Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Fort Bragg, CA

Drive Time

10h 30m

Distance

543.7 mi

875 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$126

one way

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min

4 AM

10h 21m ★

6 AM

10h 31m

8 AM

10h 50m

10 AM

10h 38m

12 PM

10h 36m

3 PM

10h 39m

5 PM

10h 49m

8 PM

10h 25m

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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Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Fort Bragg, CA

Skyler Sion

Trip Overview

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Fort Bragg, CA covers 543.7 miles and takes about 10h 30m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $125.91 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

271.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 15m into the drive .

Drive Character

At 543.7 miles and 10h 30m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are North Broadway and US 101 North.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.

There are about 53 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

North Broadway is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

At 10h 30m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. 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 10h 30m, 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 Los Angeles, CA to Fort Bragg, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
North Broadway	Unavailable	Refreshing
US 101 North	Unavailable	Refreshing
Santa Ana Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Hollywood Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Golden State Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
I 5	Unavailable	Refreshing
Westside Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
William Elton Brown Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: North Broadway — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on West 1st Street

0.1 mi · 32 sec · West 1st Street

Turn right onto North Broadway

0.4 mi · 49 sec · North Broadway

Take the ramp right toward US 101 North, CA 110

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

Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

0.7 mi · 55 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

Continue on Hollywood Freeway

15 mi · 19 min · Hollywood Freeway

Keep slight left

0.9 mi · 59 sec

Merge slight left onto Golden State Freeway

4.5 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

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

Keep slight left

36 mi · 41 min

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

16 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

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

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

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

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

Merge slight left onto Donald D Doyle Highway

15 mi · 17 min · Donald D Doyle Highway

Continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

5.0 mi · 5 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

6.0 mi · 6 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

243 ft · 3 sec · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Keep slight left to continue on I 780: Benicia

6.7 mi · 7 min · I 780: Benicia

Take the exit slight right toward I 80 East: Sacramento

0.3 mi · 34 sec · I 80 East: Sacramento

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 East: Sacramento

449 ft · 11 sec · I 80 East: Sacramento

Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

2.7 mi · 3 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

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

Keep slight left to continue on CA 37: Napa

0.5 mi · 1 min · CA 37: Napa

Continue on CA 37

1.5 mi · 1 min · CA 37

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

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

Turn right onto Sonoma Boulevard

1.6 mi · 1 min · Sonoma Boulevard

Continue on Broadway Street

4.0 mi · 4 min · Broadway Street

Continue on Napa–Vallejo Highway

1.3 mi · 1 min · Napa–Vallejo Highway

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

22 mi · 25 min · Saint Helena Highway

Continue on Main Street

2.4 mi · 2 min · Main Street

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

6.8 mi · 7 min · Saint Helena Highway

Continue on Foothill Boulevard

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Boulevard

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

16 mi · 18 min · Saint Helena Highway

Continue on Saint Helena Highway

6.6 mi · 7 min · Saint Helena Highway

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

0.9 mi · 1 min · Geyserville Avenue

Turn left onto Canyon Road

361 ft · 7 sec · Canyon Road

Take the exit right

0.3 mi · 39 sec

Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway

55 mi · 1 hr 7 min · Redwood Highway

Take the exit slight right

0.3 mi · 51 sec

Turn left onto Redwood Highway

1.6 mi · 2 min · Redwood Highway

Continue on South Main Street

1.2 mi · 2 min · South Main Street

Turn left onto Fort Bragg Road

6.3 mi · 9 min · Fort Bragg Road

Continue on Fort Bragg-Willits Road

27 mi · 39 min · Fort Bragg-Willits Road

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

1.8 mi · 3 min · South Main Street

Turn right onto East Laurel Street

200 ft · 16 sec · East Laurel Street

Turn left

75 ft · 6 sec

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 271.9 miles from Los Angeles, CA, or about 5h 15m 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 120 miles or 2h 19m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 271.9 miles or 5h 15m 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 271.9 miles or 5h 15m

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 21m

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 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.

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 Los Angeles, CA

Aim for roughly 272 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Fort Bragg, CA

Aim for roughly 272 miles and 5.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 120 miles from Los Angeles, 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 271.9 mi from Los Angeles, CA · 5h 15m into the drive

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Dublin, CA

179 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.

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Windsor, CA

359 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

Santa Rosa, CA

272 mi · about 5.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Santa Rosa, CA after about 272 miles or 5.3 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Fresno, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 120 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Rosa, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 271.9 miles from Los Angeles, 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 272 miles or 5.3 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

$125.91 one way

$251.81 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 190 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$129.85	$259.69
premium	$6.24	$133.63	$267.27
diesel	$5.64	$120.79	$241.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$126

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$256–$366

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 190.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $57 in charging · 2 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	163.1	2	$57.09	$26.10
Efficient EV	135.9	1	$47.57	$21.75
EV Truck/SUV	217.5	2	$76.12	$34.80

Gas CO2

190 kg

EV CO2

64 kg (66% 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 data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Los Angeles, CA

Afternoon in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

12:59 PM

PDT

Current temp

77°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fort Bragg, CA

Afternoon in Fort Bragg on Sunday

Local time

12:59 PM

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

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

10h 30m 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 Los Angeles, CA to Fort Bragg, CA covers 543.7 miles and takes about 10h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North Broadway, US 101 North, Santa Ana Freeway. 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 272 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 271.9 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 $125.91 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.

The route itself is not hard, but at 10h 30m, 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 Los Angeles, CA to Fort Bragg, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

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