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Trip from Allentown, PA to Boiling Springs, PA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 7m

Distance

101.4 mi

163 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$17

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 59m ★
6 AM
2h 8m
8 AM
2h 26m
10 AM
2h 14m
12 PM
2h 12m
3 PM
2h 15m
5 PM
2h 25m
8 PM
2h 2m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

county seat city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, United States

Allentown, PA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Boiling Springs, PA, PA

Boiling Springs, PA

Michael Taccetta

Trip Overview

This 101.4-mile drive from Allentown to Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, can be completed in about 2 hours and 7 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The route primarily utilizes the William Penn Highway and I-81, with a portion on the 78th Division Highway, offering a mixed driving experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $17, this journey through the Northeast region of Pennsylvania is economical and straightforward. You won't need to worry about breaking up the drive, as it's easily manageable in a single day. It’s a practical option for a quick getaway or a visit to a new town.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

50.7 miles from Allentown, PA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 2m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
William Penn Highway 43.1 mi 51m
I 81 39.7 mi 48m
78th Division Highway 7.6 mi 8m
Tilghman Street 5 mi 8m
Forge Road 3.1 mi 5m
Lehigh Valley Thruway 0.7 mi <1m
Fairfield Street 0.4 mi 1m
York Road 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: William Penn Highway — 43.1 mi, about 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Allentown, PA and Boiling Springs, PA.

1

Start on Tilghman Street

5.0 mi · 8 min · Tilghman Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward US 22 West: Harrisburg
3

Merge onto US 22

0.7 mi · 54 sec · Lehigh Valley Thruway
4

Merge onto I 78; US 22

43 mi · 51 min · William Penn Highway
Use the straight lane.
5

Continue on I 78; US 22

7.6 mi · 8 min · 78th Division Highway
6

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 49 sec
Exit 1B Toward I 81 South: Harrisburg
7

Merge onto I 81

40 mi · 48 min · I 81
8

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 49 Toward PA 641: High Street Use the slight right lane.
9

Keep slight right at fork

201 ft · 5 sec
Toward PA 641: High St
10

Turn straight onto PA 641

281 ft · 12 sec · West Trindle Road
11

Turn left onto Fairfield Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Fairfield Street
12

At end of road, turn left onto PA 74

0.3 mi · 44 sec · York Road
13

Turn right onto Westminster Drive

0.1 mi · 25 sec · Westminster Drive
14

Turn left onto SR 2003

3.1 mi · 5 min · Forge Road
15

Continue on Front Street

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Front Street
16

At end of road, turn left onto PA 174

101 ft · 2 sec · East 1st Street
17

Arrive at destination

PA 174

Trip Plan

For this 2-hour, 7-minute drive, starting your journey in the morning offers ample time to reach Boiling Springs and explore without feeling rushed. Given the relatively short distance and manageable fuel cost of $17, you have the flexibility to depart when it's most convenient. Consider taking advantage of the longest stretch on the William Penn Highway, which is 43.1 miles, to settle into a rhythm. While no specific stops are noted, keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before heading onto I-81, to ensure you have enough for the entire trip.

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 50.7 miles from Allentown, PA, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.1 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 22 miles or 28m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 50.7 miles or 1h 2m 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 42m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Boiling Springs, PA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Allentown, PA 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 Allentown, PA

This is one driving day of about 101.4 miles and 2h 7m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Allentown, PA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on William Penn Highway for about 43.1 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Unincorporated community in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hershey, PA

51 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

Kutztown, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 22 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

South Lebanon, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 50.7 miles from Allentown, PA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 13

5 decision points cluster between mile 5.8 and 101.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
5.8 mi into trip | ~9m in | I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway

Merge onto I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
6
56.5 mi into trip | ~1h 9m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 81 South: Harrisburg

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 1B Toward I 81 South: Harrisburg
7
97 mi into trip | ~1h 59m in

Take the exit toward PA 641: High Street

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 49 Toward PA 641: High Street
6
97.1 mi into trip | ~1h 59m in

Keep slight right at fork toward PA 641: High St

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Toward PA 641: High St
5
101.4 mi into trip | ~2h 7m in | PA 174 / East 1st Street

At end of road, turn left onto PA 174 / East 1st Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$16.81 one way

$33.62 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 36 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $18.41 $36.82
premium $4.93 $19.67 $39.33
diesel $5.61 $22.39 $44.78

Estimated Tolls: $0.05

Lehigh Valley Thruway (0.7 mi) $0.05

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$17

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$42–$67

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 35.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 30.4 0 $10.65 $4.87
Efficient EV 25.4 0 $8.87 $4.06
EV Truck/SUV 40.6 0 $14.20 $6.49

Gas CO2

35 kg

EV CO2

12 kg (66% 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 17, 2026

Origin

Allentown, PA

Morning in Allentown on Tuesday

Local time

11:44 AM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Boiling Springs, PA

Morning in Boiling Springs on Tuesday

Local time

11:44 AM

EDT

Current temp

77°F

Sunny

N 7 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

16 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

2h 7m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

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.

Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument

Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument

National Monument

More than 7,800 children from 140 Tribes went to the Carlisle School from 1879 to 1918. The National Park Service will collaborate with families, affiliated Tribal Nations, the US Army, historians, an...

2 mi from route ~4 min detour Free near mile 97.9
View on nps.gov
Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

National Scenic Trail

The Appalachian Trail is a 2,190+ mile long public footpath that traverses the scenic, wooded, pastoral, wild, and culturally resonant lands of the Appalachian Mountains. Conceived in 1921, built by p...

3 mi from route ~7 min detour Free near mile 52.4
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

This 101.4-mile journey presents a mixed driving profile, with 39% of the route on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 43.1 miles on the William Penn Highway, offering a more consistent pace before transitioning to other roads. The drive progresses through varied landscapes, indicated by its 'Mixed drive' profile, suggesting shifts between more open roads and potentially more developed areas. While not exclusively an interstate grind, the inclusion of I-81 means you'll have periods of faster travel, interspersed with other road types that define the overall character of this trip.

39% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.1 mi on William Penn Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

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 5.8 miles in near I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 101.4 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 5.8 miles (I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 97 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Allentown, PA

Full guide →

Allentown is the largest city in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, the county seat and largest city in Lehigh County, and the third-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with a population of 125,845 as of 2020.

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 2h 7m. Total distance: 101.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (39%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 43.1 miles on William Penn Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $0.05 in tolls one way, starting with Lehigh Valley Thruway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

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 Boiling Springs, PA 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 5.8 miles (I 78; US 22 / William Penn Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 56.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 97 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Carlisle Federal Indian Boarding School National Monument and Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 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 Boiling Springs, PA before heading back.

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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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Explore more options from Allentown, PA or browse trips ending in Boiling Springs, PA.

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