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Trip from Long Beach, CA to Fort Bragg, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

10h 58m

Distance

567.4 mi

913 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$130

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
10h 49m ★
6 AM
10h 58m
8 AM
11h 18m
10 AM
11h 5m
12 PM
11h 3m
3 PM
11h 6m
5 PM
11h 17m
8 PM
10h 52m

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

city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Long Beach, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Mendocino County, California, United States

Fort Bragg, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Long Beach, CA to Fort Bragg, CA covers 567.4 miles and takes about 10h 58m 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 long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $130.41 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

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

283.7 miles from Long Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 29m into the drive .

About the Cities

Starting in Long Beach, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1888

Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California. Long Beach has some nice people-gathering amenities and genuine tourist attractions, such as a world-class aquarium and the Queen Mary floating museum/hotel. Special events are also held in the city like the annual Long Beach Grand Prix (a premier racing event held on city streets) and the annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride event. When compared to other areas like Hollywood, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and West L.A., Long Beach may not always be at the top of someone's tourist visit to the Los Angeles area, but the city draws its fair share of visitors and has proven it can definitely hold its own.

Top landmarks

  • RMS Queen Mary — retired British ocean liner
  • Terminal Island — island in Los Angeles County, California, United States
  • Aquarium of the Pacific — public aquarium in Long Beach, California

Arriving in Fort Bragg, CA

Full guide →

For the fort in North Carolina, see Fayetteville (North Carolina). Fort Bragg is an isolated town of 7,000 people (2020) on California's North Coast. It serves as the economic hub of the area despite the demise of its historic logging and fishing industries at the end of the 20th century. Long regarded as the "Beast" to the neighboring village of Mendocino's "Belle," it has slowly been shedding its inhospitable, blue-collar reputation and begun to warm to the new reality of a tourism-based economy with art galleries, microbreweries and gastropubs of its own.

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 3 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

10h 58m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Long-distance drive route profile.

Drive Character

At 567.4 miles and 10h 58m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are North Golden Avenue and I 710 North.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 59 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?

At 10h 58m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. Navigation is simple, but the total wheel time makes endurance and break timing the real challenge.

Driving Effort 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

Navigation is easy, but the length (10h 58m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Long Beach, CA to Fort Bragg, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Golden Avenue
I 710 North
Shoreline Drive
Seaside Freeway
Long Beach Freeway
I 405 North
San Diego Freeway
I 5

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

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 Fort Bragg, 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 left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

16 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
20

Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
21

Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
22

Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

1.6 mi · 1 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
23

Take the exit slight right toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek

0.2 mi · 16 sec · I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek
24

Keep slight right to continue on I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento

0.3 mi · 30 sec · I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento
25

Merge slight left onto Donald D Doyle Highway

15 mi · 17 min · Donald D Doyle Highway
26

Continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

5.0 mi · 5 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
27

Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

6.0 mi · 6 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
28

Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

243 ft · 3 sec · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
29

Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
30

Keep slight left to continue on I 780: Benicia

6.7 mi · 7 min · I 780: Benicia
31

Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Sacramento

0.3 mi · 34 sec · I 80 East: Sacramento
32

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Sacramento

449 ft · 11 sec · I 80 East: Sacramento
33

Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

2.7 mi · 3 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
34

Take the exit slight right toward CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway

0.1 mi · 18 sec · CA 37: Napa, Novato, Auto Mall, Columbus Parkway
35

Keep slight left to continue on CA 37: Napa

0.5 mi · 1 min · CA 37: Napa
36

Continue on CA 37

1.5 mi · 1 min · CA 37
37

Take the exit slight right toward CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard

0.4 mi · 51 sec · CA 29: Napa, Sonoma Boulevard
38

Turn right onto Sonoma Boulevard

1.6 mi · 1 min · Sonoma Boulevard
39

Continue on Broadway Street

4.0 mi · 4 min · Broadway Street
40

Continue on Napa–Vallejo Highway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Napa–Vallejo Highway
41

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

22 mi · 25 min · Saint Helena Highway
42

Continue on Main Street

2.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street
43

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

6.8 mi · 7 min · Saint Helena Highway
44

Continue on Foothill Boulevard

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Boulevard
45

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

16 mi · 18 min · Saint Helena Highway
46

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

6.6 mi · 7 min · Saint Helena Highway
47

At the end of the road, turn right onto Geyserville Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · Geyserville Avenue
48

Turn left onto Canyon Road

361 ft · 7 sec · Canyon Road
49

Take the exit right

0.3 mi · 39 sec
50

Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway

55 mi · 1 hr 7 min · Redwood Highway
51

Take the exit slight right

0.3 mi · 51 sec
52

Turn left onto Redwood Highway

1.6 mi · 2 min · Redwood Highway
53

Continue on South Main Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
54

Turn left onto Fort Bragg Road

6.3 mi · 9 min · Fort Bragg Road
55

Continue on Fort Bragg-Willits Road

27 mi · 39 min · Fort Bragg-Willits Road
56

At the end of the road, turn right onto South Main Street

1.8 mi · 3 min · South Main Street
57

Turn right onto East Laurel Street

200 ft · 16 sec · East Laurel Street
58

Turn left

75 ft · 6 sec
59

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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 283.7 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 5h 29m 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 125 miles or 2h 25m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 283.7 miles or 5h 29m 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 283.7 miles or 5h 29m

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 9h 48m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fort Bragg, 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 284 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Fort Bragg, CA

Aim for roughly 284 miles and 5.5 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 125 miles from Long Beach, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 3 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 283.7 mi from Long Beach, CA · 5h 29m into the drive

city in Contra Costa County, California, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Brentwood, CA

187 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

town in Sonoma County, California, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Windsor, CA

374 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 Windsor, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Napa, CA

284 mi · about 5.5h in

A practical overnight split lands near Napa, CA after about 284 miles or 5.5 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 125 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Napa, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 283.7 miles from Long Beach, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 284 miles or 5.5 hours on the road.

Final-third reset

Rest stop

Plan one more short stretch-and-water break in the final third of the drive so the last arrival window feels easier.

Arriving in Fort Bragg, CA

The final approach into Fort Bragg, 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 Fort Bragg, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Fort Bragg, 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

$130.41 one way

$260.83 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 199 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $134.39 $268.78
premium $6.18 $137.99 $275.97
diesel $5.61 $125.27 $250.55

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$130

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$260–$370

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 198.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $60 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 170.2 2 $59.58 $27.24
Efficient EV 141.9 1 $49.65 $22.70
EV Truck/SUV 227 2 $79.44 $36.31

Gas CO2

199 kg

EV CO2

66 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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

Late night in Long Beach on Saturday

Local time

5:15 AM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fort Bragg, CA

Late night in Fort Bragg on Saturday

Local time

5:15 AM

PDT

Current temp

51°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

5 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

10h 58m 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 Fort Bragg, CA covers 567.4 miles and takes about 10h 58m 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 284 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 283.7 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 $130.41 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 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Navigation is easy, but the length (10h 58m) means fatigue is the real challenge. The route is 0% highway with very few tricky spots, so this is more about pacing than navigation skill.

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Long Beach, CA to Fort Bragg, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Long Beach, CA to Fort Bragg, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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