Origin
Arizona City, AZ
Late night in Arizona City on Sunday
Local time
3:32 AM
MST
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arizona City, AZ to Avondale, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
72.9 mi
117 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 21m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arizona City, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Avondale, AZ
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
Traveling from Arizona City to Avondale covers a straightforward 72.4-mile span through the heart of the Desert Southwest. Expect the journey to take approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, making it an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stay. You will navigate using a combination of I-8 West, I-10 West, and the Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. With an estimated fuel cost of only $14, this is a budget-friendly trek between the two desert communities. Because the entire route remains within the same region, you will experience a consistent environment throughout the transition. This is a practical, no-nonsense drive that gets you from point A to point B efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 36.7 mi | 37m |
| Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway | 19.6 mi | 22m |
| West Buckeye Road | 8.9 mi | 13m |
| South Sunland Gin Road | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| East Western Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South 59th Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South Dysart Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Central Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
— 36.7 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arizona City, AZ and Avondale, AZ.
1
Start on South Sunland Gin Road
3.8 mi
·
6 min
·
South Sunland Gin Road
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
Use the left lane.
3
Keep slight right at fork
1.3 mi
·
2 min
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
4
Merge onto I 10
37 mi
·
37 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
1.1 mi
·
1 min
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto AZ 202 Loop
20 mi
·
22 min
·
Congressman Ed Pastor Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Use the slight right lane.
9
Continue on South 59th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
South 59th Avenue
10
Turn left onto US 80 Hist
8.9 mi
·
13 min
·
West Buckeye Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
11
Turn slight right
363 ft
·
13 sec
Toward South Dysart Road
12
Turn straight onto South Dysart Road
300 ft
·
9 sec
·
South Dysart Road
13
Turn left onto East Western Avenue
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
East Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto North Central Avenue
89 ft
·
5 sec
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
15
Turn right
27 ft
·
1 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.5 miles from Arizona City, AZ, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 3.8 and 63 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 8 West, I 10 West: San Diego, Phoenix
5
4.1 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
42.1 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward AZ 202 Loop
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 161A-B
Toward AZ 202 Loop
8
42.3 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight left at fork toward AZ 202 Loop West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 161A
Toward AZ 202 Loop West
7
63 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward Buckeye Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 76
Toward Buckeye Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.52 one way
$29.05 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
26 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $15.37 | $30.74 |
| premium | $5.59 | $16.05 | $32.09 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.10 | $32.19 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.65 | $3.50 |
| Efficient EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.38 | $2.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.2 | 0 | $10.21 | $4.67 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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.
Destination
Avondale, AZ
Late night in Avondale on Sunday
Local time
3:32 AM
MST
Current temp
89°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
88°F
Guadalupe, AZ
36 mi in
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
36 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 28m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is best characterized as a turn-heavy local drive rather than an open highway cruise. You will spend your time navigating a mix of roads, as the route does not feature any significant stretches of uninterrupted interstate travel. While you will utilize sections of I-8 and I-10, the path requires constant attention to turns and transitions between highway and local infrastructure. Because the longest stretch on I-8 West is 0 miles, you should prepare for a drive that demands more focus than a typical high-speed interstate sprint. Expect a hands-on driving experience that changes character frequently as you shift between major arteries and local connectors.
Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36.7 mi on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 72.9 miles you will encounter 11 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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,512 ft
973 ft
Total Climb
162 ft
Total Descent
693 ft
Highest Point
1,512 ft
~15.6 mi in
Elevation Range
539 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.
On the drive from Arizona City, AZ to Avondale, AZ, road signs begin pointing toward Phoenix along the way.
Phoenix
3.8 mi in
|
~6m
About the Cities
Arriving in Avondale, AZ
Full guide →Avondale is a city in the Greater Phoenix region of Arizona.
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 72.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36.7 miles on Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Avondale, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 3.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 42.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Avondale, AZ 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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