How far is Arcata, CA from Irvine, CA?
The driving distance from Arcata, CA to Irvine, CA is about 699 miles (1124.9 km), with a travel time of about 11h 13m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 604.4 miles (972.7 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 22h 27m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 11h 13m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
City in Stanislaus County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Scattered Rain Showers
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Arcata and Irvine.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arcata and Irvine.
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1
Start on the route
90 m · 7 sec
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2
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
701 ft · 9 sec · Redwood Highway
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3
Take the exit slight right toward 14th Street
1152 ft · 34 sec
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4
Turn left onto 14th Street
144 m · 20 sec · 14th Street
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5
Take the ramp sharp left
1066 ft · 26 sec
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6
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
6.7 mi · 9 min · Redwood Highway
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7
Continue on 4th Street
1.5 mi · 4 min · 4th Street
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8
Turn left onto Broadway Street
3 mi · 6 min · Broadway Street
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9
Continue on Redwood Highway
128.9 mi · 2 hr 38 min · Redwood Highway
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10
Continue on Willits Bypass
5.4 mi · 6 min · Willits Bypass
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11
Continue on Redwood Highway
116.2 mi · 2 hr 18 min · Redwood Highway
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12
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13.6 mi · 17 min · John T. Knox Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway
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14
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80
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15
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway
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16
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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17
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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18
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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19
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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20
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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21
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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22
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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23
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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24
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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25
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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26
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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27
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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28
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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29
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
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30
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
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31
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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32
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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33
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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34
Take the exit slight right toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
2131 ft · 28 sec
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35
Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway
3.7 mi · 4 min · Costa Mesa Freeway
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36
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
3019 ft · 39 sec
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37
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South
775 ft · 10 sec
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38
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
2.7 mi · 3 min · San Diego Freeway
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39
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · San Diego Freeway
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Arcata and Irvine.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi · 04h 00m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Scattered Rain Showers leaving Arcata and Mostly Sunny near Irvine.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Arcata to Irvine?
The road trip is about 699 miles (1124.9 km) and usually takes 11h 13m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Patterson is a useful midpoint, sitting about 346.6 miles from Arcata and 352.4 miles from Irvine.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 604.4 miles (972.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 94.6 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $142.32 one way or $284.64 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 219.2 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Scattered Rain Showers around Arcata and Mostly Sunny near Irvine.
Stop Ideas Near Patterson
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Patterson.
Modesto station
Denair station
Tracy, CA
Manteca, CA
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Arcata and Irvine. Straight-line distance: 604.38 mi (972.66 km).
#1 Arcata
City in California
| Population | 18,044 |
| Coordinates | 40.8665200, -124.0828400 |
| Altitude | 7 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Irvine
A city located in Orange County, California.
| Population | 283,700 |
| Coordinates | 33.6694600, -117.8231100 |
| Altitude | 17 |
| Country | United States |
End: (-117.823114, 33.669436)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 1125 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 23h 17m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 17h 28m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 13h 58m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 11h 38m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 09h 59m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 08h 43m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $142.32 | $284.64 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $149.65 | $299.30 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $154.01 | $308.03 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $186.68 | $373.36 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in California · Apr 23, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.