Akron to Peru is 71.8 miles and takes about 1h 37m via Kenmore Expressway and Greenwich Road, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest and Ohio, offering a straightforward trip between two points. Given its relatively short duration and highway focus, this route is ideal for a quick transit or a day trip. You'll spend most of your time on the road, making it a practical choice when time is a factor.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.9 miles from Akron, OH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Kenmore Expressway
29.2 mi
35m
Greenwich Road
19.1 mi
26m
SR 162
8.7 mi
14m
US 250
5.9 mi
6m
SR 61
4.6 mi
6m
Innerbelt
1.8 mi
2m
I 76
1 mi
1m
Wooster Street
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Kenmore Expressway
— 29.2 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Akron, OH and Peru, OH.
1
Start on West Bowery Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·West Bowery Street
2
Turn right onto West Center Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·West Center Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto SR 59
0.1 mi·15 sec·Rand Avenue
4
Turn straight onto SR 59
1.8 mi·2 min·Innerbelt
5
Merge onto I 76; I 77
1.0 mi·1 min·I 76; I 77
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76
29 mi·35 min·Kenmore Expressway
Toward I 76 West: BarbertonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 224
469 ft·16 sec·US 224
8
Keep slight left at fork
174 ft·6 sec
9
Turn right onto US 224
19 mi·26 min·Greenwich Road
10
Turn right onto US 250
5.6 mi·6 min·US 250
11
Turn left onto US 250; SR 162
0.4 mi·24 sec·US 250; SR 162
12
Continue on US 250; SR 13; SR 162
0.6 mi·1 min·Wooster Street
13
Turn left onto SR 162
8.7 mi·14 min·SR 162
14
Turn right onto SR 61
4.6 mi·6 min·SR 61
15
Turn right onto County Highway 92
0.2 mi·39 sec·County Highway 92
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
With a drive time under two hours, this route offers plenty of flexibility. You could easily depart mid-morning and still arrive with ample time for activities, or leave later in the afternoon to avoid peak traffic. There are no designated stops mentioned, so you can choose to push through the 71.8 miles in one go or pull over as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $11, and plan to refuel before you leave Akron or upon arrival in Peru if necessary.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.9 miles from Akron, OH, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 29.2 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 16 miles or 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.9 miles or 45m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Peru, OH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Akron, OH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Akron, OH
This is one driving day of about 71.8 miles and 1h 37m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Akron, OH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Kenmore Expressway for about 29.2 miles.
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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 67.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|West Center Street
Turn right onto West Center Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|SR 59 / Rand Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto SR 59 / Rand Avenue
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
7
3.3 mi into trip|~5m in|I 76 / Kenmore Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 76 / Kenmore Expressway toward I 76 West: Barberton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 76 West: Barberton
5
32.7 mi into trip|~41m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
67.1 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|SR 61
Turn right onto SR 61
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.14 one way
$22.29 round trip
$3.94/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.38
$12.37
$24.73
premium
$4.91
$13.88
$27.75
diesel
$5.61
$15.85
$31.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.5
0
$7.54
$3.45
Efficient EV
18
0
$6.28
$2.87
EV Truck/SUV
28.7
0
$10.05
$4.60
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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
Akron, OH
Late night
in Akron on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Peru, OH
Late night
in Peru on Tuesday
Local time
5:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
69°F
Penfield, OH
36 mi in
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
17 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
1h 37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
National Park
Though a short distance from the urban areas of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park seems worlds away. The park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discov...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll be on the highway for about 69% of this 71.8-mile drive. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 29.2 miles, which occurs on the Kenmore Expressway. After that, expect a transition to surface roads like Greenwich Road and SR 162. This means you'll experience a mix of higher-speed travel and more local cruising as you near your destination.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.2 mi on Kenmore Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Kenmore Expressway and Greenwich Road. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Center Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.8 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (SR 59 / Rand Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.3 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Akron is a city of almost 200,000 people (2019) in the Northeast Ohio region in Summit County. Akron is proud of its heritage as a center of industry, and now offers visitors a wide range of recreational and cultural attractions, food experiences, and shopping.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 37m. Total distance: 71.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.2 miles on Kenmore Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 4 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (SR 59 / Rand Avenue): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 3.3 miles (I 76 / Kenmore Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Cuyahoga Valley National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Peru, OH before heading back.
