Trip from Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA

Drive Time

7h 27m

Distance

401.1 mi

645 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$93

one way

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Long Beach, CA

Saidamir Mukhitdinov

Albany, CA

Tori Pezzulla❤️

Trip Overview

The drive from Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA covers 401.1 miles and takes about 7h 27m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 225.6 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $92.88 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

200.5 miles from Long Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 46m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 7h 27m highway drive covering 401.1 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 225.6 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 30 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 225.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in.

Route Complexity 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 401.1 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 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 26 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

4.8 mi into trip | ~7m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight lane. Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway N...

4.9 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the sharp right lane. Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

5.2 mi into trip | ~8m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane. Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica

48.2 mi into trip | ~59m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

380.3 mi into trip | ~7h 1m in | I 580 / MacArthur Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco

Towns Along This Route

On the drive from Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Francisco along the way.

San Francisco

333.7 mi in | ~6h 9m | via I 580

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Westside Freeway	225.6 mi	4h 1m
San Diego Freeway	40.8 mi	47m
I 5 Truck	39.3 mi	45m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway	29.6 mi	34m
Golden State Freeway	22.3 mi	25m
William Elton Brown Freeway	17 mi	18m
MacArthur Freeway	16.7 mi	19m
Eastshore Freeway	3.2 mi	3m

Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Albany, CA.

Start on East Ocean Boulevard

0.7 mi · 2 min · East Ocean Boulevard

Use the none lane.

Turn right onto North Golden Avenue

414 ft · 6 sec · North Golden Avenue

Keep slight left at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec

Toward I 710 North

Merge onto Shoreline Drive

0.5 mi · 47 sec · Shoreline Drive

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 31 sec

Toward I 710 North Use the none lane.

Merge onto I 710

0.5 mi · 41 sec · Seaside Freeway

Use the none lane.

Continue on I 710

2.3 mi · 3 min · Long Beach Freeway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 10 sec

Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.2 mi · 21 sec

Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica Use the straight lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 32 sec

Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica Use the sharp right lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 36 sec

Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica Use the straight lane.

Keep slight left at fork

0.3 mi · 40 sec

Toward I 405 North Use the straight lane.

Merge onto I 405

41 mi · 47 min · San Diego Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 5 Truck

1.6 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck

Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Toward I 5 North Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

16 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass

1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Merge onto I 580

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

12 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

8.3 mi · 9 min · MacArthur Freeway

Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

8.3 mi · 9 min · MacArthur Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on I 80; I 580

3.2 mi · 3 min · Eastshore Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 48 sec

Exit 13A Toward Buchanan Street, Albany Use the slight right lane.

Turn right onto Buchanan Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Buchanan Street

Use the straight / right lanes.

Continue on Marin Avenue

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Marin Avenue

Use the none lane.

Turn left onto CA 123

98 ft · 13 sec · San Pablo Avenue

Use the none lane.

Arrive at destination

CA 123

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 200.5 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 3h 46m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 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 88 miles or 1h 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 200.5 miles or 3h 46m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 17m

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

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Long Beach, 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 Long Beach, CA

This is one driving day of about 401.1 miles and 7h 27m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 88 miles from Long Beach, 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 225.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 200.5 mi from Long Beach, CA · 3h 46m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Fresno, CA

201 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

Santa Clarita, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 88 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fresno, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 200.5 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.

Arriving in Albany, CA

The final approach into Albany, 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 Albany, CA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...

4 mi from route ~9 min detour Free near mile 401.1

View on nps.gov

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...

9 mi from route ~22 min detour Free near mile 401.1

View on nps.gov

Muir Woods National Monument

National Monument

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...

15 mi from route ~39 min detour $15 near mile 401.1

View on nps.gov

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...

17 mi from route ~42 min detour Free near mile 401.1

View on nps.gov

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

National Memorial

On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...

19 mi from route ~47 min detour Free near mile 401.1

View on nps.gov

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

19 mi from route ~48 min detour Free near mile 41.5

View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$92.88 one way

$185.77 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 140 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$95.79	$191.58
premium	$6.24	$98.59	$197.17
diesel	$5.64	$89.11	$178.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$93

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$118–$143

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 140.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	120.3	1	$42.12	$19.25
Efficient EV	100.3	1	$35.10	$16.04
EV Truck/SUV	160.4	2	$56.15	$25.67

Gas CO2

140 kg

EV CO2

47 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 2 hours ago

Origin

Long Beach, CA

Afternoon in Long Beach on Sunday

Local time

12:22 PM

PDT

Current temp

64°F

Light Rain

SW 5 to 15 mph 100% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 12 at 8:16AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Albany, CA

Afternoon in Albany on Sunday

Local time

12:22 PM

PDT

Current temp

60°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 10 to 14 mph 83% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 12 at 8:16AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Eureka CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

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

4 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

7h 27m 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 Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA covers 401.1 miles and takes about 7h 27m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Westside Freeway, San Diego Freeway, I 5 Truck. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 200.5 miles from Long Beach, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $92.88 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.

On the drive from Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA, road signs begin pointing toward San Francisco along the way.

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Trip from Long Beach, CA to Albany, CA

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Albany, CA

National Parks Near This Route

Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Muir Woods National Monument

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Long Beach, CA

Albany, CA

Same local time

4 degrees cooler at arrival

7h 27m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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