How far is Sacramento, CA from Laguna Beach, CA?

The driving distance from Sacramento, CA to Laguna Beach, CA is about 436.7 miles (702.8 km), with a travel time of about 08h 07m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 405.1 miles (652 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 14m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

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.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
436.67 mi
08h 07m
Flight
405.12 mi
651.98 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Sacramento.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
405.12 mi
Kilometers
651.98 km
Flight Time
00h 48m

Driving Distance

Road route
436.67 mi
Kilometers
702.76 km
Drive Time
08h 07m

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 07m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Laguna Beach
Mon, May 18, 2:20 AM PDT
Return by in Sacramento
Mon, May 18, 10:28 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Sacramento
2026-05-17T18:13
Arrive Laguna Beach
Mon, May 18, 2:20 AM PDT
Route Timing
08h 07m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:07 PM to 3:37 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:46 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Sacramento
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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.

Mid-route stop
Kettleman City
CA

Census-designated place in Kings County, California

From Sacramento
218.5 mi
04h 03m
To Laguna Beach
218.2 mi
04h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
58°F
Overnight

Clear

Starts
Sun, May 17 4:00 AM PDT
Wind
12 mph NNW
Destination
Laguna Beach Weather
CA
Live fallback forecast
66°F
Today
Using Aliso Viejo as the closest live forecast in the Orange County weather hub.

Patchy Drizzle then Cloudy

Starts
Sun, May 17 7:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Sacramento and Laguna Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sacramento and Laguna Beach.

  1. 1

    Start on 9th Street

    2904 ft · 2 min · 9th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto P Street

    2746 ft · 1 min · P Street

  3. 3

    Take the ramp straight toward US 50, I 5 South: South Lake Tahoe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

    1146 ft · 17 sec

  4. 4

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 South: Los Angeles

    2877 ft · 38 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    59.4 mi · 1 hr 6 min · Westside Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Westside Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Westside Freeway

    236.6 mi · 4 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana

    1.3 km · 57 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left

    788 ft · 10 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South

    981 ft · 13 sec

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 55 South: Newport Beach

    2131 ft · 28 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight left onto Costa Mesa Freeway

    3.7 mi · 4 min · Costa Mesa Freeway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward I 405 South: John Wayne Airport

    3019 ft · 39 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on I 405 South

    775 ft · 10 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway

    4.2 mi · 5 min · San Diego Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    1.1 km · 48 sec · San Diego Freeway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 133 South, CA 133 North: Laguna Beach

    898 ft · 17 sec

  29. 29

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 133 South: Laguna Beach

    2498 ft · 48 sec

  30. 30

    Merge slight left onto Laguna Freeway

    1637 ft · 25 sec · Laguna Freeway

  31. 31

    Continue on Laguna Canyon Road

    7.5 mi · 11 min · Laguna Canyon Road

  32. 32

    Turn left onto Forest Avenue

    78 m · 8 sec · Forest Avenue

  33. 33

    Turn right onto Ocean Avenue

    1538 ft · 55 sec · Ocean Avenue

  34. 34

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Pacific Coast Highway

    86 m · 10 sec · Pacific Coast Highway

  35. 35

    Turn straight onto Park Avenue

    22 m · 3 sec · Park Avenue

  36. 36

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Park Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Sacramento and Laguna Beach.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
36 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
6 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
355 mi · 81%
Santa Ana Freeway
28.6 mi · 7%
I 405 South
25.7 mi · 6%
Laguna Canyon Road
7.48 mi · 2%
San Diego Freeway
6.05 mi · 1%
Golden State Freeway
5.33 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

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.

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
08h 07m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.6 mi
405.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
04h 03m from Sacramento
Leave By
7:46 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Clear leaving Sacramento and Patchy Drizzle then Cloudy near Laguna Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Sacramento to Laguna Beach?

The road trip is about 436.7 miles (702.8 km) and usually takes 08h 07m 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?

Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 218.5 miles from Sacramento and 218.2 miles from Laguna Beach.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 405.1 miles (652 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.6 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 $88.90 one way or $177.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 136.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Clear around Sacramento and Patchy Drizzle then Cloudy near Laguna Beach.

Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Kettleman City, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Kettleman City.

BUS

Kettleman City, California

3 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore, California

34 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Corcoran station

38 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

41 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Sacramento and Laguna Beach. Straight-line distance: 405.12 mi (651.98 km).

Sacramento

#1 Sacramento

The sixth most populous city in California and the center of the Sacramento metropolitan area.

Population512,838
Coordinates38.5815700, -121.4944000
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Laguna Beach

#2 Laguna Beach

City in California

Population22,687
Coordinates33.5422500, -117.7831100
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: Sacramento (-121.4944, 38.58157)
End: Laguna Beach (-117.78311, 33.54225)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 703 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)14h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 43m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)07h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)06h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
15.41 gal
58.33 L · about $88.90
Round trip
$177.80
30.82 gal · 116.66 L
Estimated CO2
136.9 kg one way
Round trip: 273.9 kg / 604 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $88.90 $177.80
Mid-grade $6.07 $93.48 $186.95
Premium $6.24 $96.20 $192.41
Diesel $7.57 $116.61 $233.21

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 · May 18, 2026

There is no time difference between Sacramento and Laguna Beach. The current time is 18:13:38.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.