Albany to Nelson is 234.5 miles and takes about 4h 30m via I 75 and Cordele Road, with a fuel budget near $39 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, moving from the Southeast region to the Southeast region. The drive is mostly on the interstate, offering a straightforward path with a mixed highway and surface road profile. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, it's a practical option for a single-day transit.
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
117.3 miles from Albany, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 15m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 75
129.4 mi
2h 23m
Cordele Road
35.2 mi
43m
Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
24.2 mi
25m
Larry Justice Highway
15.9 mi
17m
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
10.5 mi
12m
Horace E Tate Freeway
7.2 mi
8m
Ball Ground Highway
2.8 mi
4m
A P D Highway
2.5 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 75
— 129.4 mi, about 2h 23m
Traffic on I-75
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 175 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~5,342 veh/hr typical
· worst 6,272
Quietest
2 AM
~894 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6×
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 Albany, GA and Nelson, 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: MaconUse 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 156Toward I 475 North: AtlantaUse 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, BirminghamUse 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, ChattanoogaUse 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 right at fork onto I 575; GA 5
24 mi·25 min·Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Exit 268Toward I 575 North, GA 5 North: CantonUse the slight right lane.
16
Continue on I 575; GA 5
2.5 mi·2 min·A P D Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit onto GA 5 Business
0.5 mi·1 min·GA 5 Business
Exit 27Toward GA 5 Business: Howell Bridge Road, Ball GroundUse the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork onto GA 5 Business
0.2 mi·29 sec·GA 5 Business
Use the left / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto GA 5 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Ball Ground Highway
20
Continue on GA 5 Business
0.8 mi·1 min·Canton Highway
21
Continue on GA 372; GA 5 Business
2.0 mi·2 min·Ball Ground Highway
22
Continue on Canton Road
0.3 mi·27 sec·Canton Road
23
Turn right onto Kennesaw Avenue
0.2 mi·40 sec·Kennesaw Avenue
24
Turn right onto Blue Ridge Avenue
517 ft·22 sec·Blue Ridge Avenue
25
Turn right onto Dogwood Pass
17 ft·0 sec·Dogwood Pass
26
Arrive at destination
Dogwood Pass
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 30m estimated drive time, leaving Albany in the morning allows ample time to reach Nelson before evening. Plan for one stop to break up the 234.5 miles; Cordele Road is a good point to consider this. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 129.4-mile stretch on I 75, as services might be less frequent. The $39 fuel cost is an estimate, so check current prices. Since this is a one-day trip, you have flexibility to adjust your departure time.
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 117.3 miles from Albany, GA, or about 2h 15m 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 52 miles or 1h 5m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 117.3 miles or 2h 15m 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 41m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Nelson, 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 234.5 miles and 4h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 52 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.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 97.1 and 229.7 — 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
9
203 mi into trip|~3h 53m in|I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 575; GA 5 / Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway toward I 575 North, GA 5 North: Canton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 268
Toward I 575 North, GA 5 North: Canton
8
229.7 mi into trip|~4h 22m in|GA 5 Business
Take the exit onto GA 5 Business toward GA 5 Business: Howell Bridge Road, Ball Ground
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 27
Toward GA 5 Business: Howell Bridge Road, Ball...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$37.30 one way
$74.60 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg82 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$40.67
$81.34
premium
$4.78
$44.12
$88.24
diesel
$5.35
$49.39
$98.79
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 82 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $25 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
70.4
0
$24.62
$11.26
Efficient EV
58.6
0
$20.52
$9.38
EV Truck/SUV
93.8
1
$32.83
$15.01
Gas CO2
82 kg
EV CO2
27 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 Jun 2, 2026
Origin
Albany, GA
Afternoon
in Albany on Wednesday
Local time
3:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
ENE 10 mph38% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 2:53PM EDT until June 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued June 2 at 2:17PM EDT until June 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
Destination
Nelson, GA
Afternoon
in Nelson on Wednesday
Local time
3:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
E 5 to 10 mph3% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued June 2 at 2:53PM EDT until June 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued June 2 at 2:17PM EDT until June 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Charleston SC
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
8 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
4h 30m 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.
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...
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...
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,...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
$5
near mile 194.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend 59% of this 234.5-mile trip on highways, primarily I 75. The longest continuous stretch on the interstate measures 129.4 miles. After this, expect a shift to Cordele Road and Phillip Landrum Memorial Highway, indicating a change to surface roads. This transition is where you'll notice a difference in speed and traffic patterns.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
26 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?
8/10
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 Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 234.5 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
1,233 ft202 ft
Total Climb
1,176 ft
Total Descent
144 ft
Highest Point
1,233 ft
~234.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,031 ft
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 Nelson, GA, road signs point toward Birmingham and Chattanooga.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 30m. Total distance: 234.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
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 25 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 Nelson, 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 25 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.
Possible but tiring. At 4.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Nelson, GA, but most travelers stay overnight.
