If you are planning a quick getaway from Atlanta to Adairsville, you can expect a manageable 61-mile trek that typically takes about 1 hour and 11 minutes. This straightforward journey stays entirely within the Southeast region of Georgia, making it an ideal candidate for a simple day trip. You won't need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace. Budgeting around $10 for fuel should be sufficient for the round trip, depending on your vehicle's efficiency. Since there are no mandatory stops required by the route, you have the flexibility to head straight to your destination or pull over whenever you feel like stretching your legs.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
47.9 mi
53m
Horace E Tate Freeway
7.2 mi
8m
Downtown Connector
3.1 mi
4m
Adairsville Highway
1.4 mi
2m
Main Street North
0.6 mi
1m
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
0.1 mi
<1m
Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Cherry Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
— 47.9 mi, about 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Adairsville, GA.
1
Start on Capitol Avenue Southeast
69 ft·1 sec·Capitol Avenue Southeast
2
Turn slight right
156 ft·6 sec
3
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
257 ft·7 sec·Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
0.1 mi·13 sec·Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·29 sec
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
6
Merge onto I 75; I 85
3.1 mi·4 min·Downtown Connector
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
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.
8
Continue on I 75
11 mi·12 min·Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 75
37 mi·40 min·Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Toward I 75 North: Chattanooga, Barrett Parkway, KennesawUse the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·39 sec
Exit 306Toward GA 140: Adairsville, SummervilleUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Continue on GA 140
1.2 mi·1 min·Adairsville Highway
Use the slight left lane.
12
Turn slight left
465 ft·9 sec
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Continue on GA 140
0.1 mi·19 sec·Adairsville Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Turn left onto Main Street North
0.6 mi·1 min·Main Street North
15
Turn left onto Cherry Street
119 ft·5 sec·Cherry Street
16
Arrive at destination
Cherry Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 30.5 miles from Atlanta, GA, 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 58.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 75 North, I 85 North
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 75 North, I 85 North
5
0.4 mi into trip|~0m in|I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector
Merge onto I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
3.5 mi into trip|~5m 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
21.3 mi into trip|~26m 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...
8
58.7 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward GA 140: Adairsville, Summerville
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 306
Toward GA 140: Adairsville, Summerville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.54 one way
$19.08 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.34
$10.43
$20.86
premium
$4.70
$11.29
$22.58
diesel
$5.61
$13.47
$26.94
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.3
0
$6.41
$2.93
Efficient EV
15.3
0
$5.34
$2.44
EV Truck/SUV
24.4
0
$8.54
$3.90
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (67% 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
Atlanta, GA
Morning
in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
91°F
Sunny
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 17 at 2:19PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Fire Weather Watch
Fire Weather Watch issued April 17 at 2:19PM EDT until April 18 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
Adairsville, GA
Morning
in Adairsville on Sunday
Local time
6:14 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
40 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
1h 11m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that transitions through several distinct segments as you exit the city. You will start by navigating the Downtown Connector and the Horace E Tate Freeway before settling into the longest portion of the trip, which covers 47.9 miles on the Larry McDonald Memorial Highway. With highway travel accounting for only 12% of the total distance, the experience is less about high-speed cruising and more about navigating local infrastructure. Prepare for a mix of urban navigation that gradually gives way to the more constant rhythm of the primary highway stretch.
Only 12% 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: 47.9 mi on Larry McDonald Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 61 miles you will encounter 10 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 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 miles (I 75 / Horace E Tate Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Atlanta, GA and Adairsville, GA, road signs point toward Chattanooga and Kennesaw.
Atlanta is the vanguard of the New South, with the charm and elegance of the Old. It's a city that balances southern traditions with sleek modernism, and southern hospitality with three skylines and the world’s busiest airport. It's a city that has been burnt to the ground and built back up; seen the horrors of war; felt the pain of droughts and floods; and given birth to Martin Luther King, Jr., the greatest figure of the civil rights movement. Atlanta is the capital of the state of Georgia.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 11m. Total distance: 61 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 47.9 miles on Larry McDonald Memorial 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 Adairsville, GA 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 0.2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.4 miles (I 75; I 85 / Downtown Connector): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.5 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 and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 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 Adairsville, GA before heading back.
