The drive from Long Beach, CA to El Dorado Hills, CA covers 425.9 miles and takes about 8h 1m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
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 251.1 miles on Westside Freeway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $97.89 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
212.9 miles from Long Beach, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 59m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
251.1 mi
4h 29m
San Diego Freeway
40.8 mi
47m
I 5 Truck
39.3 mi
45m
CA 99
29.4 mi
33m
Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi
25m
El Dorado Freeway
15.9 mi
17m
Bradshaw Road
11.3 mi
16m
El Dorado Hills Boulevard
2.5 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 251.1 mi, about 4h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and El Dorado Hills, CA.
1
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
0.7 mi·2 min·East Ocean Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Golden Avenue
414 ft·6 sec·North Golden Avenue
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 710 North
4
Merge onto Shoreline Drive
0.5 mi·47 sec·Shoreline Drive
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·31 sec
Toward I 710 North
6
Merge onto I 710
0.5 mi·41 sec·Seaside Freeway
7
Continue on I 710
2.3 mi·3 min·Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·10 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San DiegoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa MonicaUse the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa MonicaUse the sharp right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa MonicaUse the straight lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 405 NorthUse the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 405
41 mi·47 min·San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Exit 161AToward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 TruckUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi·41 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi·25 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi·4 hr 1 min·Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi·27 min·Westside Freeway
20
Take the exit onto CA 4
0.2 mi·26 sec·CA 4
Toward CA 4 East: Downtown Stockton
21
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 4
0.4 mi·57 sec·CA 4
22
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
0.2 mi·30 sec·CA 4
23
Merge onto CA 4
2.5 mi·2 min·Crosstown Freeway
24
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward CA 99 North
25
Merge onto CA 99
29 mi·33 min·CA 99
26
Take the exit
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward Grant Line Road
27
Turn right onto E2
2.2 mi·3 min·Grant Line Road
28
Turn left onto Bradshaw Road
2.6 mi·3 min·Bradshaw Road
29
Enter roundabout onto Bradshaw Road
91 ft·1 sec·Bradshaw Road
30
Continue on Bradshaw Road
8.7 mi·12 min·Bradshaw Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
31
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward US 50 East: South Lake Tahoe
32
Merge onto US 50
16 mi·17 min·El Dorado Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Take the exit
0.4 mi·46 sec
Exit 30BToward El Dorado Hills BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Continue on El Dorado Hills Boulevard
2.5 mi·4 min·El Dorado Hills Boulevard
Use the left / uturn / straight / right lanes.
35
Turn left onto Governor Drive
0.2 mi·28 sec·Governor Drive
Use the left lane.
36
Turn right onto Stanford Lane
0.1 mi·26 sec·Stanford Lane
37
Arrive at destination
Stanford Lane
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 212.9 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 3h 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 251.1 miles.
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 94 miles or 1h 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 212.9 miles or 3h 59m 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 212.9 miles or 3h 59m
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 6h 46m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near El Dorado Hills, 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.
+
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 Long Beach, CA
Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into El Dorado Hills, CA
Aim for roughly 213 miles and 4 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 94 miles from Long Beach, 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.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 251.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 33
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 48.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
4.7 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego
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.
Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica,...
9
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...
8
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
8
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
9
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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$97.89 one way
$195.78 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg149 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$100.87
$201.75
premium
$6.18
$103.57
$207.15
diesel
$5.61
$94.03
$188.07
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$98
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$228–$338
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 149 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
127.8
1
$44.72
$20.44
Efficient EV
106.5
1
$37.27
$17.04
EV Truck/SUV
170.4
2
$59.63
$27.26
Gas CO2
149 kg
EV CO2
50 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 as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Long Beach, CA
Morning
in Long Beach on Saturday
Local time
10:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Partly Sunny
SW 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 16 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 16 at 2:48PM PDT until April 17 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Destination
El Dorado Hills, CA
Morning
in El Dorado Hills on Saturday
Local time
10:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°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
3 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
8h 1m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 29.4
Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...
29 mi from route
~72 min detour
Free
near mile 102.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This is a 8h 1m highway drive covering 425.9 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 251.1 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 37 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 251.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 4.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 33 significant decision points across 425.9 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 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California. Long Beach has some nice people-gathering amenities and genuine tourist attractions, such as a world-class aquarium and the Queen Mary floating museum/hotel. Special events are also held in the city like the annual Long Beach Grand Prix (a premier racing event held on city streets) and the annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride event. When compared to other areas like Hollywood, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and West L.A., Long Beach may not always be at the top of someone's tourist visit to the Los Angeles area, but the city draws its fair share of visitors and has proven it can definitely hold its own.
Top landmarks
•RMS Queen Mary — retired British ocean liner
•Terminal Island — island in Los Angeles County, California, United States
•Aquarium of the Pacific — public aquarium in Long Beach, California
The drive from Long Beach, CA to El Dorado Hills, CA covers 425.9 miles and takes about 8h 1m 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.
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 213 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 212.9 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 $97.89 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 33 significant decision points across 425.9 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 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
The route from Long Beach, CA to El Dorado Hills, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument.
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.
