Trip.ovh

Trip from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC

Drive Time

39h 7m

Distance

2670.7 mi

Route Type

Long-distance drive

Multi-day drive

Trip Overview

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC covers 2670.7 miles and takes about 39h 7m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 4-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on North Main Street, East Aliso Street, US 101 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-distance drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $362.75 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 4 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

11 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

1335.4 miles from Los Angeles, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day.

Drive Character

At 2670.7 miles and 39h 7m of driving, this is a route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. The main roads are North Main Street and East Aliso Street.

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

There are about 60 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

North Main Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
North Main Street	0 mi	0m
East Aliso Street	0 mi	0m
US 101 South	0 mi	0m
Santa Ana Freeway	0 mi	0m
I 10 East	0 mi	0m
San Bernardino Freeway	0 mi	0m
I-10	0 mi	0m
I 15 North	0 mi	0m

Longest stretch: North Main Street — 0 mi, about 0m

Step-by-Step Directions

1

Start on West 1st Street

2

Turn left onto North Main Street

3

Turn right onto East Aliso Street

4

Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South, I 10 East, I 5 South

5

Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

6

Take the exit slight left toward I 10 East: San Bernardino

7

Continue on San Bernardino Freeway

8

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

9

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

10

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

11

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

12

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

13

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

14

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

15

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

16

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

17

Keep slight right to continue on San Bernardino Freeway

18

Keep slight left to continue on I-10 Metro ExpressLanes

19

Take the exit slight right

20

Merge slight right onto San Bernardino Freeway

21

Take the exit slight right toward I 15 North: Barstow, Las Vegas

22

Merge slight left onto Ontario Freeway

23

Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

24

Continue on CHP Officer Larry L. Wetterling and San Bernardino County Sheriff's Lieutenant Alfred E. Stewart Memorial Highway

25

Continue on Barstow and Mojave Freeway

26

Keep slight right to continue on Needles Freeway

27

Take the exit slight right toward US 95 South: East Broadway, Blythe

28

Continue straight

29

Merge slight left onto Needles Freeway

30

Continue on Purple Heart Trail

31

Take the exit slight right toward Bullhead City, Laughlin, Havasu National Wildlife Refuge

32

Merge slight left onto Purple Heart Trail

33

Continue on Great Western Cattle Trail

34

Continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

35

Continue on Senator Ed Berrong Memorial Highway

36

Continue on Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway

37

Continue on Crosstown Expressway

38

Keep slight left to continue on Tinker Diagonal

39

Continue on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway

40

Continue on Tim Vandiver Memorial Highway

41

Continue on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Highway

42

Keep slight right to continue on Memphis

43

Keep slight left to continue on Blues Highway

44

Keep slight left

45

Keep slight left to continue on I 40 East: Nashville, Knoxville

46

Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East, I 65 South: Knoxville, Huntsville

47

Merge slight left onto Downtown Loop

48

Continue on Downtown Loop

49

Keep slight right to continue on I 40 East, I 24 East: Knoxville, Chattanooga

50

Keep slight left

51

Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North: Bristol

52

Keep slight left to continue on I 81 North, US 11 North: Roanoke

53

Continue straight

54

Keep slight left

55

Take the exit slight right toward I 66 East: Front Royal, Washington

56

Continue straight

57

Keep slight right

58

Continue on Constitution Avenue Northwest

59

Turn left onto 15th Street Northwest

60

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

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 4-day trip.

Plan roughly 11 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 1335.4 miles from Los Angeles, CA.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Drive Plan

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 220 miles

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

Halfway reset

Around 1335.4 miles

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 668 miles

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Last hour of driving

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washington, DC 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 4-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Los Angeles, CA

Aim for roughly 668 miles and 9.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 668 miles and 9.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 3

Keep the middle miles efficient

Aim for roughly 668 miles and 9.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 4

Finish the approach into Washington, DC

Aim for roughly 668 miles and 9.8 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 220 miles from Los Angeles, CA.

This route usually feels better as a 4-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 11 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Best Stop Towns on This Route

These towns line up with the pace of this drive and give you clearer places to stop with a purpose.

Late stop town

Coffee and fuel

668 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.

Late stop town

Overnight candidate

1335 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.

Late stop town

Final reset

Johnson City, TN

2003 mi into the route

Best for: Food, fuel, and one last short break

This is a smart final reset before the arrival run into Washington, DC.

Suggested Overnight Stops

Night 1

668 mi · about 9.8h in

A practical overnight split lands near Rio Rancho, NM after about 668 miles or 9.8 hours of driving.

Night 2

1335 mi · about 19.6h in

A practical overnight split lands near Texarkana, TX after about 1335 miles or 19.6 hours of driving.

Night 3

Johnson City, TN

2003 mi · about 29.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Johnson City, TN after about 2003 miles or 29.3 hours of driving.

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

The final approach into Washington, DC 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 Washington, DC.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Washington, DC with some flexibility left in the schedule.

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.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 1335.4 mi from Los Angeles, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 220 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Meal break

The midpoint is around 1335.4 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 668 miles or 9.8 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.

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

Fuel & Cost

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
regular	$3.45	$362.75	$725.51
midgrade	$3.85	$404.81	$809.62
premium	$4.15	$436.35	$872.71
diesel	$3.75	$394.30	$788.59

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 934.4 kg one way.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Los Angeles, CA to Washington, DC covers 2670.7 miles and takes about 39h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North Main Street, East Aliso Street, US 101 South. 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 4-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 668 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 1335.4 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 $362.75 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 11 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

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Next Route Ideas

Reverse Route

Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA

Useful if you are planning the return drive and want the same trip in reverse.

2672.7 mi 46h 53m

Explore more options from Los Angeles, CA or browse trips ending in Washington, DC .

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips .

Going the other way? Trip from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA

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