Origin
Rancho Cordova, CA
Late night in Rancho Cordova on Tuesday
Local time
3:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Rancho Cordova, CA to Long Beach, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
7h 43m
Distance
410 mi
660 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$94
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 34m
★
6 AM
7h 43m
8 AM
8h 2m
10 AM
7h 50m
12 PM
7h 48m
3 PM
7h 51m
5 PM
8h 1m
8 PM
7h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rancho Cordova, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Long Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 410-mile drive from Rancho Cordova to Long Beach, California, is a solid day trip, clocking in at about 7 hours and 43 minutes of pure driving time. You'll be spending about 95% of your journey on major highways, making it a straightforward, highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $94 and a plan for two stops, this route is designed for efficiency. Consider starting early to make the most of daylight and avoid potential evening traffic as you approach Southern California. This trip offers a direct path connecting two points within the Pacific Coast region.
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
205 miles from Rancho Cordova, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 51m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 250.2 mi | 4h 28m |
| I 5 Truck | 58.6 mi | 1h 7m |
| South Sacramento Freeway | 29.7 mi | 34m |
| I 405 Truck | 23 mi | 26m |
| San Diego Freeway | 18 mi | 20m |
| Bradshaw Road | 11.9 mi | 17m |
| Golden State Freeway | 4.1 mi | 4m |
| Crosstown Freeway | 2.4 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 250.2 mi, about 4h 28m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Rancho Cordova, CA and Long Beach, CA.
1
Start on Folsom Boulevard
474 ft
·
14 sec
·
Folsom Boulevard
2
Continue on Folsom Boulevard
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Folsom Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto Bradshaw Road
9.3 mi
·
13 min
·
Bradshaw Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Enter roundabout onto Bradshaw Road
81 ft
·
1 sec
·
Bradshaw Road
5
Continue on Bradshaw Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Bradshaw Road
Use the left / uturn lanes.
6
Turn right onto E2
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Grant Line Road
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on E2
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Kammerer Road
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
9
Merge onto CA 99
30 mi
·
34 min
·
South Sacramento Freeway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 4
11
Merge onto CA 4
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Crosstown Freeway
12
Take the exit onto CA 4
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
CA 4
Toward I 5: Sacramento
13
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 4
Toward I 5 South
14
Merge onto I 5; CA 4
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Westside Freeway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
0.8 mi
·
48 sec
·
Westside Freeway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
237 mi
·
4 hr 13 min
·
Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
4.1 mi
·
4 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
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.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405 Truck
23 mi
·
26 min
·
I 405 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
18 mi
·
20 min
·
San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
377 ft
·
9 sec
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
Use the slight right lane.
23
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
this road
Exit 32B
Toward I 710 South: Long Beach
24
Merge onto I 710
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Long Beach Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on I 710
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Seaside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Downtown Long Beach, Convention Center, Aquarium
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
27
Continue on Shoreline Drive
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Shoreline Drive
28
Turn left onto South Chestnut Place
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Chestnut Place
Use the left / uturn lanes.
29
Turn right onto West Ocean Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Ocean Boulevard
30
Continue on East Ocean Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
East Ocean Boulevard
Use the left lane.
31
Arrive at destination
East Ocean Boulevard
Trip Plan
For this 7-hour, 43-minute drive, an early morning departure from Rancho Cordova is your best bet to maximize your time and potentially beat some traffic. With only two planned stops and a 95% highway share, you can maintain a good pace. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially during the 250.2-mile stretch on the Westside Freeway, as services can be spaced out. The $94 fuel cost is a good estimate, but always factor in a buffer. Since this is a manageable single-day drive, you have the flexibility to adjust your stop timing based on your needs.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 205 miles from Rancho Cordova, CA, or about 3h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 250.2 miles.
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 90 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 205 miles or 3h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 30m
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 Rancho Cordova, 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 Rancho Cordova, CA
This is one driving day of about 410 miles and 7h 43m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 90 miles from Rancho Cordova, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 250.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
205 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 90 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 205 miles from Rancho Cordova, 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 250.2 miles.
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 265 decision points cluster between mile 64.1 and 407.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
64.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
|
I 5 / Westside Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Westside Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
300.7 mi into trip
|
~5h 34m in
|
I 5 Truck
Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
359.1 mi into trip
|
~6h 41m in
|
I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 / Golden State Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
363.1 mi into trip
|
~6h 45m 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
407.6 mi into trip
|
~7h 37m 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
$94.24 one way
$188.47 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
144 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $97.11 | $194.22 |
| premium | $6.18 | $99.71 | $199.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $90.52 | $181.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$94
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$119–$144
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 143.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $43 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 123 | 1 | $43.05 | $19.68 |
| Efficient EV | 102.5 | 1 | $35.88 | $16.40 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 164 | 2 | $57.40 | $26.24 |
Gas CO2
143 kg
EV CO2
48 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
Late night in Long Beach on Tuesday
Local time
3:36 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.
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
7 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
7h 43m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a primarily highway-focused drive on this 410-mile journey. You'll be on the Westside Freeway, I 5 Truck, and South Sacramento Freeway for the vast majority of the trip. The profile is overwhelmingly highway, with 95% of the route utilizing these faster thoroughfares. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 250.2 miles on the Westside Freeway, so be prepared for sustained driving. This route offers a consistent driving experience, ideal for covering distance efficiently.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 250.2 mi on Westside Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
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 64.1 miles in near I 5 / Westside Freeway.
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 26 significant decision points across 410 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 64.1 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 300.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 359.1 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Rancho Cordova, CA
Full guide →Rancho Cordova is in Sacramento County in California.
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).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 43m. Total distance: 410 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 43m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 250.2 miles on Westside Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 64.1 miles (I 5 / Westside Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 300.7 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 359.1 miles (I 5 / Golden State Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.7 hours each way, a round trip means 15.4 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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