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Create accountDrive Time
10h 2m
Distance
531.9 mi
856 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$123
one way
EV Charging
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station data
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Portola, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Los Angeles, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Spanning 531.9 miles from Portola to Los Angeles, this journey requires about 10 hours and 2 minutes of pure road time. Given the length, it is best approached as a two-day excursion rather than a single-day haul. You will spend the vast majority of your time on major arterial routes, including the Westside Freeway, the Alan S. Hart Freeway, and I-5 Truck. With an estimated fuel budget of $72, you can expect a fairly efficient trip, though the sheer distance makes careful planning essential. Transitioning from the Pacific Coast regions of Northern California down to Southern California, you will move through diverse landscapes that change significantly over the course of the day. Budgeting for an overnight stay allows you to manage the fatigue associated with such a long-distance drive.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
265.9 miles from Portola, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5h 7m into the drive .
Expect a high-speed, direct experience, as this route is comprised of 90% highway driving. The road’s personality is defined by efficiency, characterized by long, uninterrupted stretches that keep you moving steadily toward your destination. You will encounter a significant 296.3-mile leg on the Westside Freeway, which serves as the backbone of your journey. While the route lacks the technical curves of mountain passes, the interstate environment demands constant attention to traffic flow. As you transition between the various freeway segments, the landscape shifts, but the focus remains on maintaining a consistent pace across the state.
High-altitude sections with notable climbs
Total Climb
5,359 ft
Total Descent
9,928 ft
Highest Point
5,931 ft
~66.5 mi in
Elevation Range
5,906 ft
Notable High Points
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Alan S. Hart Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 138.8 miles in near I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 26 significant decision points across 531.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 138.8 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 147.5 miles (I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 149.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward I 80 Business West: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business / Capital City Freeway toward US 50 East, I 80 West: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Between Portola, CA and Los Angeles, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco and Redding.
San Francisco
Redding
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 296.3 mi | 5h 19m |
| Alan S. Hart Freeway | 84.2 mi | 1h 37m |
| I 5 Truck | 63.9 mi | 1h 13m |
| South Lincoln Street | 22.5 mi | 31m |
| Hollywood Freeway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| Capital City Freeway | 10.6 mi | 11m |
| Beckwourth Calpine Road | 8.6 mi | 9m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7.1 mi | 8m |
Step-by-step road directions between Portola, CA and Los Angeles, CA.
Start on this road
Turn right onto CA 70
Continue on CA 70
Turn right onto CR A23
Continue on CR A23
At end of road, turn left onto CA 49; CA 89
Turn right onto CA 89
Enter roundabout onto CA 89
Continue on CA 89
Enter roundabout onto Truckee Way
Continue on Truckee Way
Enter roundabout onto Truckee Way
Continue on Truckee Way
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 80; CA 89
Continue on I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 Business
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Take the exit
Continue on CA 170
Take the exit
Continue on West Aliso Street
Turn right onto North Spring Street
Turn left onto West 1st Street
Arrive at destination
To tackle this 531.9-mile trip comfortably, plan for at least two strategic stops to break up the monotony of the highway. Because the drive is dominated by heavy transit corridors, try to depart early in the morning to avoid peak congestion near Los Angeles. Keep your $72 fuel budget in mind, but consider carrying a small buffer for price fluctuations at different stations along the I-5 corridor. Since you have a nearly 300-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway, ensure your vehicle is prepped for sustained high-speed travel before you leave Portola. Splitting the drive into two days will significantly reduce your stress, allowing you to arrive at your final destination feeling refreshed rather than exhausted.
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.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 117 miles or 2h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 265.9 miles or 5h 7m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 265.9 miles or 5h 7m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Los Angeles, CA than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Portola, 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 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Portola, CA
Aim for roughly 266 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Los Angeles, CA
Aim for roughly 266 miles and 5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 265.9 mi from Portola, CA · 5h 7m into the drive
First major stop
Coffee and fuel
176 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.
Second major stop
Overnight candidate
351 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.
Find hotels in Turlock, CANight 1
266 mi · about 5h in
A practical overnight split lands near Citrus Heights, CA after about 266 miles or 5 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 117 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 265.9 miles from Portola, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 296.3 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 266 miles or 5 hours on the road.
The final approach into Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Los Angeles, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$123.17 one way
$246.35 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $127.03 | $254.06 |
| premium | $6.24 | $130.73 | $261.47 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $118.17 | $236.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$123
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$253–$363
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 186.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $56 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 159.6 | 1 | $55.85 | $25.53 |
| Efficient EV | 133 | 1 | $46.54 | $21.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 212.8 | 2 | $74.47 | $34.04 |
Gas CO2
186 kg
EV CO2
62 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Portola on Sunday
Local time
1:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Afternoon in Los Angeles on Sunday
Local time
1:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
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.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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