Trip from Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

50m

Distance

32.5 mi

52 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 12 min

4 AM

0h 46m ★

6 AM

0h 50m

8 AM

0h 58m

10 AM

0h 53m

12 PM

0h 52m

3 PM

0h 53m

5 PM

0h 58m

8 PM

0h 48m

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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city in Lake County, State of Indiana, United States

Gary, IN

Wikimedia Commons

Long Beach, IN

Wolfgang Weiser

Trip Overview

The drive from Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN covers 32.5 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on US 20, I 94, Indiana Toll Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9.4 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.08 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

16.3 miles from Gary, IN

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .

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Drive Character

The drive from Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN covers 32.5 miles and takes about 50m, 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 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 9.4 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 early in the drive near Harrison Boulevard.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 32.5 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: near the start (Harrison Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 7.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

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

0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Harrison Boulevard

Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard

Navigation decision point

1.4 mi into trip | ~3m in

Take the ramp toward I 90 East

Navigation decision point

Toward I 90 East

7.2 mi into trip | ~10m in

Take the exit toward I 94, US 6, SR 51: Detroit, Lake Station

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 21 Toward I 94, US 6, SR 51: Detroit, Lake Station

7.8 mi into trip | ~11m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 94 East: Detroit

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 East: Detroit

14.9 mi into trip | ~19m in

Take the exit toward US 20 East: Porter

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

Use the right lane. Exit 22B Toward US 20 East: Porter

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Lake Station along the way.

Lake Station

7.2 mi in | ~10m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
US 20	9.4 mi	13m
I 94	6.5 mi	7m
Indiana Toll Road	5.4 mi	5m
US-12	2.4 mi	3m
East Dunes Highway	1.6 mi	2m
West Michigan Boulevard	1.1 mi	2m
2nd Street	0.9 mi	1m
West 4th Street	0.8 mi	1m

Longest stretch: US 20 — 9.4 mi, about 13m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Gary, IN and Long Beach, IN.

Start on 10th Place

254 ft · 15 sec · 10th Place

Turn right onto Harrison Boulevard

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Harrison Boulevard

Continue on Harrison Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Harrison Street

Turn right onto US 12; US 20

0.5 mi · 1 min · West 5th Avenue

Turn left onto SR 53

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Broadway

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 51 sec

Toward I 90 East

Merge onto I 90

5.4 mi · 5 min · Indiana Toll Road

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 20 sec

Exit 21 Toward I 94, US 6, SR 51: Detroit, Lake Station Use the slight right lane.

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 15 sec · this road

Continue on this road

0.4 mi · 48 sec · this road

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min

Toward I 94 East: Detroit Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 94

6.5 mi · 7 min · I 94

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Exit 22B Toward US 20 East: Porter Use the right lane.

Turn straight onto US 20

9.4 mi · 13 min · US 20

Turn left onto SR 520

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Maple Street

At end of road, turn right onto US 12

1.6 mi · 2 min · East Dunes Highway

Turn straight onto US 12

1.2 mi · 1 min · US-12

Continue on US 12

0.8 mi · 1 min · West 4th Street

Continue on US 12

1.1 mi · 2 min · West Michigan Boulevard

Continue on US 12

0.9 mi · 1 min · 2nd Street

Continue on US 12

1.2 mi · 1 min · US-12

Turn left onto North Karwick Road

0.4 mi · 1 min · North Karwick Road

Continue on Avondale Drive

0.2 mi · 38 sec · Avondale Drive

Turn left onto Oriole Trail

0.2 mi · 49 sec · Oriole Trail

Turn left onto Somerset Road

209 ft · 9 sec · Somerset Road

Continue on Somerset Road

259 ft · 11 sec · Somerset Road

Arrive at destination

Claremont Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.

You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.

The halfway point lands around 16.3 miles from Gary, IN, or about 22m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 9.4 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 32.5 miles or 50m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 16.3 miles or 22m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 39m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Gary, IN 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Gary, IN

This is one driving day of about 32.5 miles and 50m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Gary, IN.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.

The longest stretch is on US 20 for about 9.4 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 16.3 mi from Gary, IN · 22m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

16 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

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 32.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Chicago, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.3 miles from Gary, IN, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Long Beach, IN

The final approach into Long Beach, IN 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, IN.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.08 one way

$10.16 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$5.58	$11.16
premium	$4.89	$6.25	$12.51
diesel	$5.61	$7.18	$14.35

Estimated Tolls: $0.38

Indiana Toll Road (5.4 mi) $0.38

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

Tolls

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$30–$55

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	9.8	$3.41	$1.56
Efficient EV	8.1	$2.84	$1.30
EV Truck/SUV	13	$4.55	$2.08

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Gary, IN

Late night in Gary on Wednesday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

57°F

Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

SSW 15 to 20 mph 60% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 10:37PM EDT until April 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 6:31PM CDT until April 15 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

Long Beach, IN

Late night in Long Beach on Wednesday

Local time

4:38 AM

CDT

Current temp

61°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 15 mph 29% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 10:37PM EDT until April 17 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Northern Indiana

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 13 at 6:31PM CDT until April 15 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

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.

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

4 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

50m 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 Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN covers 32.5 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are US 20, I 94, Indiana Toll Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 16.3 miles from Gary, IN. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.08 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.

On the drive from Gary, IN to Long Beach, IN, road signs begin pointing toward Lake Station along the way.

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