Trip from Newport Beach, CA to Long Beach, CA

Drive Time

37m

Distance

19.9 mi

32 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 34m ★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m

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

Downtown Newport Beach, CA, CA

Newport Beach, CA

Abhishek Navlakha

Downtown Long Beach, CA, CA

Long Beach, CA

Saidamir Mukhitdinov

Trip Overview

The drive from Newport Beach, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 19.9 miles and takes about 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Pacific Coast Highway, East Ocean Boulevard, East 2nd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.9 miles on Pacific Coast Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.61 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

10 miles from Newport Beach, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 16m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 37m drive with frequent turns across 19.9 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Pacific Coast Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.9 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CA 55 / Newport Boulevard.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 37m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 55 / Newport Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 7 key points

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

7
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | CA 55 / Newport Boulevard

Turn uturn onto CA 55 / Newport Boulevard

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

5
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in

Take the exit

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in

Turn right

Navigation decision point

6
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway

Merge onto CA 1 / Pacific Coast Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
17 mi into trip | ~29m in | Livingston Drive

Turn left onto Livingston Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight lanes.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Pacific Coast Highway 12.9 mi 19m
East Ocean Boulevard 2.4 mi 6m
East 2nd Street 1.7 mi 5m
West Coast Highway 1.6 mi 2m
Livingston Drive 0.6 mi 1m
Newport Boulevard 0.3 mi <1m
Via Oporto 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Pacific Coast Highway — 12.9 mi, about 19m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Newport Beach, CA and Long Beach, CA.

1

Start on Via Oporto

0.1 mi · 56 sec · Via Oporto
2

Turn uturn onto CA 55

0.3 mi · 35 sec · Newport Boulevard
3

Take the exit

250 ft · 19 sec
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right

0.2 mi · 17 sec
5

Take the ramp

177 ft · 5 sec
Toward CA 1
6

Merge onto CA 1

475 ft · 12 sec · Pacific Coast Highway
Use the right lane.
7

Continue on CA 1

1.6 mi · 2 min · West Coast Highway
8

Continue on CA 1

13 mi · 19 min · Pacific Coast Highway
Use the left / uturn lanes.
9

Turn left onto East 2nd Street

1.7 mi · 5 min · East 2nd Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
10

Turn left onto Livingston Drive

0.6 mi · 1 min · Livingston Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
11

Turn straight onto East Ocean Boulevard

2.4 mi · 6 min · East Ocean Boulevard
12

Arrive at destination

East Ocean Boulevard

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 10 miles from Newport Beach, CA, or about 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 12.9 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 19.9 miles or 37m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 10 miles or 16m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 29m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Newport 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Newport Beach, CA

This is one driving day of about 19.9 miles and 37m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Newport Beach, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Pacific Coast Highway for about 12.9 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 10 mi from Newport Beach, CA · 16m into the drive

Downtown Huntington Beach, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Huntington Beach, CA

10 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

Huntington Beach, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 19.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Huntington Beach, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 10 miles from Newport Beach, 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.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Long Beach, CA.

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

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$4.61 one way

$9.22 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 7 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $4.75 $9.50
premium $6.24 $4.89 $9.78
diesel $5.64 $4.42 $8.84

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$5

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$30–$55

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 6 0 $2.09 $0.96
Efficient EV 5 0 $1.74 $0.80
EV Truck/SUV 8 0 $2.79 $1.27

Gas CO2

7 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (71% 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.

Forecast data refreshed 3 years ago

Origin

Newport Beach, CA

Afternoon in Newport Beach on Sunday

Local time

1:40 PM

PDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Long Beach, CA

Afternoon in Long Beach on Sunday

Local time

1:40 PM

PDT

Current temp

74°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

1 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

37m 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 Newport Beach, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 19.9 miles and takes about 37m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Pacific Coast Highway, East Ocean Boulevard, East 2nd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10 miles from Newport Beach, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.61 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 is a straightforward 37m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (CA 55 / Newport Boulevard): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 0.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 0.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
The route from Newport Beach, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Return Trip

Long Beach, CA to Newport Beach, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

19.8 mi 37m

Explore more options from Newport Beach, CA or browse trips ending in Long Beach, CA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.

Explore maps for Newport Beach, CA or Long Beach, CA on MapSof.net.