Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
41.4 mi
67 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Topanga, CA
Lindsey Willard
This 41.4-mile drive from Long Beach to Topanga, California, is a straightforward trip estimated to take about 1 hour and 1 minute. With a modest fuel cost of around $10, it's a perfect candidate for a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The journey primarily follows the San Diego Freeway, then transitions to Pacific Coast Highway before concluding on Topanga Canyon Boulevard. You'll experience a highway-focused drive that efficiently connects two points within the Pacific Coast region. This route offers a practical way to travel between these Southern California locales without significant time or financial commitment.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 1m. Total distance: 41.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this 41.4-mile route, with 66% of the drive utilizing freeways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 20.8 miles, occurring on the San Diego Freeway, allowing for consistent progress. As you transition to Pacific Coast Highway and then Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the character of the drive may shift, offering a change from the faster freeway pace. This blend means you'll spend a good portion of your time on high-speed roads before potentially encountering more local traffic as you near your destination.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Pacific Coast Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in.
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 17 significant decision points across 41.4 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.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
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
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
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 10: Santa Monica, Los Angeles
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Long Beach, CA and Topanga, CA, road signs point toward San Diego, Santa Monica and Los Angeles.
San Diego
Santa Monica
Los Angeles
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 20.8 mi | 24m |
| Pacific Coast Highway | 5.6 mi | 11m |
| Topanga Canyon Boulevard | 4.6 mi | 9m |
| Santa Monica Freeway | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| East Ocean Boulevard | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Shoreline Drive | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Seaside Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Topanga, CA.
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
Turn right onto North Golden Avenue
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto Shoreline Drive
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 710
Continue on I 710
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 405
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 10
Continue on CA 1
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto CA 27
Turn right onto Entrada Road
Turn right onto Poquito Lane
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.7 mi from Long Beach, CA · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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.
A short stop after about 41.4 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 20.7 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
The final approach into Topanga, 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 Topanga, CA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$9.52 one way
$19.03 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.81 | $19.61 |
| premium | $6.18 | $10.07 | $20.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.4 | 0 | $4.35 | $1.99 |
| Efficient EV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.62 | $1.66 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.6 | 0 | $5.80 | $2.65 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Long Beach on Thursday
Local time
2:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Topanga on Thursday
Local time
2:48 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
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