Origin
Tustin, CA
Late night in Tustin on Friday
Local time
12:59 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tustin, CA to Long Beach, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
36m
Distance
23.1 mi
37 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Fair
2 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tustin, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 23.1-mile drive from Tustin, CA to Long Beach, CA is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking approximately 36 minutes. The route primarily utilizes the Garden Grove Freeway (CA 22) and East 7th Street, with a significant 73% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $5 for this relatively short distance. Given its proximity within the Pacific Coast region of California, this trip is perfect for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger coastal adventure. It offers a straightforward transit between two Southern California cities.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 36m. Total distance: 23.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (73%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The personality of this drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 73% of the route consisting of freeway travel. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 10.2 miles on the Garden Grove Freeway, offering a period of consistent speed. While much of the journey involves freeway driving, transitions onto roads like East 7th Street will introduce more local traffic conditions. The overall feel is one of efficient transit, moving you steadily towards your destination with minimal scenic diversions.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden Grove Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 10.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden Grove Freeway and East 7th Street. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 23.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 5 North
6
2.9 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
7
3.7 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 106
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
7
4.2 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
7
16.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
CA 22
Take the exit onto CA 22 toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden Grove Freeway | 10.2 mi | 11m |
| East 7th Street | 2.7 mi | 6m |
| CA 22 | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 2.3 mi | 2m |
| San Diego Freeway | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| East 4th Street | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Alamitos Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| East Ocean Boulevard | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden Grove Freeway
— 10.2 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tustin, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on West 1st Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
West 1st Street
2
Turn right onto Yorba Street
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Yorba Street
3
Turn left onto Irvine Boulevard
470 ft
·
17 sec
·
Irvine Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
4
Continue on East 4th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East 4th Street
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 5 North
Use the right lane.
6
Merge onto I 5
1.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
53 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 106
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
414 ft
·
8 sec
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Use the slight left lane.
10
Merge onto CA 22
10 mi
·
11 min
·
Garden Grove Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on CA 22; I 405
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto CA 22
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
CA 22
Exit 23
Toward CA 22 West: Long Beach
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto East 7th Street
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
14
Turn left onto Rose Avenue
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Rose Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn right onto East 4th Street
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
East 4th Street
16
Turn left onto Alamitos Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Alamitos Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto East Ocean Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the right lane.
18
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.31 one way
$10.62 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.47 | $10.94 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.62 | $11.24 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.43 | $1.11 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Late night in Long Beach on Friday
Local time
12:59 AM
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
18 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
36m 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 Tustin, CA to Long Beach, CA covers 23.1 miles and takes about 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden Grove Freeway, East 7th Street, CA 22. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11.5 miles from Tustin, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.31 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 14 decision points packed into just 23.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.9 miles (I 5 / Santa Ana Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Tustin, CA to Long Beach, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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