Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 1m
Distance
365.7 mi
589 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$84
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Twin Lakes, CA
ollin focus
This 365.7-mile drive from Long Beach, CA to Twin Lakes, CA is achievable in about 7 hours and 1 minute, making it a solid option for a single day trip. You'll spend most of your time on major freeways, with 89% of the route being highway driving. Expect a fuel cost of around $84 for this journey. The route focuses on efficient travel between two points in the Pacific Coast region, so plan for a straightforward, highway-focused experience. With two recommended stops, you can break up the drive as needed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
182.9 miles from Long Beach, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 27m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 182.5 mi | 3h 15m |
| San Diego Freeway | 40.8 mi | 47m |
| I 5 Truck | 39.3 mi | 45m |
| CA 152 | 36.1 mi | 43m |
| Golden State Freeway | 22.3 mi | 25m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Riverside Road | 9.5 mi | 13m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 4.1 mi | 6m |
Step-by-step road directions between Long Beach, CA and Twin Lakes, CA.
Start on East Ocean Boulevard
Turn right onto North Golden Avenue
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto Shoreline Drive
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 710
Continue on I 710
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 405
Merge onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on CA 152; CA33
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 152
Turn left onto CR G7
At end of road, turn right onto CA 25
Take the ramp
Merge onto US 101
Continue on US 101
Take the exit
Turn right onto CA 129
Continue on CA 129
Enter roundabout onto CA 129
Continue on CA 129
Turn right onto Blackburn Street
At end of road, turn left onto CA 152
Turn right onto CA 152
Turn left onto CA 152
Take the ramp
Merge onto CA 1
Take the exit
Continue on Commercial way
Turn left onto Soquel Drive
Continue on Soquel Avenue
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Arrive at destination
To make the most of this 7-hour, 365.7-mile trip, consider an early morning departure from Long Beach to navigate potential traffic. With two stops planned, you can comfortably break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point of the 182.5-mile longest stretch on the Westside Freeway. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $84, and plan your refueling stops accordingly. This highway-intensive route is best suited for steady progress.
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 is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 80 miles or 1h 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 182.9 miles or 3h 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Twin Lakes, CA than in the middle of the route.
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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Long Beach, CA
This is one driving day of about 365.7 miles and 7h 1m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
183 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 182.9 miles from Long Beach, 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 182.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.7 and 48.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 405 North, I 405 South: Santa Monica, San Diego
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Keep slight right at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork toward I 405 North: Santa Monica
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
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
Regular Gas
$84.05 one way
$168.11 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $86.62 | $173.23 |
| premium | $6.18 | $88.93 | $177.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $80.74 | $161.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$84
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$109–$134
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 128 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $38 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 109.7 | 1 | $38.40 | $17.55 |
| Efficient EV | 91.4 | 1 | $32.00 | $14.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 146.3 | 1 | $51.20 | $23.40 |
Gas CO2
128 kg
EV CO2
43 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Long Beach on Sunday
Local time
8:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Morning in Twin Lakes on Sunday
Local time
8:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
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.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 89% of its length on major roads like the Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. You'll encounter a significant uninterrupted stretch of 182.5 miles on the Westside Freeway, so be prepared for extended periods of consistent highway speeds. While the majority is freeway, the overall character is one of efficient transit rather than winding scenic byways. Expect a steady pace for most of the 7-hour journey.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and San Diego Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.7 miles in.
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 31 significant decision points across 365.7 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 4.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; 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.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Long Beach, CA and Twin Lakes, CA, road signs point toward Hollister, San Jose and Santa Cruz.
Hollister
San Jose
Santa Cruz
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 1m. Total distance: 365.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 1m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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