This 443.6-mile journey from North Auburn, CA to Long Beach, CA will take approximately 8 hours and 15 minutes of driving time. With a 97% highway share, it's a drive primarily focused on efficient travel. Given the duration, it's best split over two days, allowing for a more relaxed pace and time to make your two planned stops. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $103. You'll be traveling within the Pacific Coast region for the entire drive, moving south through California.
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
221.8 miles from North Auburn, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Canal Street
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Luther Road
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—
Grass Valley Highway
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—
I 80 West
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—
Alan S
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Dwight D
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Capital City Freeway
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I 5
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Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Canal Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Auburn, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Erin Drive
0.1 mi·35 sec·Erin Drive
2
At the end of the road, turn left onto Canal Street
0.3 mi·1 min·Canal Street
3
Turn right onto Luther Road
0.1 mi·24 sec·Luther Road
4
Turn left onto Grass Valley Highway
1.9 mi·3 min·Grass Valley Highway
5
Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento
0.3 mi·33 sec·I 80 West: Sacramento
6
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
17 mi·19 min·Alan S. Hart Freeway
7
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi·8 min·Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi·5 min·Capital City Freeway
9
Keep slight left to continue on Capital City Freeway
3.7 mi·4 min·Capital City Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
1.9 mi·2 min·Capital City Freeway
11
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
0.2 mi·15 sec·I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
12
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
0.8 mi·1 min·I 5 South: Los Angeles
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi·1 hr 5 min·Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
0.8 mi·49 sec·Westside Freeway
15
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi·4 hr 13 min·Westside Freeway
16
Keep slight right
58 mi·1 hr 6 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi·4 min·Golden State Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
0.3 mi·18 sec·I 405 South
19
Keep slight right
23 mi·26 min
20
Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway
18 mi·20 min·San Diego Freeway
21
Take the exit slight right toward I 710 South: Long Beach
377 ft·9 sec·I 710 South: Long Beach
22
Continue on I 710 South: Long Beach
0.3 mi·40 sec·I 710 South: Long Beach
23
Merge slight left onto Long Beach Freeway
2.4 mi·3 min·Long Beach Freeway
24
Continue on Seaside Freeway
0.5 mi·41 sec·Seaside Freeway
25
Take the exit slight left toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
0.3 mi·38 sec·Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
26
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi·2 min·Shoreline Drive
27
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi·30 sec·South Chestnut Place
28
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi·1 min·West Ocean Boulevard
29
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi·22 sec·East Ocean Boulevard
30
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 8-hour-plus drive, consider an early morning departure to beat potential traffic, especially as you approach Southern California. Splitting the drive over two days with two stops is highly recommended; plan your overnight stay roughly halfway to break up the 443.6 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the longest stretch is over 296 miles, and budget around $103 for gas. A practical tip is to utilize the truck routes mentioned, as they are often designed for smoother flow and fewer unexpected delays on this otherwise highway-centric route.
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 221.8 miles from North Auburn, CA, or about 4h 7m into the drive.
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 98 miles or 1h 49m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 221.8 miles or 4h 7m 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 221.8 miles or 4h 7m
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 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Long Beach, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
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Open the route before leaving North Auburn, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
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Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
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Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
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Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
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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 North Auburn, CA
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Long Beach, CA
Aim for roughly 222 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 98 miles from North Auburn, 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.
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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$101.96 one way
$203.92 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg155 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$105.07
$210.13
premium
$6.18
$107.88
$215.76
diesel
$5.61
$97.94
$195.88
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$102
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$232–$342
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 155.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $47 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
133.1
1
$46.58
$21.29
Efficient EV
110.9
1
$38.82
$17.74
EV Truck/SUV
177.4
2
$62.10
$28.39
Gas CO2
155 kg
EV CO2
52 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
North Auburn, CA
Late night
in North Auburn on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Long Beach, CA
Late night
in Long Beach on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
PDT
Current temp
56°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
14 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 15m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the vast majority of this route, with 97% of the mileage on major freeways like the Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, and I 405 Truck. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 296.3 miles on the Westside Freeway, indicating long periods of consistent speed. While efficient, this profile suggests a predominantly straightforward driving experience, prioritizing getting from point A to point B quickly rather than varied scenery.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
30 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Canal Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 15m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from North Auburn, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
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
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 15m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 222 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 is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. 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.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from North Auburn, CA to Long Beach, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.3 hours each way, a round trip means 16.5 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.
