Origin
Lawndale, CA
Afternoon in Lawndale on Sunday
Local time
2:50 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lawndale, CA to Long Beach, CA
Drive Time
22m
Distance
15.9 mi
26 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 21m
★
6 AM
0h 22m
8 AM
0h 26m
10 AM
0h 24m
12 PM
0h 23m
3 PM
0h 24m
5 PM
0h 26m
8 PM
0h 21m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Beach, CA
Saidamir Mukhitdinov
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between the Pacific Coast locales of Lawndale and Long Beach, this 15.9-mile journey is a straightforward commute. You can expect to spend about 22 minutes behind the wheel, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stays. With a total fuel cost of approximately $4, it is a highly budget-friendly route for travelers moving across Southern California. Because the origin and destination both sit within the Pacific Coast region, you will experience a consistent coastal climate throughout the drive. This path is entirely practical for those needing to reach the coast quickly without unnecessary detours.
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
7.9 miles from Lawndale, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 9m into the drive .
Drive Character
This trip is a quintessential highway-focused drive, with 79 percent of your travel taking place on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your time navigating the San Diego Freeway and the Long Beach Freeway, which serve as the backbone of this short transit. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 9.7 miles on the San Diego Freeway, where you can settle into a steady pace. As you approach your destination, the road transitions from these high-speed arterial routes onto Shoreline Drive. Expect a utilitarian experience that prioritizes efficiency and speed over winding backroads or scenic leisure driving.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Diego Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 9.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Hawthorne 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 15.9 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: at 0.1 miles (Hawthorne Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Hawthorne Boulevard
Turn left onto Hawthorne Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
7
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 South: Long Beach
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 405 South: Long Beach
6
10.2 mi into trip
|
~12m in
Take the exit toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
7
13.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center,...
6
15.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
West Ocean Boulevard
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
Towns Along This Route
Between Lawndale, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Convention Center and Aquarium.
Convention Center
13.4 mi in
|
~17m
Aquarium
13.4 mi in
|
~17m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 9.7 mi | 11m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Shoreline Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Ocean Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Seaside Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Hawthorne Boulevard | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| South Chestnut Place | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Ocean Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 9.7 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lawndale, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Manhattan Beach Boulevard
163 ft
·
4 sec
·
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Use the none lane.
2
Turn right
175 ft
·
14 sec
3
Turn right onto Hawthorne Boulevard
66 ft
·
3 sec
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
4
Turn left onto Manhattan Beach Boulevard
156 ft
·
13 sec
·
Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
Turn left onto Hawthorne Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Hawthorne Boulevard
Use the none lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 405 South: Long Beach
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto I 405
9.7 mi
·
11 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 32B
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
10
Merge onto I 710
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 710
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
Use the none lane.
14
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
15
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
Use the none lane.
16
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Trip Plan
Since this is a short 22-minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around local traffic patterns. You will not need to worry about planning for intermediate stops, as the direct nature of the route allows you to complete the journey in one go. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you head out, though the $4 estimated cost makes it easy to manage your transit budget. A helpful tip for this specific route is to monitor real-time traffic conditions on the San Diego Freeway, as highway congestion can significantly impact your travel time despite the short 15.9-mile distance.
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 7.9 miles from Lawndale, CA, or about 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 9.7 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 15.9 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 7.9 miles or 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 17m
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 Lawndale, 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 Lawndale, CA
This is one driving day of about 15.9 miles and 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lawndale, CA.
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 San Diego Freeway for about 9.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 7.9 mi from Lawndale, CA · 9m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
8 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 15.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 7.9 miles from Lawndale, 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
$3.68 one way
$7.36 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $3.80 | $7.59 |
| premium | $6.24 | $3.91 | $7.82 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $3.53 | $7.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.67 | $0.76 |
| Efficient EV | 4 | 0 | $1.39 | $0.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.23 | $1.02 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
Afternoon in Long Beach on Sunday
Local time
2:50 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°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
19 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
22m 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 Lawndale, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 15.9 miles and takes about 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Long Beach Freeway, Shoreline Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.9 miles from Lawndale, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.68 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 15.9 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: at 0.1 miles (Hawthorne Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Lawndale, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Convention Center and Aquarium.
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