Origin
La Quinta, CA
Evening in La Quinta on Sunday
Local time
7:10 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA
Drive Time
2h 30m
Distance
132.8 mi
214 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 20m
★
6 AM
2h 31m
8 AM
2h 51m
10 AM
2h 38m
12 PM
2h 36m
3 PM
2h 39m
5 PM
2h 50m
8 PM
2h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
La Quinta, CA
Miguel Cuenca
Long Beach, CA
Saidamir Mukhitdinov
Trip Overview
The drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 132.8 miles and takes about 2h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Eisenhower Drive, Washington Street, Varner Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $30.75 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
66.4 miles from La Quinta, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 15m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 30m drive with frequent turns across 132.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 33 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eisenhower Drive is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA is easy. At 2h 30m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Washington Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Varner Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 10 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 60 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Moreno Valley Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Eisenhower Drive
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between La Quinta, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Calle Chihuahua
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Calle Chihuahua
2
Turn left onto Eisenhower Drive
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Eisenhower Drive
3
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Eisenhower Drive
102 ft
·
3 sec
·
Eisenhower Drive
4
Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Eisenhower Drive
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Eisenhower Drive
144 ft
·
4 sec
·
Eisenhower Drive
6
Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
Eisenhower Drive
7
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Eisenhower Drive
108 ft
·
3 sec
·
Eisenhower Drive
8
Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Eisenhower Drive
9
Turn left onto Washington Street
4.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Washington Street
10
Turn left onto Varner Road
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
·
Varner Road
11
Take the ramp left toward I 10 West
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
I 10 West
12
Merge slight left onto Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
25 mi
·
27 min
·
Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
13
Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
18 mi
·
19 min
·
Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
14
Take the exit slight left toward CA 60 West: Riverside
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
CA 60 West: Riverside
15
Continue on Moreno Valley Freeway
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
16
Continue on Moreno Valley Expressway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Moreno Valley Expressway
17
Continue on Moreno Valley Freeway
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Moreno Valley Freeway
18
Merge slight left onto Escondido Freeway
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Escondido Freeway
19
Take the exit slight right toward CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach Cities
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 91 West: Riverside, Beach Cities
20
Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Riverside Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward Main Street
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
Main Street
22
Continue straight
17 mi
·
19 min
23
Keep slight left to continue on Costa Mesa Freeway
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
24
Take the exit slight right toward CA 22 West: Garden Grove Freeway, Long Beach
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 22 West: Garden Grove Freeway, Long Beach
25
Merge slight left onto Garden Grove Freeway
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Garden Grove Freeway
26
Continue on San Diego Freeway
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
27
Take the exit slight right toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
CA 22 West: Long Beach
28
Keep slight left to continue on East 7th Street
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
29
Turn left onto Rose Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rose Avenue
30
At the end of the road, turn right onto East 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 4th Street
31
Turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alamitos Avenue
32
Turn right onto East Ocean Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ocean Boulevard
33
Arrive at your destination
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 66.4 miles from La Quinta, CA, or about 1h 15m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 1h 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.4 miles or 1h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 3m
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 La Quinta, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from La Quinta, CA
This is one driving day of about 132.8 miles and 2h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from La Quinta, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 66.4 mi from La Quinta, CA · 1h 15m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 66.4 miles from La Quinta, 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.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Long Beach, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$30.75 one way
$61.51 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
47 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $31.72 | $63.43 |
| premium | $6.24 | $32.64 | $65.28 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $29.50 | $59.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 39.8 | 0 | $13.94 | $6.37 |
| Efficient EV | 33.2 | 0 | $11.62 | $5.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.1 | 0 | $18.59 | $8.50 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (65% 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
Evening in Long Beach on Sunday
Local time
7:10 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Along the Route
52°F
Riverside, CA
66 mi in
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
15 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
2h 30m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 132.8 miles and takes about 2h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eisenhower Drive, Washington Street, Varner Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 66.4 miles from La Quinta, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $30.75 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA is easy. At 2h 30m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from La Quinta, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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