Trip from Long Beach, CA to Fairbanks Ranch, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

1h 58m

Distance

89.9 mi

145 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$21

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 25 min

4 AM

1h 50m ★

6 AM

1h 58m

8 AM

2h 15m

10 AM

2h 4m

12 PM

2h 2m

3 PM

2h 5m

5 PM

2h 14m

8 PM

1h 53m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Long Beach, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Fairbanks Ranch, CA

Robert So

Trip Overview

The drive from Long Beach, CA to Fairbanks Ranch, CA covers 89.9 miles and takes about 1h 58m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on San Diego Freeway, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, I 405 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 49.1 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.66 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

45 miles from Long Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 58m. Total distance: 89.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (72%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 1h 58m highway drive covering 89.9 miles, with most of the trip on San Diego Freeway and San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor. The longest continuous stretch is about 49.1 miles on San Diego 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.

San Diego Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 49.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 19.2 miles in near CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 89.9 miles you will encounter 22 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 19.2 miles (CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 33.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 34.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 22 key points

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

19.2 mi into trip | ~30m in | CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73 / Corona Del Mar Freeway toward CA 73 South: San Diego

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 10 Toward CA 73 South: San Diego

33.6 mi into trip | ~46m in

Take the exit toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway

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 3 Toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway

34.1 mi into trip | ~47m in

Keep slight left at fork toward CA 73 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward CA 73 South

84.2 mi into trip | ~1h 46m in

Take the exit toward CR S8: Lomas Santa Fe Drive

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 37 Toward CR S8: Lomas Santa Fe Drive

89.4 mi into trip | ~1h 56m in | San Dieguito Road

At end of road, turn left onto San Dieguito Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
San Diego Freeway	49.1 mi	57m
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor	12.8 mi	14m
I 405	10.3 mi	11m
Corona Del Mar Freeway	4 mi	4m
East 7th Street	3.3 mi	7m
Lomas Santa Fe Drive	1.6 mi	3m
Calzada del Bosque	1.2 mi	1m
Linea del Cielo	1.2 mi	2m

Longest stretch: San Diego Freeway — 49.1 mi, about 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on East Ocean Boulevard

31 ft · 2 sec · East Ocean Boulevard

Turn right onto Long Beach Boulevard

423 ft · 18 sec · Long Beach Boulevard

Use the right lane.

Turn right onto East 1st Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · East 1st Street

At end of road, turn left onto Alamitos Avenue

0.2 mi · 37 sec · Alamitos Avenue

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto East 3rd Street

1.0 mi · 2 min · East 3rd Street

Turn sharp left onto Junipero Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Junipero Avenue

Turn right onto East 7th Street

3.3 mi · 7 min · East 7th Street

Continue on CA 22

0.7 mi · 1 min · Garden Grove Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit onto CA 22

0.7 mi · 47 sec · CA 22

Toward I 405 South, CA 22 East

Merge onto I 405; CA 22

2.0 mi · 2 min · San Diego Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 405

0.2 mi · 11 sec · San Diego Freeway

Use the straight / right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 405

10 mi · 11 min · I 405

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 73

4.0 mi · 4 min · Corona Del Mar Freeway

Exit 10 Toward CA 73 South: San Diego Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on CA 73

10 mi · 11 min · San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

437 ft · 5 sec

Exit 3 Toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 33 sec

Toward CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 42 sec

Toward CA 73 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto CA 73 Toll

2.5 mi · 2 min · San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor

Merge onto I 5

47 mi · 55 min · San Diego Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 45 sec

Exit 37 Toward CR S8: Lomas Santa Fe Drive Use the slight right lane.

Turn left onto S8

1.6 mi · 3 min · Lomas Santa Fe Drive

Use the left / right lanes.

Continue on S8

1.2 mi · 2 min · Linea del Cielo

Turn right onto Calzada del Bosque

1.2 mi · 1 min · Calzada del Bosque

Turn right onto Via de Santa Fe

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Via de Santa Fe

Continue on El Apajo

0.6 mi · 1 min · El Apajo

At end of road, turn left onto San Dieguito Road

0.3 mi · 35 sec · San Dieguito Road

Use the left lane.

Turn right onto Circa del Sur

0.2 mi · 42 sec · Circa del Sur

Use the right lane.

Arrive at destination

Circa del Sur

Trip Plan

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 45 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 1h into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 49.1 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 20 miles or 31m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 45 miles or 1h in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 37m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fairbanks Ranch, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Long Beach, CA

This is one driving day of about 89.9 miles and 1h 58m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Long Beach, CA.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

The longest stretch is on San Diego Freeway for about 49.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45 mi from Long Beach, CA · 1h into the drive

city in Orange County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Laguna Niguel, CA

45 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 Ana, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Laguna Niguel, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fairbanks Ranch, CA

The final approach into Fairbanks Ranch, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

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.

Cabrillo National Monument

National Monument

In 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo climbed out of his boat and onto shore, becoming the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. Cabrillo National Monument not only...

22 mi from route ~56 min detour $20 near mile 89.9

Park Closure: Park Auditorium Closed Until Further Notice

View on nps.gov

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$20.66 one way

$41.33 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$21.29	$42.59
premium	$6.18	$21.86	$43.73
diesel	$5.61	$19.85	$39.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$21

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	27	$9.44	$4.32
Efficient EV	22.5	$7.87	$3.60
EV Truck/SUV	36	$12.59	$5.75

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (65% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Long Beach, CA

Afternoon in Long Beach on Thursday

Local time

1:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fairbanks Ranch, CA

Afternoon in Fairbanks Ranch on Thursday

Local time

1:21 PM

PDT

Current temp

70°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

14 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

1h 58m 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 Long Beach, CA to Fairbanks Ranch, CA covers 89.9 miles and takes about 1h 58m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are San Diego Freeway, San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, I 405. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 45 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 $20.66 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.