Trip from Pasadena, CA to Long Beach, CA

Drive Time

45m

Distance

33.6 mi

Route Type

Turn-heavy local drive

Quick day trip

Trip Overview

The drive from Pasadena, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 33.6 miles and takes about 45m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North Garfield Avenue, East Colorado Boulevard, South Fair Oaks Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.56 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

16.8 miles from Pasadena, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 22m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 45m drive with frequent turns across 33.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

There are about 15 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.

North Garfield Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
North Garfield Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
East Colorado Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing
South Fair Oaks Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
Columbia Street	Unavailable	Refreshing
Fremont Avenue	Unavailable	Refreshing
West Valley Boulevard	Unavailable	Refreshing
Long Beach Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing
Seaside Freeway	Unavailable	Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: North Garfield Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on East Holly Street

72 ft · 5 sec · East Holly Street

2

Turn right onto North Garfield Avenue

0.1 mi · 26 sec · North Garfield Avenue

3

At the end of the road, turn right onto East Colorado Boulevard

0.4 mi · 45 sec · East Colorado Boulevard

4

Turn left onto South Fair Oaks Avenue

1.5 mi · 2 min · South Fair Oaks Avenue

5

Turn right onto Columbia Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Columbia Street

6

Turn left onto Fremont Avenue

3.3 mi · 7 min · Fremont Avenue

7

Turn right onto West Valley Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Valley Boulevard

8

Turn left onto Long Beach Freeway

21 mi · 25 min · Long Beach Freeway

9

Continue on Seaside Freeway

0.5 mi · 41 sec · Seaside Freeway

10

Take the exit slight left toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium

11

Continue on Shoreline Drive

1.3 mi · 2 min · Shoreline Drive

12

Turn left onto South Chestnut Place

0.2 mi · 28 sec · South Chestnut Place

13

Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Ocean Boulevard

14

Continue on East Ocean Boulevard

0.1 mi · 22 sec · East Ocean Boulevard

15

Arrive at your destination

When to Leave

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 16.8 miles from Pasadena, CA, or about 22m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Drive Plan

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 33.6 miles or 45m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 16.8 miles or 22m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 38m

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 Pasadena, 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.

Trip Strategy

Day 1

Settle into the route from Pasadena, CA

This is one driving day of about 33.6 miles and 45m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Pasadena, 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.

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

Meal stop

Los Angeles, CA

17 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.

Popular next leg

Los Angeles, CA to Long Beach, CA

25 mi · 32m

Travel Advice

Arrival Notes

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.

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.

Stops Along the Way

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 16.8 mi from Pasadena, CA

Huntington Beach, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 33.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Los Angeles, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 16.8 miles from Pasadena, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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	$4.56	$9.13
midgrade	$3.85	$5.09	$10.19
premium	$4.15	$5.49	$10.98
diesel	$3.75	$4.96	$9.92

Based on 25.4 MPG average. Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way.

Travel Intel

Local time and weather at both ends of the drive

Compare the departure city with the arrival city before you leave so the route feels predictable, not reactive.

Forecast data refreshed 1 day ago

Origin

Pasadena, CA

Late night in Pasadena on Saturday

Local time

12:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

77°F

Forecast unavailable right now

PDT Live mapsof forecast

Destination

Long Beach, CA

Late night in Long Beach on Saturday

Local time

12:56 AM

PDT

Current temp

74°F

Forecast unavailable right now

PDT Live mapsof 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

3 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

45m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Pasadena, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 33.6 miles and takes about 45m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are North Garfield Avenue, East Colorado Boulevard, South Fair Oaks Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 16.8 miles from Pasadena, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.56 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.