How far is Grass Valley, CA from Irvine, CA?
The driving distance from Grass Valley, CA to Irvine, CA is about 488.9 miles (786.8 km), with a travel time of about 08h 02m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 423.5 miles (681.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 05m 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 08h 02m.
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.
Small city in Fresno County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Light Rain Likely
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Grass Valley and Irvine.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grass Valley and Irvine.
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1
Start on Stewart Street
36 m · 11 sec · Stewart Street
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2
Turn left onto East Main Street
104 m · 11 sec · East Main Street
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3
Turn left onto South Auburn Street
1093 ft · 26 sec · South Auburn Street
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4
Take the ramp right
1105 ft · 16 sec
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5
Merge slight left onto Golden Center Freeway
14.9 mi · 20 min · Golden Center Freeway
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6
Continue on Grass Valley Highway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Grass Valley Highway
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7
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
33 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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8
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Grass Valley Highway
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9
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Grass Valley Highway
32 m · 3 sec · Grass Valley Highway
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10
Exit the roundabout onto Grass Valley Highway
5.6 mi · 9 min · Grass Valley Highway
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11
Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 West: Sacramento
1346 ft · 33 sec
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12
Merge slight left onto Alan S. Hart Freeway
16.8 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
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13
Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
7.1 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
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14
Keep slight right to continue on Capital City Freeway
4.9 mi · 5 min · Capital City Freeway
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15
Keep slight left to continue on Elvas Freeway
1.5 mi · 2 min · Elvas Freeway
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16
Continue on Capital City Freeway
2.3 mi · 2 min · Capital City Freeway
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17
Keep slight right to continue on US 50 East, I 80 West: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco
1.9 mi · 2 min
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18
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles, Redding
803 ft · 15 sec
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19
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles
1.3 km · 2 min
-
20
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
59 mi · 1 hr 5 min · Westside Freeway
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21
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway
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22
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway
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23
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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24
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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26
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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27
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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28
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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29
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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30
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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31
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
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32
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
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33
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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34
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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35
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.1 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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36
Take the exit slight right toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach
2131 ft · 28 sec
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37
Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway
3.7 mi · 4 min · Costa Mesa Freeway
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38
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport
3019 ft · 39 sec
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39
Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South
775 ft · 10 sec
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40
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
2.7 mi · 3 min · San Diego Freeway
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41
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · San Diego Freeway
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Grass Valley 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
Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway
237 mi · 04h 14m
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.
Light Rain Likely leaving Grass Valley 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 Grass Valley to Irvine?
The road trip is about 488.9 miles (786.8 km) and usually takes 08h 02m 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?
Huron is a useful midpoint, sitting about 240.8 miles from Grass Valley and 248.1 miles from Irvine.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 423.5 miles (681.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 65.4 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 $99.52 one way or $199.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 153.3 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Light Rain Likely around Grass Valley and Mostly Sunny near Irvine.
Stop Ideas Near Huron
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 Huron.
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Hanford station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Grass Valley and Irvine. Straight-line distance: 423.49 mi (681.54 km).
#1 Grass Valley
City in Nevada County, California, United States
| Population | 12,763 |
| Coordinates | 39.2190600, -121.0610600 |
| Altitude | 735 |
| 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: 787 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 17m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 13m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 09h 46m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 08m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 59m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 05m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $99.52 | $199.03 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $104.64 | $209.28 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $107.69 | $215.38 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $130.53 | $261.06 |
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.