SUV 196.4 2 $68.73 $31.42

Gas CO2

172 kg

EV CO2

57 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 as of Apr 14, 2026

Origin

Durham, CA

Afternoon in Durham on Thursday

Local time

4:55 PM

PDT

Current temp

66°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Long Beach, CA

Afternoon in Long Beach on Thursday

Local time

4:55 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°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

10 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

9h 12m 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 Durham, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 490.9 miles and takes about 9h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, CA 70. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
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 245 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 245.4 miles from Durham, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $112.83 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 2 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 23 significant decision points across 490.9 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 6.2 miles (CA 149): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.8 miles (CA 70): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 145 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Durham, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument.

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