Origin
Santa Clara, CA
Afternoon in Santa Clara on Sunday
Local time
1:46 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Santa Clara, CA to Long Beach, CA
Drive Time
5h 56m
Distance
369.3 mi
594 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$86
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 44m
★
6 AM
5h 57m
8 AM
6h 23m
10 AM
6h 6m
12 PM
6h 3m
3 PM
6h 7m
5 PM
6h 21m
8 PM
5h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Santa Clara, CA
Gaby Lopez
Long Beach, CA
Saidamir Mukhitdinov
Trip Overview
Traveling from Santa Clara to Long Beach covers 369.3 miles along the Pacific Coast, typically taking about 5 hours and 56 minutes of active driving time. Because this route relies on local roads rather than major interstates, it functions best as a focused day trip for those who prefer a slower, turn-heavy pace. You should budget approximately $50 for fuel to complete the journey. While it is possible to finish the drive in one day, the nature of the roads means you will spend significant time navigating through local traffic rather than cruising on open highways. It is a straightforward trip between two Pacific Coast hubs, but the lack of highway segments makes it a more demanding experience than a standard freeway commute.
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
184.6 miles from Santa Clara, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 58m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a unique, turn-heavy local drive that avoids the monotony of a typical interstate grind. With 0% of the journey spent on highways, you will navigate primarily via El Camino Real, Lafayette Street, and Market Street. The road profile is defined by constant adjustments and local navigation, as there is no single long-distance stretch to settle into. Because you are traveling 369.3 miles exclusively on local surface streets, the drive requires your full attention. The road's personality is defined by its granular, stop-and-go nature, which offers a much different feel than the high-speed corridors usually associated with California travel.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
El Camino Real 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.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 5h 56m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Santa Clara, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| El Camino Real | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lafayette Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Market Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| The Alameda | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 880 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| US 101 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Bayshore Freeway | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| CA 152 East | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
El Camino Real
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Clara, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Lincoln Street
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Lincoln Street
2
Turn left onto El Camino Real
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
El Camino Real
3
Turn slight right
151 ft
·
7 sec
4
Turn slight right onto Lafayette Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lafayette Street
5
Turn left onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Market Street
6
Continue on The Alameda
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
The Alameda
7
Continue on The Alameda
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
The Alameda
8
Take the ramp slight right toward I 880 North: Oakland
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
I 880 North: Oakland
9
Merge slight left
1.8 mi
·
2 min
10
Take the exit right toward US 101 South: Los Angeles
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 101 South: Los Angeles
11
Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway
32 mi
·
37 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
12
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
13
Turn left onto East 10th Street
354 ft
·
13 sec
·
East 10th Street
14
Continue on Pacheco Pass Highway
41 mi
·
50 min
·
Pacheco Pass Highway
15
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5: Los Angeles
16
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
181 mi
·
3 hr 14 min
·
Westside Freeway
17
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
18
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 405 South
20
Keep slight right
23 mi
·
26 min
21
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
22
Take the exit slight right toward I 710 South: Long Beach
377 ft
·
9 sec
·
I 710 South: Long Beach
23
Continue on I 710 South: Long Beach
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 710 South: Long Beach
24
Merge slight left onto Long Beach Freeway
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
25
Continue on Seaside Freeway
0.5 mi
·
41 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
26
Take the exit slight left toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
27
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
28
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
29
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
30
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
31
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Given the 5 hour and 56 minute duration and the turn-heavy nature of the route, plan for at least one dedicated stop to stretch your legs and reset. Since the entire trip is on local roads, departure time is critical; leaving early in the morning can help you avoid the densest local traffic patterns. Keep in mind that your fuel efficiency may vary compared to highway driving, so factor in the $50 budget as a baseline for your trip. Since you are sticking to surface streets like El Camino Real, stay alert for frequent signal changes and intersections. Embracing the pace of this route is key, as the local road navigation offers a more intimate look at the Pacific Coast region than a standard freeway route would provide.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 184.6 miles from Santa Clara, CA, or about 2h 58m 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 81 miles or 1h 18m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 184.6 miles or 2h 58m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 58m
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 Santa Clara, 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 Santa Clara, CA
This is one driving day of about 369.3 miles and 5h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 81 miles from Santa Clara, 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 184.6 mi from Santa Clara, CA · 2h 58m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
185 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 81 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 184.6 miles from Santa Clara, 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
$85.52 one way
$171.04 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
129 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $88.20 | $176.39 |
| premium | $6.24 | $90.77 | $181.54 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $82.05 | $164.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$86
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$111–$136
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 129.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 110.8 | 1 | $38.78 | $17.73 |
| Efficient EV | 92.3 | 1 | $32.31 | $14.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 147.7 | 1 | $51.70 | $23.64 |
Gas CO2
129 kg
EV CO2
43 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Long Beach, CA
Afternoon in Long Beach on Sunday
Local time
1:46 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
27 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
5h 56m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Santa Clara, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 369.3 miles and takes about 5h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are El Camino Real, Lafayette Street, Market Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 184.6 miles from Santa Clara, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $85.52 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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.
This is a straightforward 5h 56m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Santa Clara, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Santa Clara, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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