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Trip from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 55m

Distance

142.7 mi

230 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$33

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 33 min
4 AM
2h 45m ★
6 AM
2h 56m
8 AM
3h 18m
10 AM
3h 4m
12 PM
3h 2m
3 PM
3h 5m
5 PM
3h 17m
8 PM
2h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Long Beach, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 142.7 miles and takes about 2h 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on 2nd Street, Main Street, West Side Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $32.80 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

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

71.3 miles from South Taft, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 27m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 55m. Total distance: 142.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 55m drive with frequent turns across 142.7 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 24 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
2nd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

Elevation Profile

Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes

4,084 ft 30 ft

Total Climb

4,188 ft

Total Descent

5,172 ft

Highest Point

4,084 ft

~51 mi in

Elevation Range

4,054 ft

Notable High Points

4,084 ft at ~51 miles +1,283 ft prominence
1,716 ft at ~91.7 miles +667 ft prominence

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Driving Effort 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The drive from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA is easy. At 2h 55m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
2nd Street — —
Main Street — —
West Side Highway — —
California Street — —
Poso Street — —
Maricopa Highway — —
Westside Freeway — —
Golden State Freeway — —

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: 2nd Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on Olive Avenue

0.2 mi · 48 sec · Olive Avenue
2

Continue on 2nd Street

463 ft · 22 sec · 2nd Street
3

Turn right onto Main Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Main Street
4

Turn right onto West Side Highway

5.9 mi · 8 min · West Side Highway
5

Continue on California Street

0.4 mi · 58 sec · California Street
6

At the end of the road, turn left onto Poso Street

0.5 mi · 50 sec · Poso Street
7

Continue on Maricopa Highway

22 mi · 30 min · Maricopa Highway
8

Take the exit slight right

0.4 mi · 51 sec
9

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

3.4 mi · 3 min · Westside Freeway
10

Keep slight right

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min
11

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

4.1 mi · 4 min · Golden State Freeway
12

Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 405 South
13

Keep slight right

23 mi · 26 min
14

Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

18 mi · 20 min · San Diego Freeway
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 710 South: Long Beach

377 ft · 9 sec · I 710 South: Long Beach
16

Continue on I 710 South: Long Beach

0.3 mi · 40 sec · I 710 South: Long Beach
17

Merge slight left onto Long Beach Freeway

2.4 mi · 3 min · Long Beach Freeway
18

Continue on Seaside Freeway

0.5 mi · 41 sec · Seaside Freeway
19

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

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
20

Continue on Shoreline Drive

1.3 mi · 2 min · Shoreline Drive
21

Turn left onto South Chestnut Place

0.2 mi · 30 sec · South Chestnut Place
22

Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · West Ocean Boulevard
23

Continue on East Ocean Boulevard

0.1 mi · 22 sec · East Ocean Boulevard
24

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.3 miles from South Taft, CA, or about 1h 27m 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 31 miles or 38m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 71.3 miles or 1h 27m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 24m

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 South Taft, 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 South Taft, CA

This is one driving day of about 142.7 miles and 2h 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from South Taft, 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 71.3 mi from South Taft, CA · 1h 27m into the drive

city in Los Angeles County, California, USA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Santa Clarita, CA

71 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

Santa Clarita, CA to Long Beach, CA

55.9 mi · 1h 11m

Pacing Suggestions

Piru, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 31 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Santa Clarita, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 71.3 miles from South Taft, 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

17 mi from route ~42 min detour Free near mile 108.2
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

27 mi from route ~67 min detour Free near mile 34.4
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$32.80 one way

$65.60 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 50 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $33.80 $67.60
premium $6.18 $34.70 $69.41
diesel $5.61 $31.51 $63.01

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$33

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$58–$83

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 49.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 42.8 0 $14.98 $6.85
Efficient EV 35.7 0 $12.49 $5.71
EV Truck/SUV 57.1 0 $19.98 $9.13

Gas CO2

50 kg

EV CO2

17 kg (66% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

South Taft, CA

Morning in South Taft on Thursday

Local time

9:55 AM

PDT

Current temp

67°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Long Beach, CA

Morning in Long Beach on Thursday

Local time

9:55 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

11 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

2h 55m 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 South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 142.7 miles and takes about 2h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 2nd Street, Main Street, West Side Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 71.3 miles from South Taft, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $32.80 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
The drive from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA is easy. At 2h 55m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from South Taft, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes. The route ranges from 30 ft to 4,084 ft elevation with about 4,188 ft of total climbing. There are 2 notable high points along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument.

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