Trip from Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA

Drive Time

9h 23m

Distance

500.9 mi

806 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$116

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min
4 AM
9h 15m ★
6 AM
9h 23m
8 AM
9h 40m
10 AM
9h 29m
12 PM
9h 27m
3 PM
9h 30m
5 PM
9h 39m
8 PM
9h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Laguna, CA, CA

Laguna, CA

Tori Pezzulla❤️

Downtown La Quinta, CA, CA

La Quinta, CA

Miguel Cuenca

Trip Overview

The drive from Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA covers 500.9 miles and takes about 9h 23m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Mapleview Way, November Drive, Seasons Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $116.00 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

250.5 miles from Laguna, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 41m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 500.9 miles and 9h 23m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are Mapleview Way and November Drive.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 41 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Mapleview Way is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 9h 23m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Mapleview Way Unavailable Refreshing
November Drive Unavailable Refreshing
Seasons Drive Unavailable Refreshing
Laguna Park Drive Unavailable Refreshing
Foulks Ranch Drive Unavailable Refreshing
Elk Grove Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
Franklin Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
Hood Franklin Road Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Mapleview Way — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Laguna, CA and La Quinta, CA.

1

Start on Fall Breeze Court

184 ft · 10 sec · Fall Breeze Court
2

Turn right onto Mapleview Way

154 ft · 10 sec · Mapleview Way
3

Turn right onto November Drive

0.1 mi · 29 sec · November Drive
4

Turn right onto Seasons Drive

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Seasons Drive
5

Turn left onto Laguna Park Drive

0.2 mi · 33 sec · Laguna Park Drive
6

Turn left onto Foulks Ranch Drive

0.7 mi · 1 min · Foulks Ranch Drive
7

Turn right onto Elk Grove Boulevard

1.0 mi · 1 min · Elk Grove Boulevard
8

Turn left onto Franklin Boulevard

1.1 mi · 1 min · Franklin Boulevard
9

Keep slight right to continue on Franklin Boulevard

1.2 mi · 2 min · Franklin Boulevard
10

Turn right onto Hood Franklin Road

1.2 mi · 2 min · Hood Franklin Road
11

Take the ramp slight right

0.2 mi · 24 sec
12

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

45 mi · 49 min · Westside Freeway
13

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

0.8 mi · 49 sec · Westside Freeway
14

Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

237 mi · 4 hr 13 min · Westside Freeway
15

Keep slight right

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min
16

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.0 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
17

Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 210 East: Pasadena
18

Continue on Foothill Freeway

24 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway
19

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

19 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway
20

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

0.5 mi · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway
21

Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

0.9 mi · 1 min · CA 57 South: Santa Ana
22

Continue on Orange Freeway

3.4 mi · 3 min · Orange Freeway
23

Take the exit slight right toward I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

0.2 mi · 23 sec · I 10 East, I 10 West: San Bernardino, Los Angeles
24

Keep slight left to continue on I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino

0.7 mi · 1 min · I 10 East: San Bernardino Freeway, San Bernardino
25

Merge slight left onto San Bernardino Freeway

1.9 mi · 2 min · San Bernardino Freeway
26

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

4.0 mi · 4 min · San Bernardino Freeway
27

Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

9.0 mi · 9 min · I-10 Metro ExpressLanes
28

Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

14 mi · 16 min · San Bernardino Freeway
29

Continue on Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway

40 mi · 44 min · Pearl Harbor Memorial Highway
30

Keep slight left to continue on Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway

25 mi · 27 min · Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway
31

Take the exit slight right toward Washington Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Washington Street
32

Turn right onto Washington Street

4.7 mi · 8 min · Washington Street
33

Turn right onto Eisenhower Drive

1.8 mi · 3 min · Eisenhower Drive
34

Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Eisenhower Drive

79 ft · 2 sec · Eisenhower Drive
35

Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Eisenhower Drive
36

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Eisenhower Drive

98 ft · 3 sec · Eisenhower Drive
37

Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Eisenhower Drive
38

Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Eisenhower Drive

98 ft · 3 sec · Eisenhower Drive
39

Exit the roundabout onto Eisenhower Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Eisenhower Drive
40

Turn right onto Calle Chihuahua

0.1 mi · 26 sec · Calle Chihuahua
41

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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 250.5 miles from Laguna, CA, or about 4h 41m 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 110 miles or 2h 3m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 250.5 miles or 4h 41m 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 250.5 miles or 4h 41m

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 8h 15m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near La Quinta, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Laguna, 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 Laguna, CA

Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into La Quinta, CA

Aim for roughly 250 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 110 miles from Laguna, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 250.5 mi from Laguna, CA · 4h 41m into the drive

Downtown Bakersfield, CA, CA

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Bakersfield, CA

165 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.

Popular next leg

Bakersfield, CA to La Quinta, CA

238.9 mi · 4h 37m

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Anaheim, CA

331 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 Anaheim, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Santa Clarita, CA

250 mi · about 4.7h in

A practical overnight split lands near Santa Clarita, CA after about 250 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Modesto, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 110 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Clarita, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 250.5 miles from Laguna, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 250 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.

Arriving in La Quinta, CA

The final approach into La Quinta, 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 La Quinta, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach La Quinta, 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

$116.00 one way

$231.99 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 175 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $119.62 $239.25
premium $6.24 $123.11 $246.23
diesel $5.64 $111.28 $222.57

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$116

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$246–$356

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 175.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $53 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 150.3 1 $52.59 $24.04
Efficient EV 125.2 1 $43.83 $20.04
EV Truck/SUV 200.4 2 $70.13 $32.06

Gas CO2

175 kg

EV CO2

59 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Laguna, CA

Night in Laguna on Sunday

Local time

10:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

La Quinta, CA

Night in La Quinta on Sunday

Local time

10:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

59°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

13 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 23m 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 Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA covers 500.9 miles and takes about 9h 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Mapleview Way, November Drive, Seasons Drive. 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 250 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 250.5 miles from Laguna, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $116.00 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 23m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Laguna, CA to La Quinta, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

La Quinta, CA to Laguna, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

503.7 mi 8h 18m

Explore more options from Laguna, CA or browse trips ending in La Quinta, CA.

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