Origin
Mead Valley, CA
Evening in Mead Valley on Thursday
Local time
5:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mead Valley, CA to Long Beach, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
61.7 mi
99 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 25m
8 AM
1h 38m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mead Valley, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Mead Valley, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 61.7 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on CA 91, Garden Grove Freeway, El Sobrante Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 16.7 miles on CA 91. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 24m. Total distance: 61.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 24m highway drive covering 61.7 miles, with most of the trip on CA 91 and Garden Grove Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 16.7 miles on CA 91.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 91 is the longest continuous segment at about 16.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on CA 91 and Garden Grove Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in near El Sobrante Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (El Sobrante Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
4.5 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
El Sobrante Road
Turn right onto El Sobrante Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
18.1 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward Main Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
8
35.1 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
8
39.9 mi into trip
|
~51m in
Take the exit toward CA 22 West: Garden Grove Freeway, Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward CA 22 West: Garden Grove Freeway, Long B...
7
54.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
CA 22
Take the exit onto CA 22 toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 91 | 16.7 mi | 19m |
| Garden Grove Freeway | 12.7 mi | 14m |
| El Sobrante Road | 5.8 mi | 7m |
| Costa Mesa Freeway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| Riverside Freeway | 4.2 mi | 4m |
| Cajalco Road | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| La Sierra Avenue | 3.3 mi | 5m |
| East 7th Street | 2.7 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
CA 91
— 16.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mead Valley, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Oakwood Street
66 ft
·
4 sec
·
Oakwood Street
2
Turn right onto Brown Street
0.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Brown Street
3
Turn left onto Cajalco Road
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Cajalco Road
4
Turn right onto El Sobrante Road
5.8 mi
·
7 min
·
El Sobrante Road
Use the right lane.
5
Turn right onto La Sierra Avenue
3.3 mi
·
5 min
·
La Sierra Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward CA 91 West
Use the left lane.
7
Merge onto CA 91
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Riverside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
Exit 50
Toward Main Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on CA 91
17 mi
·
19 min
·
CA 91
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 55
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Exit 34
Toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 13
Toward CA 22 West: Garden Grove Freeway, Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto CA 22
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Garden Grove Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on CA 22; I 405
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit onto CA 22
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 22
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
16
Turn left onto Rose Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rose Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
At end of road, turn right onto East 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 4th Street
18
Turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alamitos Avenue
Use the left lane.
19
Turn right onto East Ocean Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the right lane.
20
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 30.8 mi from Mead Valley, CA · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
31 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 30.8 miles from Mead Valley, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Long Beach, CA
The final approach into Long Beach, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.18 one way
$28.36 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.61 | $29.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $15.00 | $30.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.62 | $27.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
| Efficient EV | 15.4 | 0 | $5.40 | $2.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.64 | $3.95 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Long Beach, CA
Evening in Long Beach on Thursday
Local time
5:04 PM
PDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 24m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Mead Valley, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 61.7 miles and takes about 1h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 91, Garden Grove Freeway, El Sobrante Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 30.8 miles from Mead Valley, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.18 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61.7 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (El Sobrante Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.1 miles (CA 55 / Costa Mesa Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Mead Valley, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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