Origin
Long Beach, CA
Afternoon in Long Beach on Monday
Local time
12:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA
Drive Time
9h 2m
Distance
491 mi
790 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$114
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 55m
★
6 AM
9h 3m
8 AM
9h 19m
10 AM
9h 9m
12 PM
9h 7m
3 PM
9h 9m
5 PM
9h 18m
8 PM
8h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Beach, CA
Saidamir Mukhitdinov
Willows, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA covers 491 miles and takes about 9h 2m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on North Golden Avenue, I 710 North, Shoreline Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $113.70 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
245.5 miles from Long Beach, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 31m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 9h 2m drive with frequent turns across 491 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North Golden Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Golden Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 710 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Shoreline Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Seaside Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Long Beach Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 405 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| San Diego Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 5 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
North Golden Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Willows, CA.
1
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East Ocean Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Golden Avenue
413 ft
·
7 sec
·
North Golden Avenue
3
Keep slight left to continue on I 710 North
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
I 710 North
4
Merge slight left onto Shoreline Drive
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Shoreline Drive
5
Keep slight left to continue on I 710 North
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 710 North
6
Merge slight right onto Seaside Freeway
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
7
Continue on Long Beach Freeway
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
8
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego
9
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica
10
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 North: Santa Monica
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
I 405 North: Santa Monica
11
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 North: Santa Monica
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
I 405 North: Santa Monica
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 North
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
I 405 North
13
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
41 mi
·
47 min
·
San Diego Freeway
14
Merge slight right
1.6 mi
·
1 min
15
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
16
Keep slight left
36 mi
·
41 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
20
Keep left to continue on Westside Freeway
54 mi
·
59 min
·
Westside Freeway
21
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
76 mi
·
1 hr 21 min
·
Westside Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward County Road 57
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
County Road 57
23
Turn right onto County Road 57
499 ft
·
19 sec
·
County Road 57
24
Turn left onto Highway 99W
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Highway 99W
25
Continue on South Tehama Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
South Tehama Street
26
Continue on Old U.S. Route 99W
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Old U.S. Route 99W
27
Turn right onto West Wood Street
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Wood Street
28
Arrive at your destination
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 245.5 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 4h 31m into the drive.
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 108 miles or 1h 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 245.5 miles or 4h 31m 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 245.5 miles or 4h 31m
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 7h 56m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Willows, 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 246 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Willows, CA
Aim for roughly 246 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 108 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 245.5 mi from Long Beach, CA · 4h 31m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
246 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Fresno, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
246 mi · about 4.5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Fresno, CA after about 246 miles or 4.5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 108 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 245.5 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 246 miles or 4.5 hours on the road.
Arriving in Willows, CA
The final approach into Willows, 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 Willows, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Willows, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$113.70 one way
$227.41 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
172 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $117.26 | $234.52 |
| premium | $6.24 | $120.68 | $241.36 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $109.08 | $218.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$114
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$244–$354
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 171.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $52 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 147.3 | 1 | $51.55 | $23.57 |
| Efficient EV | 122.8 | 1 | $42.96 | $19.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 196.4 | 2 | $68.74 | $31.42 |
Gas CO2
172 kg
EV CO2
57 kg (67% 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.
Destination
Willows, CA
Afternoon in Willows on Monday
Local time
12:52 PM
PDT
Current temp
50°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
24 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
9h 2m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA covers 491 miles and takes about 9h 2m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North Golden Avenue, I 710 North, Shoreline Drive. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
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 246 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 245.5 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 $113.70 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.
The route itself is not hard, but at 9h 2m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Long Beach, CA to Willows, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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