Origin
Northridge, CA
Evening in Northridge on Thursday
Local time
8:43 PM
PDT
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Northridge, CA to Long Beach, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
59m
Distance
45.7 mi
74 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northridge, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Northridge, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 45.7 miles and takes about 59m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on San Diego Freeway, Parthenia Street, Long Beach Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 35.7 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.50 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 45.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 59m highway drive covering 45.7 miles, with most of the trip on San Diego Freeway and Parthenia Street. The longest continuous stretch is about 35.7 miles on San Diego Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
San Diego Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 35.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Parthenia Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in near Roscoe Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 45.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (Roscoe Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
3.5 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
Roscoe Boulevard
Turn left onto Roscoe Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego Freeway South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego Fre...
6
22 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
40 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Take the exit toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
7
43.3 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center,...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Northridge, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward San Diego Freeway South, Convention Center and Aquarium.
San Diego Freeway South
4.1 mi in
|
~8m
Convention Center
43.3 mi in
|
~54m
Aquarium
43.3 mi in
|
~54m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 35.7 mi | 41m |
| Parthenia Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Shoreline Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Roscoe Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Woodley Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West Ocean Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Seaside Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 35.7 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Northridge, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Parthenia Street
148 ft
·
31 sec
·
Parthenia Street
2
Continue on Parthenia Street
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Parthenia Street
3
Turn right onto Woodley Avenue
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Woodley Avenue
4
Turn left onto Roscoe Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Roscoe Boulevard
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego Freeway South
6
Merge onto I 405
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 32B
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
10
Merge onto I 710
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on I 710
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
14
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
15
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
16
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 22.8 mi from Northridge, CA · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.8 miles from Northridge, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Long Beach, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Long Beach, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.50 one way
$21.01 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.82 | $21.65 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.11 | $22.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.09 | $20.18 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.80 | $2.19 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $4.00 | $1.83 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.3 | 0 | $6.40 | $2.92 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
8:43 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
22 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
59m 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 Northridge, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 45.7 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Parthenia Street, Long Beach 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 22.8 miles from Northridge, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $10.50 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 short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 45.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.5 miles (Roscoe Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Northridge, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward San Diego Freeway South, Convention Center and Aquarium.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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