Embarking on the 594.5-mile journey from Long Beach to Susanville is a significant undertaking that requires careful planning. With a total driving time of approximately 11 hours and 29 minutes, this trek is best approached as a two-day trip rather than a single-day haul. You should budget about $138 for fuel to cover the distance across California. While the route remains within the Pacific Coast region, the transition from the bustling coast to the more remote northern interior is pronounced. By splitting the drive, you ensure a much safer and more enjoyable experience as you navigate between these two points.
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
297.3 miles from Long Beach, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 5h 30m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Westside Freeway
304.9 mi
5h 29m
Deer Creek Highway
52.3 mi
1h 9m
CA 70
52 mi
1h
San Diego Freeway
40.8 mi
47m
I 5 Truck
39.3 mi
45m
CA 36
29.5 mi
40m
Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi
25m
State Highway 36 East
18.1 mi
26m
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 304.9 mi, about 5h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Susanville, CA.
1
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
0.7 mi·2 min·East Ocean Boulevard
2
Turn right onto North Golden Avenue
414 ft·6 sec·North Golden Avenue
3
Keep slight left at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 710 North
4
Merge onto Shoreline Drive
0.5 mi·47 sec·Shoreline Drive
5
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·31 sec
Toward I 710 North
6
Merge onto I 710
0.5 mi·41 sec·Seaside Freeway
7
Continue on I 710
2.3 mi·3 min·Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·10 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San DiegoUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa MonicaUse the straight lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa MonicaUse the sharp right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 405 North: Santa MonicaUse the straight lane.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 405 NorthUse the straight lane.
13
Merge onto I 405
41 mi·47 min·San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 5 Truck
1.6 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
1.5 mi·1 min·I 5 Truck
Exit 161AToward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 TruckUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi·41 min·I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi·25 min·Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
226 mi·4 hr 1 min·Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 NorthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
26 mi·27 min·Westside Freeway
20
Keep left at fork onto I 5
54 mi·59 min·Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99
7.5 mi·8 min·Golden State Highway
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, MarysvilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Continue on CA 99
5.0 mi·5 min·Bernie Richter Memorial Highway
23
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 70
22 mi·25 min·CA 70
Toward CA 70 North: Marysville, OrovilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn right onto 5th Street
0.2 mi·38 sec·5th Street
25
Turn left onto B Street
1.5 mi·3 min·B Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Continue on CA 70
30 mi·35 min·CA 70
Use the left lane.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 149
5.7 mi·6 min·CA 149
Use the straight lane.
28
Merge onto CA 99
9.5 mi·11 min·CA 99
Use the straight lane.
29
Take the exit
0.2 mi·15 sec
Toward CA 32: Orland, Chester
30
Turn right onto CA 32
52 mi·1 hr 9 min·Deer Creek Highway
Use the right lane.
31
At end of road, turn right onto CA 36; CA 89
18 mi·26 min·State Highway 36 East
32
Enter roundabout onto CA 36
92 ft·6 sec·CA 36
33
Continue on CA 36
29 mi·39 min·CA 36
34
Turn right onto Foss Street
61 ft·2 sec·Foss Street
35
Arrive at destination
Foss Street
Trip Plan
To manage the 11-hour and 29-minute duration effectively, aim to break your journey into two manageable legs with at least three planned stops. Leaving early in the morning is essential to avoid potential traffic congestion before you reach the more open stretches of your route. Keep a close eye on your fuel gauge during the long 304.9-mile freeway segment, as finding consistent service can become more challenging as you move further north. Since the road transitions from major freeways to CA 70, stay alert to changing speed limits and road conditions. Prioritizing rest stops will help you maintain focus throughout the entirety of this nearly 600-mile drive.
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 297.3 miles from Long Beach, CA, or about 5h 30m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 304.9 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 131 miles or 2h 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 297.3 miles or 5h 30m 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 297.3 miles or 5h 30m
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 10h 6m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Susanville, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Long Beach, 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 Long Beach, CA
Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Susanville, CA
Aim for roughly 297 miles and 5.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 131 miles from Long Beach, 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 Westside Freeway for about 304.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 29
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.8 and 413.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
4.8 mi into trip|~7m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway North, Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 405 North, I 710: Long Beach Freeway N...
8
4.9 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the sharp right lane.
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
8
5.2 mi into trip|~8m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
9
48.2 mi into trip|~59m 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
413.1 mi into trip|~7h 36m in|CA 99 / Golden State Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 99 / Golden State Highway toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysville
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 99 North, CA 70: Yuba City, Marysvill...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$136.64 one way
$273.28 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg208 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$140.81
$281.62
premium
$6.18
$144.58
$289.15
diesel
$5.61
$131.26
$262.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$137
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$267–$377
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 208 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $62 in charging
· 2 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
178.4
2
$62.42
$28.54
Efficient EV
148.6
1
$52.02
$23.78
EV Truck/SUV
237.8
2
$83.23
$38.05
Gas CO2
208 kg
EV CO2
70 kg (66% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Long Beach, CA
Evening
in Long Beach on Saturday
Local time
6:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
W 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 11:57AM PDT until April 15 at 3:00AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 9:35AM PDT until April 15 at 8:00PM PDT by NWS Medford OR
Destination
Susanville, CA
Evening
in Susanville on Saturday
Local time
6:28 PM
PDT
Current temp
32°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.
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
36 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
11h 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.
Lassen Volcanic National Park
National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to steaming fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
$30
near mile 553.5
Park Closure: Roads to Juniper Lake and Warner Valley Closed for Repairs
Park Closure: Lassen National Park Highway under Seasonal Closure
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...
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...
29 mi from route
~73 min detour
Free
near mile 102.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a trip defined by heavy highway usage, as 88% of your travel occurs on major thoroughfares. You will spend a substantial portion of your time on the Westside Freeway, which accounts for the longest single stretch of 304.9 miles. After maintaining high-speed momentum on the freeway, the character of the road shifts as you transition onto the Deer Creek Highway and CA 70. This combination of major arteries and secondary highways creates a varied experience behind the wheel. Prepare for a mix of efficient, long-distance interstate cruising followed by the distinct pace of regional state highways.
88% 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: 304.9 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Deer Creek Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.8 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 594.5 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 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Long Beach, CA and Susanville, CA, road signs point toward Marysville, Oroville and Chester.
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
The longest stretch is about 304.9 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 297 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 Susanville, 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Lassen Volcanic National Park, 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 11.5 hours each way, a round trip means 23.0 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Susanville, CA before the return drive.
