Water
0.1 mi from route
Trip from Irvine, CA to Lincoln, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 29m
Distance
458.4 mi
738 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$112
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 21m
★
6 AM
8h 29m
8 AM
8h 44m
10 AM
8h 34m
12 PM
8h 33m
3 PM
8h 35m
5 PM
8h 44m
8 PM
8h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Irvine, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Lincoln, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Irvine to Lincoln is 458.4 miles and takes about 8h 29m via Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway, with a fuel budget near $101 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within California, traversing the Pacific Coast region for its entirety. With 97% highway driving, expect a straightforward trip focused on covering ground efficiently. Given the 8.5-hour estimated drive time, this route is comfortably split over two days, allowing for a more relaxed pace.
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
229.2 miles from Irvine, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 16m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 297.1 mi | 5h 20m |
| Golden State Freeway | 50 mi | 57m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Santa Ana Freeway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| Capital City Freeway | 10.6 mi | 11m |
| CA 65 | 7.5 mi | 8m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 7 mi | 8m |
| San Diego Freeway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 297.1 mi, about 5h 20m
Traffic on I-5
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 544 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,320 veh/hr typical · worst 5,685
Quietest
2 AM
~621 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 89 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 Irvine, CA and Lincoln, CA.
1
Start on I 405
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
San Diego Freeway
2
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 4
Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3
Turn left onto Jeffrey Road
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
·
Jeffrey Road
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 405
4.2 mi
·
4 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Exit 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 55 North
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 55
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55
0.4 mi
·
28 sec
·
Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 10B
Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 5
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi
·
1 min
·
I 5 Truck
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi
·
4 hr 1 min
·
Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi
·
27 min
·
Westside Freeway
22
Keep left at fork onto I 5
46 mi
·
50 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Exit 518
Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Use the slight right lane.
24
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Exit 518
Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
Use the slight right lane.
25
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 518
Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Capital City Freeway
27
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business
9.4 mi
·
10 min
·
Capital City Freeway
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno
Use the slight right lane.
28
Continue on I 80
7.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Continue on I 80
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
1 min
Exit 106
Toward CA 65: Lincoln, Marysville
Use the straight / right lanes.
31
Continue on Charles J. La Porte Memorial Bridge
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Charles J. La Porte Memorial Bridge
Exit 106
Toward CA 65: Lincoln, Marysville
32
Continue on CA 65
7.5 mi
·
8 min
·
CA 65
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 314
Toward Lincoln Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Turn right onto Lincoln Boulevard
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Lincoln Boulevard
35
Arrive at destination
Lincoln Boulevard
Trip Plan
For this 458.4-mile drive, consider breaking it into two days. A good stopping point would be around the 4-hour mark, leaving another 4.5 hours for the next day. This allows you to budget your fuel efficiently, with an estimated cost of $101. Pay attention to the longest stretch of 297.1 miles on the Westside Freeway; ensure you have adequate fuel before entering this segment. Leaving Irvine in the morning should allow you to reach your chosen midpoint with plenty of daylight remaining.
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 229.2 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 4h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 297.1 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 1h 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 229.2 miles or 4h 16m 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 229.2 miles or 4h 16m
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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lincoln, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Irvine, 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 Irvine, CA
Aim for roughly 229 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Lincoln, CA
Aim for roughly 229 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 101 miles from Irvine, 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 297.1 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 Los Angeles, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
229 mi · about 4.2h in
A practical overnight split lands near Los Angeles, CA after about 229 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 101 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 229.2 miles from Irvine, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 297.1 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 229 miles or 4.2 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Dos Amigos Vista Point
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
EZ Trip Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Castaic Truck Stop
0.1 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Southbound
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Coalinga Avenal Safety Roadside Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Southbound
0.2 mi from route
Coalinga - Avenal Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Southbound Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Buttonwillow Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.2 mi from route
Tejon Pass Rest Area - Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Lost Hills Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
John "Chuck" Erreca Northbound Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Westley Rest Area
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.3 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
TA
0.4 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.9 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.3 mi from route
Rest Area
1.6 mi from route
Rest Area
1.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.7 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.7 mi from route
Rest Area
1.8 mi from route
Service Plaza
1.9 mi from route
Petro Stopping Centers
2 mi from route
Service Plaza
2 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
2.1 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 295 decision points cluster between mile 6.3 and 426 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
6.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the exit toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9A
Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
9
68.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A
Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
425.6 mi into trip
|
~7h 48m in
Take the exit toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 518
Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South L...
10
425.8 mi into trip
|
~7h 49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 518
Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South La...
9
426 mi into trip
|
~7h 49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 518
Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$112.18 one way
$224.36 round trip
$6.22/gal
25.4 MPG avg
160 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.40 | $115.52 | $231.04 |
| premium | $6.57 | $118.50 | $237.00 |
| diesel | $6.18 | $111.51 | $223.03 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$112
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$242–$352
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 160.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 137.5 | 1 | $48.13 | $22.00 |
| Efficient EV | 114.6 | 1 | $40.11 | $18.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 183.4 | 2 | $64.18 | $29.34 |
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.
Origin
Irvine, CA
Late night in Irvine on Sunday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
93°F
Mostly Sunny
S 0 to 5 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 9:11AM PDT until October 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 9:11AM PDT until October 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
Lincoln, CA
Late night in Lincoln on Sunday
Local time
2:16 AM
PDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
NNW 3 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 9:11AM PDT until October 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued October 17 at 9:11AM PDT until October 17 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
5 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
8h 29m 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.
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...
22 mi from route
~55 min detour
Free
near mile 63.2
Park Closure: Solstice Canyon Trail Weekday Closure for Repairs
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...
28 mi from route
~69 min detour
Free
near mile 126.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly highway, with 97% of the 458.4 miles on major freeways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 297.1 miles on the Westside Freeway, indicating extended periods of consistent speed. The shift from highway to surface roads will be minimal, occurring late in your trip. Expect a lot of merging and exiting in urban areas, typical for this kind of sustained freeway travel.
97% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
35 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 297.1 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 29 significant decision points across 458.4 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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 425.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Hilly terrain with moderate elevation changes
2,831 ft
16 ft
Total Climb
3,328 ft
Total Descent
3,212 ft
Highest Point
2,831 ft
~98.2 mi in
Elevation Range
2,814 ft
Notable High Points
2,831 ft at ~98.2 miles
+1,783 ft prominence
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 Irvine, CA and Lincoln, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.
Lake Tahoe
425.6 mi in
|
~7h 48m
Broadway
425.8 mi in
|
~7h 49m
Fresno
427.9 mi in
|
~7h 51m
|
via I 80 Business
About the Cities
Starting in Irvine, CA
Full guide →Founded 1971
Irvine is a city of 308,000 people (2020) in Orange County, California. Irvine is one of the newest and largest cities in Orange County, and it is still growing. The city is a perfectly planned suburbia. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on December 28, 1971.
Top landmarks
- • Pretend City Children's Museum — children's Museum in California, U.S.
Arriving in Lincoln, CA
Full guide →Founded 1890
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 297.1 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.
Yes — we found about 43 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Lincoln, 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. There are 43 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 425.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and César E. Chávez National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.5 hours each way, a round trip means 17.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Lincoln, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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