Origin
Irvine, CA
Night in Irvine on Sunday
Local time
10:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA
Drive Time
13h 25m
Distance
695.1 mi
1,119 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$161
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
13h 13m
★
6 AM
13h 25m
8 AM
13h 49m
10 AM
13h 34m
12 PM
13h 31m
3 PM
13h 35m
5 PM
13h 48m
8 PM
13h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Arcata, CA
Ashish Durgude
Trip Overview
The drive from Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA covers 695.1 miles and takes about 13h 25m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on University Drive, Jeffrey Road, I 405 North for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $160.97 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
3 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
347.5 miles from Irvine, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 42m into the drive .
Drive Character
At 695.1 miles and 13h 25m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are University Drive and Jeffrey Road.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 63 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
University Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
At 13h 25m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. A moderate number of decision points keep you engaged without being stressful.
Route Complexity
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 695.1 miles you will encounter 0 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?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| University Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Jeffrey Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 405 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| San Diego Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 55 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 55 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 5 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
University Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Irvine, CA and Arcata, CA.
1
Start on San Diego Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
2
Take the exit slight right toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Jeffrey Road
4
Take the ramp slight right toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 North: Los Angeles
5
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
6
Take the exit slight right toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
7
Keep slight right to continue on CA 55 North
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
·
CA 55 North
8
Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
9
Keep slight right to continue on Costa Mesa Freeway
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
10
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
I 5 North: Santa Ana
11
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
12
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
13
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
14
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
15
Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
17
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
18
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
19
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
22
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
23
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
24
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
25
Take the exit slight right toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
26
Keep slight right to continue on I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
0.3 mi
·
30 sec
·
I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
27
Merge slight left onto Donald D Doyle Highway
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
28
Continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
29
Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
6.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
30
Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
243 ft
·
3 sec
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
31
Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
32
Keep slight left to continue on I 780: Benicia
6.7 mi
·
7 min
·
I 780: Benicia
33
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Sacramento
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
I 80 East: Sacramento
34
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Sacramento
449 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 80 East: Sacramento
35
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
36
Take the exit slight right toward CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway
37
Keep slight left to continue on CA 37: Napa
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 37: Napa
38
Continue on CA 37
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 37
39
Take the exit slight right toward CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard
40
Turn right onto Sonoma Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Sonoma Boulevard
41
Continue on Broadway Street
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Broadway Street
42
Continue on Napa–Vallejo Highway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Napa–Vallejo Highway
43
Continue on Saint Helena Highway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
44
Continue on Main Street
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Main Street
45
Continue on Saint Helena Highway
6.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
46
Continue on Foothill Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Boulevard
47
Continue on Saint Helena Highway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
48
Continue on Saint Helena Highway
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Saint Helena Highway
49
At the end of the road, turn right onto Geyserville Avenue
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Geyserville Avenue
50
Turn left onto Canyon Road
361 ft
·
7 sec
·
Canyon Road
51
Take the exit right
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
52
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
55 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
Redwood Highway
53
Continue on Willits Bypass
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Willits Bypass
54
Take the exit slight right
0.7 mi
·
48 sec
55
Merge slight left onto Willits Bypass
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Willits Bypass
56
Continue on Redwood Highway
129 mi
·
2 hr 38 min
·
Redwood Highway
57
Continue on Broadway Street
2.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Broadway Street
58
Turn right onto West 5th Street
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
West 5th Street
59
Continue on Redwood Highway
6.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Redwood Highway
60
Take the exit slight right toward CA 255: Arcata, Sunnybrae
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
CA 255: Arcata, Sunnybrae
61
Keep slight left
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
62
Keep slight left
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
63
Arrive at your destination
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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 347.5 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 6h 42m into the drive.
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 153 miles or 2h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 347.5 miles or 6h 42m 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 347.5 miles or 6h 42m
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 12h 15m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arcata, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Irvine, 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 Irvine, CA
Aim for roughly 348 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Arcata, CA
Aim for roughly 348 miles and 6.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 153 miles from Irvine, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 347.5 mi from Irvine, CA · 6h 42m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
229 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
459 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 Windsor, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
348 mi · about 6.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Windsor, CA after about 348 miles or 6.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 153 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 347.5 miles from Irvine, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 348 miles or 6.7 hours on the road.
Final-third reset
Rest stopPlan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.
Arriving in Arcata, CA
The final approach into Arcata, 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 Arcata, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Arcata, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$160.97 one way
$321.94 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
243 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $166.00 | $332.01 |
| premium | $6.24 | $170.85 | $341.69 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $154.43 | $308.85 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$161
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$291–$401
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 243.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $73 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 208.5 | 2 | $72.99 | $33.36 |
| Efficient EV | 173.8 | 1 | $60.82 | $27.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 278 | 3 | $97.31 | $44.49 |
Gas CO2
243 kg
EV CO2
81 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.
Destination
Arcata, CA
Night in Arcata on Sunday
Local time
10:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°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
27 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
13h 25m 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 Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA covers 695.1 miles and takes about 13h 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are University Drive, Jeffrey Road, I 405 North. 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 348 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 347.5 miles from Irvine, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $160.97 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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 695.1 miles you will encounter 0 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Irvine, CA to Arcata, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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