Origin
San Rafael, CA
Late night in San Rafael on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 35m
Distance
415.9 mi
669 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$96
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 23m
★
6 AM
6h 35m
8 AM
7h 0m
10 AM
6h 44m
12 PM
6h 41m
3 PM
6h 45m
5 PM
6h 58m
8 PM
6h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Rafael, CA
David McElwee
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 415.9 miles and takes about 6h 35m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hetherton Street, US 101 South, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $95.59 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
208 miles from San Rafael, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 17m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Long Beach, CA
Full guide →Founded 1888
Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California. Long Beach has some nice people-gathering amenities and genuine tourist attractions, such as a world-class aquarium and the Queen Mary floating museum/hotel. Special events are also held in the city like the annual Long Beach Grand Prix (a premier racing event held on city streets) and the annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride event. When compared to other areas like Hollywood, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and West L.A., Long Beach may not always be at the top of someone's tourist visit to the Los Angeles area, but the city draws its fair share of visitors and has proven it can definitely hold its own.
Top landmarks
- • RMS Queen Mary — retired British ocean liner
- • Terminal Island — island in Los Angeles County, California, United States
- • Aquarium of the Pacific — public aquarium in Long Beach, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 35m. Total distance: 415.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 35m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 6h 35m drive with frequent turns across 415.9 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hetherton Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
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.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 35m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hetherton Street | — | — |
| US 101 South | — | — |
| Redwood Highway | — | — |
| John T | — | — |
| Eastshore Freeway | — | — |
| Highway 80 | — | — |
| MacArthur Freeway | — | — |
| Arthur H | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Hetherton Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Rafael, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Fourth Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Fourth Street
2
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Hetherton Street
3
Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
4
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Redwood Highway
5
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
6
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
8
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
17
Keep slight right
23 mi
·
26 min
18
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
19
Take the exit slight right toward I 710 South: Long Beach
377 ft
·
9 sec
·
I 710 South: Long Beach
20
Continue on I 710 South: Long Beach
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 710 South: Long Beach
21
Merge slight left onto Long Beach Freeway
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
22
Continue on Seaside Freeway
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
23
Take the exit slight left toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
24
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
25
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
26
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
27
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
28
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 208 miles from San Rafael, CA, or about 3h 17m into the drive.
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 91 miles or 1h 26m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 208 miles or 3h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 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 San Rafael, 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 San Rafael, CA
This is one driving day of about 415.9 miles and 6h 35m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 91 miles from San Rafael, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 208 mi from San Rafael, CA · 3h 17m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
208 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 91 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 208 miles from San Rafael, 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
$95.59 one way
$191.18 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
146 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $98.51 | $197.01 |
| premium | $6.18 | $101.14 | $202.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $91.83 | $183.65 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$96
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$121–$146
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 145.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $44 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 124.8 | 1 | $43.67 | $19.96 |
| Efficient EV | 104 | 1 | $36.39 | $16.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 166.4 | 2 | $58.23 | $26.62 |
Gas CO2
146 kg
EV CO2
49 kg (66% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Long Beach, CA
Late night in Long Beach on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
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
6h 35m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 415.9 miles and takes about 6h 35m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hetherton Street, US 101 South, Redwood Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 208 miles from San Rafael, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $95.59 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 35m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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