Origin
Sherman Oaks, CA
Evening in Sherman Oaks on Thursday
Local time
8:08 PM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sherman Oaks, CA to Long Beach, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
49m
Distance
38.2 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sherman Oaks, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Sherman Oaks, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 38.2 miles and takes about 49m 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, Long Beach Freeway, Shoreline Drive for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 31.2 miles on San Diego Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.78 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 49m. Total distance: 38.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 49m highway drive covering 38.2 miles, with most of the trip on San Diego Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 31.2 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 15 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 31.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on San Diego Freeway and Long Beach Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near I 405 / San Diego Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 38.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Merge onto I 405 / San Diego Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
14.5 mi into trip
|
~18m 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
32.5 mi into trip
|
~39m 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
5
32.9 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 710 / Long Beach Freeway
Merge onto I 710 / Long Beach Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.8 mi into trip
|
~43m 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 Sherman Oaks, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Convention Center and Aquarium.
Convention Center
35.8 mi in
|
~43m
Aquarium
35.8 mi in
|
~43m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Freeway | 31.2 mi | 36m |
| Long Beach Freeway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Shoreline Drive | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Ventura Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| West Ocean Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Seaside Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Chestnut Place | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| East Ocean Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
San Diego Freeway
— 31.2 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sherman Oaks, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on this road
37 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto Ventura Boulevard
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Ventura Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
Toward I 405 South
4
Merge onto I 405
13 mi
·
15 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Use the slight right lane.
7
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 32B
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
8
Merge onto I 710
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 710
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
12
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
13
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
14
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
15
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.1 mi from Sherman Oaks, CA · 23m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Sherman Oaks, 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
$8.78 one way
$17.56 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.05 | $18.10 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.29 | $18.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.43 | $16.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.01 | $1.83 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.34 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.35 | $2.44 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 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
8:08 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
4 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
49m 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 Sherman Oaks, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 38.2 miles and takes about 49m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are San Diego Freeway, Long Beach Freeway, Shoreline Drive. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.1 miles from Sherman Oaks, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.78 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 11 decision points packed into just 38.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles (I 405 / San Diego Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Sherman Oaks, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Convention Center and Aquarium.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
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