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Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Cool, CA

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

7h 56m

Distance

424 mi

682 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$97

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
7h 47m ★
6 AM
7h 56m
8 AM
8h 14m
10 AM
8h 2m
12 PM
8h 1m
3 PM
8h 3m
5 PM
8h 13m
8 PM
7h 51m

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 los-angeles-ca

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Downtown Cool, CA, CA

Cool, CA

Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Cool, CA covers 424 miles and takes about 7h 56m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Golden State Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $97.45 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

212 miles from Los Angeles, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 56m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 7h 56m highway drive covering 424 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. The longest continuous stretch is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 30 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 297.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.5 miles in near I 5 Truck.

Route Complexity 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 424 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 24.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 22 key points

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

9
24.5 mi into trip | ~31m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
381.6 mi into trip | ~7h in

Take the exit toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South L...
10
381.8 mi into trip | ~7h in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South La...
9
381.9 mi into trip | ~7h in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
8
383.8 mi into trip | ~7h 3m in | I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, F...

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Los Angeles, CA and Cool, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.

Lake Tahoe

381.6 mi in | ~7h

Broadway

381.8 mi in | ~7h

Fresno

383.8 mi in | ~7h 3m | via I 80 Business

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 297.1 mi 5h 20m
I 5 Truck 37.7 mi 43m
Golden State Freeway 29 mi 33m
Alan S. Hart Freeway 17.3 mi 20m
Hollywood Freeway 15.5 mi 19m
Capital City Freeway 10.6 mi 11m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 7 mi 8m
El Dorado Street 6 mi 13m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 297.1 mi, about 5h 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Los Angeles, CA and Cool, CA.

1

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · West 1st Street
2

Turn right onto North Broadway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Broadway
3

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 30 sec
Toward US 101 North, CA 110
4

Merge onto US 101

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
5

Continue on US 101

15 mi · 19 min · Hollywood Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.9 mi · 59 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Merge onto I 5

4.5 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway
14

Keep left at fork onto I 5

46 mi · 50 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe Use the slight right lane.
16

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway Use the slight right lane.
17

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business

1.2 mi · 1 min · Capital City Freeway
19

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business

9.4 mi · 10 min · Capital City Freeway
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno Use the slight right lane.
20

Continue on I 80

7.0 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Continue on I 80

17 mi · 20 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
Exit 119C Toward CA 49 South: Placerville Use the right lane.
23

Turn left onto CA 49

0.1 mi · 34 sec · Elm Avenue
24

Turn left onto CA 49

0.2 mi · 29 sec · El Dorado Street
Use the left lane.
25

Enter roundabout onto CA 49

103 ft · 3 sec · El Dorado Street
26

Continue on CA 49

2.3 mi · 5 min · El Dorado Street
27

Continue on CA 49

3.6 mi · 7 min · El Dorado Street
28

Continue on CA 49

102 ft · 9 sec · CA 49
Use the left lane.
29

Turn left onto CA 193

353 ft · 7 sec · Georgetown Road
Use the left lane.
30

Arrive at destination

CA 193

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 212 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 3h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 297.1 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 93 miles or 1h 49m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 212 miles or 3h 56m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 41m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cool, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Los Angeles, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Los Angeles, CA

This is one driving day of about 424 miles and 7h 56m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 93 miles from Los Angeles, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 297.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 212 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 3h 56m into the drive

city in Stanislaus County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Turlock, CA

212 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

Bakersfield, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 93 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Turlock, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 212 miles from Los Angeles, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 297.1 miles.

Arriving in Cool, CA

The final approach into Cool, 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 Cool, CA.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$97.45 one way

$194.91 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 148 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $100.42 $200.85
premium $6.18 $103.11 $206.22
diesel $5.61 $93.61 $187.23

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$97

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$122–$147

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 148.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $45 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 127.2 1 $44.52 $20.35
Efficient EV 106 1 $37.10 $16.96
EV Truck/SUV 169.6 2 $59.36 $27.14

Gas CO2

148 kg

EV CO2

50 kg (66% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 hours ago

Origin

Los Angeles, CA

Evening in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Local time

5:46 PM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Sunny

SW 5 to 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 11:57AM PDT until April 15 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 9:35AM PDT until April 15 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR

Destination

Cool, CA

Evening in Cool on Tuesday

Local time

5:46 PM

PDT

Current temp

46°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

26 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

7h 56m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Cool, CA covers 424 miles and takes about 7h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Golden State Freeway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 212 miles from Los Angeles, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $97.45 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 424 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 24.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 381.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Los Angeles, CA and Cool, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.

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