Pilot Travel Center
0 mi from route
Trip from Albany, GA to Dade County, GA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
6h 6m
Distance
318.9 mi
513 km
Drive Score
10/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$51
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 54m
★
6 AM
6h 6m
8 AM
6h 32m
10 AM
6h 15m
12 PM
6h 13m
3 PM
6h 17m
5 PM
6h 31m
8 PM
5h 59m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Albany, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Dade County, GA
Megan Bailey
Trip Overview
This 318.9-mile journey from Albany, GA, to Dade County, GA, is a solid day trip, clocking in at about 6 hours and 6 minutes of driving time. You'll spend roughly half the time on major highways, including I-75 and Larry McDonald Memorial Highway, with a $50 estimated fuel cost. This mixed drive through Georgia's Southeast region offers a straightforward path for those looking to cover ground efficiently. With only one recommended stop, it's designed for a direct transit, making it a practical choice for a single-day travel plan.
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
159.4 miles from Albany, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 1m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 75 | 129.4 mi | 2h 23m |
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 98.4 mi | 1h 47m |
| Cordele Road | 35.2 mi | 43m |
| I 24 | 16.7 mi | 21m |
| Larry Justice Highway | 15.9 mi | 17m |
| I 59 | 7.6 mi | 8m |
| Horace E Tate Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Clark Avenue | 2.2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 129.4 mi, about 2h 23m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 205 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~4,690 veh/hr typical · worst 5,605
Quietest
2 AM
~777 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
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 Albany, GA and Dade County, GA.
1
Start on Pine Avenue
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
Pine Avenue
Use the straight lane.
2
Enter roundabout onto North Front Street
75 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Front Street
3
Continue on North Front Street
510 ft
·
14 sec
·
North Front Street
4
Turn left onto West Broad Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
West Broad Avenue
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
5
Turn left onto Blaylock Street
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
·
Blaylock Street
6
Turn right onto Clark Avenue
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Clark Avenue
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto GA 300
35 mi
·
43 min
·
Cordele Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I-75 North: Macon
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 75
57 mi
·
1 hr 1 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 475
16 mi
·
17 min
·
Larry Justice Highway
Exit 156
Toward I 475 North: Atlanta
Use the slight left lane.
11
Merge onto I 75
49 mi
·
53 min
·
I 75
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
23 mi
·
28 min
·
I 75
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Horace E Tate Freeway
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 75
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
88 mi
·
1 hr 35 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Toward I 75 North: Chattanooga, Barrett Parkway, Kennesaw
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on I 24
17 mi
·
21 min
·
I 24
Toward Chattanooga, Nashville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 167
Toward I 59 South: Birmingham
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
19
Continue on I 59
7.6 mi
·
8 min
·
I 59
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11
Toward GA 136: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn left onto GA 136
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
White Oak Gap Road
22
Turn right onto US 11; GA 58; GA 136
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Main Street
23
Turn left onto GA 136
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Lafayette Street
24
Turn right onto Sells Lane
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Sells Lane
25
Arrive at destination
Sells Lane
Trip Plan
For this 6-hour drive, consider an early morning departure from Albany, GA, to maximize daylight and arrive in Dade County with ample time. The route is manageable in a single day, but if you prefer a more relaxed pace, you could break it up. With a longest stretch of 129.4 miles on I-75, plan your fuel stops accordingly to avoid any concerns, especially given the $50 estimated fuel cost. One practical tip: keep an eye on your GPS for the transition points between I-75 and Larry McDonald Memorial Highway, as these are key moments where the driving character changes.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 159.4 miles from Albany, GA, or about 3h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 129.4 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 70 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 159.4 miles or 3h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 57m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dade County, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Albany, GA 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 Albany, GA
This is one driving day of about 318.9 miles and 6h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 70 miles from Albany, GA.
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 75 for about 129.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
159 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 70 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 159.4 miles from Albany, GA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 75 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 129.4 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Stops Along Your Drive
Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.
Region 1 Weigh Station - I 75 northbound
0 mi from route
TA
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
ONE9 Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area #13
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area #34 (I-75 North / MP 308.0)
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area #22 (Monroe County, I 75 Southbound)
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area #14
0.1 mi from route
19
0.1 mi from route
Tennessee Welcome Center
0.1 mi from route
Rest Area #35
0.1 mi from route
Region 1 Weigh Station - I 75 southbound
0.1 mi from route
ONE9 Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Pinehurst Gas 'N Go Travel Center & Truck Wash
0.1 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.1 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.1 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.1 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Flying J Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
TA
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
ONE9 Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Monroe County Weigh Station - I-75 Northbound
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
All State Truck Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
Love's Travel Stop
0.2 mi from route
JP Travel Center
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Buc-ee's
0.2 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.2 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Pilot Travel Center
0.3 mi from route
Monroe County Weigh Station - I-75 Southbound
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
QuikTrip
0.3 mi from route
Service Plaza
0.3 mi from route
Georgia Visitor Information Center - I 75 South
0.4 mi from route
Circle K
0.4 mi from route
RaceTrac
0.8 mi from route
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 225 decision points cluster between mile 97.1 and 290.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
97.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
|
I 475 / Larry Justice Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 475 / Larry Justice Highway toward I 475 North: Atlanta
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 156
Toward I 475 North: Atlanta
8
162.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 4m in
|
I 75
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Atlanta, Birmingham
8
185.2 mi into trip
|
~3h 32m in
|
I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 75 North: Marietta, Chattanooga
8
203 mi into trip
|
~3h 53m in
|
I 75 / Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75 / Larry McDonald Memorial Highway toward I 75 North: Chattanooga, Barrett Parkway, Kennesaw
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 75 North: Chattanooga, Barrett Parkway...
7
290.8 mi into trip
|
~5h 29m in
Take the exit toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 24 West: Chattanooga, Nashville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.72 one way
$101.45 round trip
$4.04/gal
25.4 MPG avg
112 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.41 | $55.31 | $110.61 |
| premium | $4.78 | $60.00 | $120.00 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $67.17 | $134.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 111.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $33 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 95.7 | 1 | $33.48 | $15.31 |
| Efficient EV | 79.7 | 0 | $27.90 | $12.76 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 127.6 | 1 | $44.65 | $20.41 |
Gas CO2
112 kg
EV CO2
37 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Origin
Albany, GA
Afternoon in Albany on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
Destination
Dade County, GA
Afternoon in Dade County on Wednesday
Local time
3:08 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Mostly Cloudy
0 mph
0% chance
Live 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
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 6m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park & Preservation District where a young boy grows up in a time of segregation. He was moved by destiny to lead the modern civil rights movemen...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 186.9
View on nps.gov
Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Welcome to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. This park is a prehistoric American Indian site, where many different American Indian cultures occupied this land for thousands of years. American...
8 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 99
View on nps.gov
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
Today the river valley attracts us for so many reasons. Take a solitary walk to enjoy nature’s display, raft leisurely through the rocky shoals with friends, fish the misty waters as the sun comes up,...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
$5
near mile 197.9
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed drive on this route, with about 50% of your travel time spent on high-speed highways like I-75. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 129.4 miles, primarily on I-75, so be prepared for sustained periods of consistent speed. While much of the drive is on major arteries, the inclusion of roads like Cordele Road suggests there will be shifts in the driving experience. This blend means you'll experience both efficient highway travel and potentially more varied local road conditions as you progress towards Dade County.
50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 129.4 mi on I 75.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 97.1 miles in near I 475 / Larry Justice Highway.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 22 significant decision points across 318.9 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 97.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 162.4 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 185.2 miles (I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
992 ft
202 ft
Total Climb
1,018 ft
Total Descent
456 ft
Highest Point
992 ft
~182.2 mi in
Elevation Range
790 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Albany, GA and Dade County, GA, road signs point toward Birmingham, Chattanooga, Kennesaw and Nashville.
Birmingham
162.4 mi in
|
~3h 4m
|
via I 75
Chattanooga
185.2 mi in
|
~3h 32m
|
via I 75
Kennesaw
203 mi in
|
~3h 53m
|
via I 75
Nashville
290.8 mi in
|
~5h 29m
About the Cities
Starting in Albany, GA
Full guide →Founded 1836
Albany is a city of 72,000 people (2019) in Dougherty County in Georgia's Plantation Midlands region. It is part of the Black Belt, the extensive area in the Deep South of cotton plantations. During 1961–1962, African Americans in Albany played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement, founding the Albany Movement, a desegregation and voters' rights coalition formed in 1961. Ray Charles, the singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer, was born here, and is remembered in a park with a statue.
Top landmarks
- • Albany Municipal Auditorium — concert hall and multi-use auditorium in Albany, Georgia
- • Old St. Teresa Catholic Church — church building in Albany, United States of America
- • United States Post Office and Courthouse — historic building in Albany, Georgia
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 6m. Total distance: 318.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 6m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 129.4 miles on I 75. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 47 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Dade County, GA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 47 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 97.1 miles (I 475 / Larry Justice Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 162.4 miles (I 75): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 185.2 miles (I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.2 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Dade County, GA before the return drive.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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