Origin
Forestville, CA
Night in Forestville on Saturday
Local time
11:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Forestville, CA to Long Beach, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 40m
Distance
458.6 mi
738 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$104
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 33m
★
6 AM
8h 41m
8 AM
8h 56m
10 AM
8h 46m
12 PM
8h 44m
3 PM
8h 47m
5 PM
8h 55m
8 PM
8h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Forestville, CA
Dominik Gryzbon
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Forestville, CA to Long Beach, CA is 458.6 miles and takes about 8h 40m via Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, Redwood Highway, with a fuel budget near $104 and a need for an overnight stop. This drive primarily stays within California, connecting the Pacific Coast region of Sonoma County to the sprawling Southern California coast. With a high percentage of highway driving, expect a relatively straightforward trip, though the duration suggests breaking it up for a more comfortable experience. Consider this route if you're looking for a direct path south with minimal complex navigation.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
229.3 miles from Forestville, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 22m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 224.4 mi | 4h |
| I 5 Truck | 58.6 mi | 1h 7m |
| Redwood Highway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.3 mi | 33m |
| I 405 Truck | 23 mi | 26m |
| San Diego Freeway | 18 mi | 20m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 16.4 mi | 18m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 224.4 mi, about 4h
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 89 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~1,926 veh/hr typical · worst 2,652
Quietest
2 AM
~360 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
5.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 44 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Forestville, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Forestville Street
39 ft
·
6 sec
·
Forestville Street
2
Turn right onto CA 116
394 ft
·
6 sec
·
Front Street
3
Continue on CA 116
5.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Gravenstein Highway North
4
Continue on CA 116
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Healdsburg Avenue
5
Continue on CA 116
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Continue on CA 116
7.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Gravenstein Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the ramp onto CA 116
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
CA 116
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto US 101; CA 116
30 mi
·
34 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
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.
10
Merge onto I 80; I 580
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
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.
12
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.
13
Merge onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
11 mi
·
11 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
17
Merge onto I 5
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
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.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 405 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Use the slight right lane.
24
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 32B
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
25
Merge onto I 710
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Continue on I 710
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
28
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
29
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
30
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
31
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
32
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Trip Plan
Given the 8h 40m estimated drive time, this trip is best split over two days. Aim to depart Forestville early in the morning to maximize daylight for your first leg. With two planned stops, you can comfortably cover about 229 miles on day one, potentially ending your first day's drive near Bakersfield. This allows for around 4.5 hours of driving each day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 224.4-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway, as services can sometimes be spaced out.
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 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 229.3 miles from Forestville, CA, or about 4h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 224.4 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 101 miles or 2h 4m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 229.3 miles or 4h 22m 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 229.3 miles or 4h 22m
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 7h 28m
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 Forestville, 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 Forestville, CA
Aim for roughly 229 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Long Beach, CA
Aim for roughly 229 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 101 miles from Forestville, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 224.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
229 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 Tracy, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
229 mi · about 4.3h in
A practical overnight split lands near Tracy, CA after about 229 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 102 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 231.2 miles from Forestville, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 245 decision points cluster between mile 44.6 and 456.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
44.6 mi into trip
|
~57m 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
8
62 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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...
8
62.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m 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...
8
411.7 mi into trip
|
~7h 43m 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
7
456.2 mi into trip
|
~8h 35m 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,...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$103.94 one way
$207.89 round trip
$5.76/gal
25.4 MPG avg
161 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.96 | $107.54 | $215.07 |
| premium | $6.09 | $109.99 | $219.98 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $97.55 | $195.10 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$104
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$234–$344
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 160.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 137.6 | 1 | $48.15 | $22.01 |
| Efficient EV | 114.7 | 1 | $40.13 | $18.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 183.4 | 2 | $64.20 | $29.35 |
Gas CO2
160 kg
EV CO2
54 kg (66% 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
Night in Long Beach on Saturday
Local time
11:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Rain Showers Likely
W 10 to 15 mph
71% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 6:51PM PDT until April 27 at 5:00AM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 25 at 1:57PM PDT until April 26 at 11:00AM PDT by NWS Las Vegas NV
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.
Road read
8h 40m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Muir Woods National Monument
National Monument
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
$15
near mile 47.8
Caution: Auto-Theft Warning - Only Bring What You Need to the Park
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
7 mi from route
~16 min detour
Free
near mile 47.8
View on nps.gov
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
Free
near mile 63.8
View on nps.gov
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 47.8
View on nps.gov
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 430.5
View on nps.gov
Point Reyes National Seashore
National Seashore
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches to its open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors over 1500 spec...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 31.9
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 90% highway, meaning you'll be on major roads for most of the 458.6 miles. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 224.4 miles, specifically on the Westside Freeway. Expect the highway driving to conclude around mile 412, transitioning to surface streets as you approach your destination. You'll likely notice a significant increase in traffic and exit density as you get closer to the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 224.4 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and I 5 Truck. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 44.6 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 24 significant decision points across 458.6 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 44.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62.2 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Forestville, CA and Long Beach, CA, road signs point toward Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Oakland
44.6 mi in
|
~57m
|
via I 580
Hayward
62 mi in
|
~1h 19m
|
via I 580
Stockton
62 mi in
|
~1h 19m
|
via I 580
Alameda
62 mi in
|
~1h 19m
|
via I 580
San Jose
62 mi in
|
~1h 19m
|
via I 580
About the Cities
Arriving in Long Beach, CA
Full guide →Founded 1888
Long Beach is a large port city in Los Angeles County in Southern California. Long Beach has some nice people-gathering amenities and genuine tourist attractions, such as a world-class aquarium and the Queen Mary floating museum/hotel. Special events are also held in the city like the annual Long Beach Grand Prix (a premier racing event held on city streets) and the annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride event. When compared to other areas like Hollywood, West Hollywood, Santa Monica and West L.A., Long Beach may not always be at the top of someone's tourist visit to the Los Angeles area, but the city draws its fair share of visitors and has proven it can definitely hold its own.
Top landmarks
- • RMS Queen Mary — retired British ocean liner
- • Terminal Island — island in Los Angeles County, California, United States
- • Aquarium of the Pacific — public aquarium in Long Beach, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 224.4 miles on Westside Freeway. 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 229 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 Long Beach, 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 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 44.6 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 62.2 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.7 hours each way, a round trip means 17.4 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Long Beach, 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, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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