Trip from Ferndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

12h 14m

Distance

633.8 mi

1,020 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$146

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

22 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min

4 AM

12h 3m ★

6 AM

12h 14m

8 AM

12h 37m

10 AM

12h 22m

12 PM

12h 20m

3 PM

12h 23m

5 PM

12h 35m

8 PM

12h 8m

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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Ferndale, CA

Dominik Gryzbon

Los Angeles, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Ferndale, CA to Los Angeles, CA covers 633.8 miles and takes about 12h 14m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Redwood Highway, Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is long-haul drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 232.9 miles on Redwood Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $145.67 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

3 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

316.9 miles from Ferndale, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6h 25m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Redwood Highway	232.9 mi	4h 42m
Westside Freeway	224.4 mi	4h
I 5 Truck	63.9 mi	1h 13m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway	29.3 mi	33m
William Elton Brown Freeway	17 mi	18m
MacArthur Freeway	16.4 mi	18m
Hollywood Freeway	16.2 mi	20m
John T. Knox Freeway	13.6 mi	17m

Longest stretch: Redwood Highway — 232.9 mi, about 4h 42m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Ferndale, CA and Los Angeles, CA.

Start on CA 211

4.8 mi · 10 min · Main Street

Turn right onto Fernbridge Drive

0.6 mi · 59 sec · Fernbridge Drive

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec

Merge onto US 101

117 mi · 2 hr 24 min · Redwood Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 101

5.4 mi · 6 min · Willits Bypass

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on US 101; CA 20

116 mi · 2 hr 18 min · Redwood Highway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

14 mi · 17 min · John T. Knox Freeway

Exit 451B Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 80; I 580

3.8 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

0.3 mi · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80

Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

16 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway

Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 580

12 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

11 mi · 11 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Merge onto I 5

224 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min · I 5 Truck

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

4.1 mi · 4 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

0.3 mi · 17 sec · I 5 Truck

Exit 158 Toward I 405 South Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

5.3 mi · 6 min · I 5 Truck

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 32 sec

Exit 153B Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on CA 170

16 mi · 20 min · Hollywood Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 17 sec

Exit 2C Toward Broadway Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Continue on West Aliso Street

409 ft · 18 sec · West Aliso Street

Use the straight lane.

Turn right onto North Spring Street

0.3 mi · 35 sec · North Spring Street

Use the right lane.

Turn left onto West 1st Street

354 ft · 12 sec · West 1st Street

Use the left lane.

Arrive at destination

West 1st Street

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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.

Plan roughly 3 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.

The halfway point lands around 316.9 miles from Ferndale, CA, or about 6h 25m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 232.9 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 139 miles or 2h 55m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 316.9 miles or 6h 25m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 316.9 miles or 6h 25m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 11h 2m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Los Angeles, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

Open the route before leaving Ferndale, 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.

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Ferndale, CA

Aim for roughly 317 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Los Angeles, CA

Aim for roughly 317 miles and 6.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 139 miles from Ferndale, CA.

This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.

Plan about 3 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

The longest stretch is on Redwood Highway for about 232.9 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Sonoma County, California, United States

First major stop

Coffee and fuel

Windsor, CA

209 mi into the route

Best for: Coffee, fuel, and an easy first stretch

This is a natural early stop once the first hours of the drive are behind you.

city in Contra Costa County, California, United States

Second major stop

Overnight candidate

Richmond, CA

418 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Richmond, CA

Popular next leg

Richmond, CA to Los Angeles, CA

381.3 mi · 7h 4m

Overnight Options

Night 1

Santa Rosa, CA

317 mi · about 6.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Santa Rosa, CA after about 317 miles or 6.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Windsor, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 139 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Manteca, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 316.9 miles from Ferndale, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Redwood Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 232.9 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 317 miles or 6.1 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Central Kitchen at The Lorenzo

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Los Angeles, California

Near the end, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 633.8

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+12139082400

Visit website

Top Coffee Stop

Jurassic Magic Coffee

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Los Angeles, California

Near the end, short detour

2.2 mi from route ~6 min detour $1 to $10 mile 633.8

Hours: 8 am–4 pm

+12132639741

Visit website

Central Kitchen at The Lorenzo

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 633.8

Los Angeles, California

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+12139082400

Visit website

3.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 45.3

Miranda, California

+31880109500

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.3 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, ~11 min detour

4.5 mi from route ~11 min detour

Loleta, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Early in the drive, ~12 min detour

5 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 181.1

Cloverdale, California

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

Early in the drive, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 135.8

Redwood Valley, California

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.1 mi from route

Ferndale, California

Hours: 11 am–4 pm

+17077864466

Visit website

Hadley Gardens

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route

Ferndale, California

Visit website

Los Angeles Plaza Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour mile 633.8

Los Angeles, California

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+12134855572

5 of 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 243.9 and 616.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

243.9 mi into trip | ~4h 59m in | I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 451B Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland

261.2 mi into trip | ~5h 21m in | I 580 / Interstate Highway 80

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...

261.5 mi into trip | ~5h 22m in | I 580 / MacArthur Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockt...

611 mi into trip | ~11h 45m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 405 South

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 158 Toward I 405 South

616.6 mi into trip | ~11h 51m in

Take the exit toward CA 170 South: Hollywood

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 153B Toward CA 170 South: Hollywood

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$145.67 one way

$291.35 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 222 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.02	$150.12	$300.23
premium	$6.18	$154.13	$308.27
diesel	$5.61	$139.94	$279.87

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$146

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$276–$386

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 221.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

22 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Raley's - Tesla Supercharger

Ukiah, CA

Tesla

12 DCFC

Laytonville Supercharger - Tesla Supercharger

Laytonville, CA

Tesla

8 DCFC

City of Ukiah Municipal Parking Lot E - Tesla Supercharger

Ukiah, CA

Tesla

8 DCFC

River Rock Casino

Geyserville, CA

INTERTIE

8 DCFC

Fortuna, CA

RIVIAN_ADVENTURE

6 DCFC

Ukiah, CA

RIVIAN_ADVENTURE

6 DCFC

Garberville-One LogHouse (Garberville, CA)

Garberville, CA

Electrify America

4 DCFC

Safeway 0965 (Willits, CA)

Willits, CA

Electrify America

4 DCFC

ChargePoint Network: 9 SHELL_RECHARGE: 4 Tesla: 3 RIVIAN_ADVENTURE: 2 Electrify America: 2 INTERTIE: 1 Non-Networked: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $67 in charging · 2 stops · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	190.1	2	$66.55	$30.42
Efficient EV	158.5	1	$55.46	$25.35
EV Truck/SUV	253.5	3	$88.73	$40.56

Gas CO2

222 kg

EV CO2

74 kg (67% less)

Plan for 2 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.

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 19, 2026

Origin

Ferndale, CA

Evening in Ferndale on Sunday

Local time

6:42 PM

PDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Los Angeles, CA

Evening in Los Angeles on Sunday

Local time

6:42 PM

PDT

Current temp

55°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

47°F

Richmond, CA

418 mi in

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

12h 14m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

633.8 mi / 12h 14m — a long-haul route where fuel stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single turn. Biggest road: Redwood Highway.

61% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.

26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.

Longest single stretch: 232.9 mi on Redwood Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

At 12h 14m, this is a long-haul route where pacing matters more than any single turn. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 243.9 miles in near I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 633.8 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 243.9 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 261.2 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 261.5 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Ferndale, CA and Los Angeles, CA, road signs point toward Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.

Oakland

243.9 mi in | ~4h 59m | via I 580

Hayward

261.2 mi in | ~5h 21m | via I 580

Stockton

261.2 mi in | ~5h 21m | via I 580

Alameda

261.2 mi in | ~5h 21m | via I 580

San Jose

261.2 mi in | ~5h 21m | via I 580

About the Cities

Arriving in Los Angeles, CA

Full guide →

“Tinseltown” · Founded 1781

Frank Lloyd Wright is said to have quipped, "Tip the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles," a quote that has since been repeated both by those who love and hate L.A. The "City of Angels" is home to people who hail from all parts of the globe and an important center of culture, business, media, and international trade. However, it's most famous for being a major center of the world's television, motion picture, and music industry, which forms the base of the city's status and lures visitors for its show business history and celebrity culture. Visitors are also drawn to Los Angeles for its Mediterranean climate and numerous beaches, which gave birth to California's famed surf culture.

Top landmarks

• Hollywood Walk of Fame — more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks...
• Hollywood Sign — sign reading "HOLLYWOOD" located in Los Angeles, California, United States
• Getty Center — campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust in Los Angeles

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 232.9 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 317 miles on day one.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Los Angeles, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 3 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

Not recommended in a single day. At 12.2 hours each way, a round trip means 24.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Los Angeles, CA before the return drive.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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