The drive from Laguna, CA to Mira Monte, CA covers 359.5 miles and takes about 7h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Westside Freeway, CA 33, West Side Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 257.3 miles on Westside Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $82.63 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
179.8 miles from Laguna, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 3m. Total distance: 359.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 3m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Drive Character
This is a 7h 3m highway drive covering 359.5 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and CA 33. The longest continuous stretch is about 257.3 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 28 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 257.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and CA 33. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Mapleview Way.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 19 significant decision points across 359.5 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 (Mapleview Way): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (J8 / Franklin Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 19 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Mapleview Way
Turn right onto Mapleview Way
Navigation decision point
6
3.4 mi into trip|~7m in|J8 / Franklin Boulevard
Keep slight right at fork onto J8 / Franklin Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
52.2 mi into trip|~1h 2m 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
263.3 mi into trip|~4h 48m in
Take the exit toward CA 43: Taft, Maricopa
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 246
Toward CA 43: Taft, Maricopa
6
265.2 mi into trip|~4h 52m in|CA 43 / Enos Lane
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 43 / Enos Lane
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 Laguna, CA to Mira Monte, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Maricopa along the way.
Maricopa
263.3 mi in|~4h 48m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
257.3 mi
4h 36m
CA 33
56 mi
1h 16m
West Side Highway
19.3 mi
26m
Taft Highway
16.7 mi
23m
Franklin Boulevard
2.3 mi
4m
Enos Lane
1.6 mi
2m
Hood Franklin Road
1.2 mi
2m
Elk Grove Boulevard
1 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 257.3 mi, about 4h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Laguna, CA and Mira Monte, CA.
1
Start on Fall Breeze Court
183 ft·10 sec·Fall Breeze Court
2
Turn right onto Mapleview Way
155 ft·10 sec·Mapleview Way
3
Turn right onto November Drive
0.1 mi·28 sec·November Drive
4
Turn right onto Seasons Drive
0.2 mi·36 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 E12
1.0 mi·1 min·Elk Grove Boulevard
8
Turn left onto J8
1.1 mi·1 min·Franklin Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto J8
1.2 mi·2 min·Franklin Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn right onto Hood Franklin Road
1.2 mi·2 min·Hood Franklin Road
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·24 sec
12
Merge onto I 5
45 mi·49 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi·48 sec·Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
211 mi·3 hr 46 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Exit 246Toward CA 43: Taft, MaricopaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight right at fork
229 ft·7 sec
17
Turn straight onto CA 43
1.6 mi·2 min·Enos Lane
18
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 43
288 ft·5 sec·Enos Lane
Use the right lane.
19
Turn straight onto CA 119
17 mi·23 min·Taft Highway
20
Continue on CA 33
5.7 mi·7 min·West Side Highway
21
Continue on CA 33
0.4 mi·56 sec·California Street
22
At end of road, turn right onto CA 33; CA 166
0.1 mi·11 sec·Poso Street
23
Continue on CA 33; CA 166
14 mi·18 min·West Side Highway
24
Turn slight left onto CA 33
56 mi·1 hr 16 min·CA 33
25
Turn right onto North Lomita Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·North Lomita Avenue
26
Turn left onto Tico Road
0.8 mi·1 min·Tico Road
27
Turn right onto Cruzero Street
89 ft·3 sec·Cruzero Street
28
Arrive at destination
Cruzero Street
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 179.8 miles from Laguna, CA, or about 3h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 257.3 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 79 miles or 1h 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 179.8 miles or 3h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mira Monte, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Laguna, CA
This is one driving day of about 359.5 miles and 7h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 79 miles from Laguna, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 257.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 179.8 mi from Laguna, CA
· 3h 19m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$82.63 one way
$165.26 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg126 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$85.15
$170.30
premium
$6.18
$87.43
$174.85
diesel
$5.61
$79.37
$158.75
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$83
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$108–$133
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 125.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
4 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: fair
EV Range Charging Station
Kettleman City, California
Other
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Kettleman City, California
Electrify America
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Coalinga, California
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Electrify America Charging Station
Coalinga, California
Electrify America
1 DCFC
Electrify America: 2
Other: 1
ChargePoint: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
107.9
1
$37.75
$17.26
Efficient EV
89.9
1
$31.46
$14.38
EV Truck/SUV
143.8
1
$50.33
$23.01
Gas CO2
126 kg
EV CO2
42 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 18, 2026
Origin
Laguna, CA
Late night
in Laguna on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Mostly Clear
SSE 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued April 18 at 1:22AM PDT until April 18 at 8:00AM PDT by NWS Eureka CA
Destination
Mira Monte, CA
Late night
in Mira Monte on Saturday
Local time
5:50 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°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.
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
25 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
7h 3m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 Mira Monte, CA covers 359.5 miles and takes about 7h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, CA 33, West Side Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 179.8 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 $82.63 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 19 significant decision points across 359.5 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.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Mapleview Way): Navigation decision point; at 3.4 miles (J8 / Franklin Boulevard): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 52.2 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Laguna, CA to Mira Monte, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Maricopa along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
