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Trip from Long Beach, CA to San Juan Capistrano, CA

Drive Time

55m

Distance

40.2 mi

65 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$9

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 51m ★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 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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Downtown Long Beach, CA, CA

Long Beach, CA

Saidamir Mukhitdinov

Downtown San Juan Capistrano, CA, CA

San Juan Capistrano, CA

Tori Pezzulla❤️

Trip Overview

The drive from Long Beach, CA to San Juan Capistrano, CA covers 40.2 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, I 405, San Diego Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.8 miles on San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.31 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

20.1 miles from Long Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 31m into the drive .

Drive Character

The drive from Long Beach, CA to San Juan Capistrano, CA covers 40.2 miles and takes about 55m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor is the longest continuous segment at about 12.8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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.

Route Complexity 10/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 40.2 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: 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 20 key points

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

8
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
8
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
7
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
8
39.8 mi into trip | ~54m in

Take the exit toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano

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 82 Toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistra...
7
40.2 mi into trip | ~55m in | Camino Capistrano

Turn left onto Camino Capistrano

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor 12.8 mi 14m
I 405 10.3 mi 11m
San Diego Freeway 4.7 mi 5m
Corona Del Mar Freeway 4 mi 4m
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
Longest stretch: San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor — 12.8 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and San Juan Capistrano, 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 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.
14

Continue on CA 73

10 mi · 11 min · San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

437 ft · 5 sec
Exit 3 Toward La Paz Road, Moulton Parkway Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork

0.5 mi · 33 sec
Toward CA 73 South: Moulton Parkway
17

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 42 sec
Toward CA 73 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Merge onto CA 73 Toll

2.5 mi · 2 min · San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor
19

Merge onto I 5

2.6 mi · 2 min · San Diego Freeway
20

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 32 sec
Exit 82 Toward CA 74: Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Turn right onto Ortega Highway

443 ft · 18 sec · Ortega Highway
22

Turn right onto Old Mission Road

0.2 mi · 40 sec · Old Mission Road
23

Turn left onto Camino Capistrano

79 ft · 2 sec · Camino Capistrano
Use the left lane.
24

Arrive at destination

Camino Capistrano

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 20.1 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.8 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 40.2 miles or 55m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 20.1 miles or 31m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 47m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Juan Capistrano, 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 40.2 miles and 55m.

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 San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor for about 12.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 20.1 mi from Long Beach, CA · 31m into the drive

Downtown Huntington Beach, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Huntington Beach, CA

20 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

Irvine, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 40.2 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Ana, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.1 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in San Juan Capistrano, CA

The final approach into San Juan Capistrano, 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 San Juan Capistrano, 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

$9.31 one way

$18.62 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $9.60 $19.20
premium $6.24 $9.88 $19.76
diesel $5.64 $8.93 $17.86

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$9

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$34–$59

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.1 0 $4.22 $1.93
Efficient EV 10.1 0 $3.52 $1.61
EV Truck/SUV 16.1 0 $5.63 $2.57

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% 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 data refreshed 22 minutes ago

Origin

Long Beach, CA

Late night in Long Beach on Monday

Local time

2:50 AM

PDT

Current temp

54°F

Slight Chance Light Rain

WNW 0 to 5 mph 24% chance Live forecast

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Winter Weather Advisory

Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Destination

San Juan Capistrano, CA

Late night in San Juan Capistrano on Monday

Local time

2:50 AM

PDT

Current temp

55°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

1 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

55m 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 San Juan Capistrano, CA covers 40.2 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, I 405, San Diego Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.1 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 $9.31 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 20 significant decision points across 40.2 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: 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.
The route from Long Beach, CA to San Juan Capistrano, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

San Juan Capistrano, CA to Long Beach, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

40.5 mi 49m

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