Alabaster to Foley is 243.4 miles and takes about 4h 40m via I 65 and US 90, with a fuel budget near $36 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Alabama, moving from the Southeast region down towards the coast. It's primarily a highway drive, making it a straightforward option for a quick trip. Given its manageable length and duration, this drive is well-suited for a single day, allowing you to reach your destination without needing an overnight stay.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
121.7 miles from Alabaster, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 65
199.9 mi
3h 36m
Gulf Shores Parkway
17.4 mi
22m
US 90
14.6 mi
23m
Bay Minette Bypass
5.5 mi
9m
Rabun Road
4.3 mi
6m
1st Street South
1 mi
1m
East Laurel Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 65
— 199.9 mi, about 3h 36m
Traffic on I-65
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 24 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
1 PM
~899 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,411
Quietest
1 AM
~125 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
7.2×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alabaster, AL and Foley, AL.
1
Start on this road
97 ft·14 sec·this road
2
Turn left
177 ft·14 sec
3
Turn right onto US 31; AL 119
1.0 mi·1 min·1st Street South
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·45 sec
Toward I-65 South: Montgomery
5
Merge onto I 65
200 mi·3 hr 36 min·I 65
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 37Toward SR 287: Gulf Shores, Parkway, Bay Minette, Rabun
7
Turn left onto AL 287
4.3 mi·6 min·Rabun Road
8
Continue on AL 59
5.5 mi·9 min·Bay Minette Bypass
9
Continue on US 31; AL 59
17 mi·22 min·Gulf Shores Parkway
10
Continue on US 90; AL 59
15 mi·23 min·US 90; AL 59
11
Turn left onto US 98
67 ft·1 sec·East Laurel Avenue
12
Arrive at destination
US 98
Trip Plan
For this 4h 40m drive, departing in the morning will give you ample daylight to reach Foley. With only one recommended stop and a relatively short duration, you have flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 199.9-mile stretch on I 65, as services can be spread out. The estimated fuel cost is around $36, so plan accordingly. Consider a brief stop around the halfway point to stretch your legs before the final leg on US 90.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 121.7 miles from Alabaster, AL, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 199.9 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 54 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 121.7 miles or 2h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 36m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Foley, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alabaster, AL 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alabaster, AL
This is one driving day of about 243.4 miles and 4h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 54 miles from Alabaster, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 65 for about 199.9 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 243.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
3
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|US 31; AL 119 / 1st Street South
Turn right onto US 31; AL 119 / 1st Street South
Navigation decision point
3
1 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward I-65 South: Montgomery
Navigation decision point
Toward I-65 South: Montgomery
6
201.3 mi into trip|~3h 38m in
Take the exit toward SR 287: Gulf Shores, Parkway, Bay Minette, Rabun
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 37
Toward SR 287: Gulf Shores, Parkway, Bay Minett...
4
243.4 mi into trip|~4h 40m in|US 98 / East Laurel Avenue
Turn left onto US 98 / East Laurel Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.79 one way
$67.58 round trip
$3.53/gal25.4 MPG avg85 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$3.95
$37.80
$75.61
premium
$4.29
$41.10
$82.20
diesel
$4.80
$45.96
$91.92
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 85.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $26 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
73
0
$25.56
$11.68
Efficient EV
60.9
0
$21.30
$9.74
EV Truck/SUV
97.4
1
$34.08
$15.58
Gas CO2
85 kg
EV CO2
28 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Alabaster, AL
Late night
in Alabaster on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
93°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 5 mph33% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Foley, AL
Late night
in Foley on Sunday
Local time
1:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
NW 5 mph37% chanceLive 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
1 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
4h 40m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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.
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
National Monument
In 1963, images of snarling police dogs unleashed against non-violent protesters and of children being sprayed with high-pressure hoses appeared in print and television news around the world. These dr...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive features 95% highway driving, with the longest continuous stretch on I 65 covering 199.9 miles. You'll experience predominantly highway cruising until you approach your destination. Expect a high volume of exits and interchanges on I 65 for much of the trip. The transition to surface roads like Gulf Shores Parkway and US 90 will occur later in the drive.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 199.9 mi on I 65.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 65 and Gulf Shores Parkway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 40m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 31; AL 119 / 1st Street South): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
554 ft80 ft
Total Climb
523 ft
Total Descent
926 ft
Highest Point
554 ft
~17.4 mi in
Elevation Range
475 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Alabaster, AL and Foley, AL, road signs point toward Bay Minette and Rabun.
The longest stretch is about 199.9 miles on I 65. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 18 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, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 31; AL 119 / 1st Street South): Navigation decision point; at 1 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes — Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Foley, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
