Origin
Long Beach, CA
Late night in Long Beach on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Long Beach, CA to Irvine, CA
Data updated 20 minutes ago
Drive Time
36m
Distance
24.2 mi
39 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 24.2-mile drive from Long Beach, CA to Irvine, CA is a short hop, typically taking around 36 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey, with about 78% of the route on major freeways like the I 405 (San Diego Freeway). With a fuel cost estimated at $7, this is an easy addition to your travel plans, easily completed in a single day. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, keeping the scenery consistent. You won't need to worry about overnight stays for this quick trip.
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
12.1 miles from Long Beach, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a largely highway-focused experience on this route, with 78% of the drive utilizing freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 10.3 miles on the I 405. While much of the journey involves steady freeway driving, you'll navigate through East 7th Street initially before merging onto the San Diego Freeway. This profile suggests a functional drive designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic byways.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 405 is the longest continuous segment at about 10.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 405 and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Long Beach Boulevard.
Route Complexity
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 24.2 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 (Long Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (Alamitos Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Long Beach Boulevard
Turn right onto Long Beach Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Alamitos Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
8.8 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
8.9 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
I 405
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
19.2 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 405 | 10.3 mi | 11m |
| San Diego Freeway | 7.1 mi | 8m |
| East 7th Street | 3.3 mi | 7m |
| East 3rd Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| Garden Grove Freeway | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| CA 22 | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Junipero Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| East 1st Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
I 405
— 10.3 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Irvine, CA.
1
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
31 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
2
Turn right onto Long Beach Boulevard
423 ft
·
18 sec
·
Long Beach Boulevard
Use the right lane.
3
Turn right onto East 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East 1st Street
4
At end of road, turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Alamitos Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto East 3rd Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
East 3rd Street
6
Turn sharp left onto Junipero Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Junipero Avenue
7
Turn right onto East 7th Street
3.3 mi
·
7 min
·
East 7th Street
8
Continue on CA 22
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden Grove Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto CA 22
0.7 mi
·
47 sec
·
CA 22
Toward I 405 South, CA 22 East
10
Merge onto I 405; CA 22
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
0.2 mi
·
11 sec
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
10 mi
·
11 min
·
I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 405
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Arrive at destination
I 405
Trip Plan
Given the short 36-minute duration and 24.2-mile distance, this trip offers great flexibility. You can easily depart at any time of day, though avoiding peak rush hour traffic on the I 405 will ensure the quickest transit. Since there are no designated stops, plan to fuel up before you leave Long Beach to ensure you have enough gas for the entire 24.2 miles, especially considering the $7 estimated fuel cost. The longest stretch is over 10 miles, so be prepared for consistent driving without many immediate exit opportunities.
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 12.1 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 10.3 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 24.2 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 12.1 miles or 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Irvine, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Long Beach, CA
This is one driving day of about 24.2 miles and 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Long Beach, 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 I 405 for about 10.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 12.1 mi from Long Beach, CA · 22m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
12 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 24.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 12.1 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Irvine, CA
The final approach into Irvine, 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 Irvine, 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
$5.56 one way
$11.12 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.73 | $11.46 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.89 | $11.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.34 | $10.69 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$6
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$31–$56
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.54 | $1.16 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.12 | $0.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Wednesday
Local time
3:31 AM
PDT
Current temp
72°F
Sunny
SW 10 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Lake Wind Advisory
Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV
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
16 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
36m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 Irvine, CA covers 24.2 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 405, San Diego Freeway, East 7th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 12.1 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 $5.56 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 11 significant decision points across 24.2 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 (Long Beach Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles (Alamitos Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8.8 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Long Beach, CA to Irvine, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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