Origin
Atlanta, GA
Late night in Atlanta on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atlanta, GA to Cartersville, GA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
54m
Distance
43.8 mi
71 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 50m
★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 58m
5 PM
1h 3m
8 PM
0h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atlanta, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Cartersville, GA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 43.8-mile journey from Atlanta, GA, to Cartersville, GA, is designed for a single day, taking approximately 54 minutes. You'll navigate primarily via the Larry McDonald Memorial Highway and Horace E Tate Freeway, with a short stint on the Downtown Connector. Given its short duration and modest fuel cost of around $7, this route is perfect for a quick trip without needing an overnight stay. The drive offers a straightforward experience within the Southeast region, making it an easy connection between these two Georgia locations. Plan for a straightforward, local feel for most of the trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Larry McDonald Memorial Highway | 29.9 mi | 33m |
| Horace E Tate Freeway | 7.2 mi | 8m |
| Downtown Connector | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| East Main Street | 2.3 mi | 4m |
| East Cherokee Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Southeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Gilmer Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Martin Luther King Jr Drive Southeast | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
— 29.9 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlanta, GA and Cartersville, 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, Chattanooga
Use 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
19 mi
·
21 min
·
Larry McDonald Memorial Highway
Toward I 75 North: Chattanooga, Barrett Parkway, Kennesaw
Use the straight lane.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 288
Toward GA 113: Cartersville
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn sharp left onto GA 113
2.3 mi
·
4 min
·
East Main Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12
Turn right onto North Gilmer Street
331 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Gilmer Street
13
Turn left onto East Cherokee Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Cherokee Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
GA 293
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.9 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 40.6 — 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...
7
40.6 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward GA 113: Cartersville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 288
Toward GA 113: Cartersville
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.85 one way
$13.70 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $7.49 | $14.98 |
| premium | $4.70 | $8.11 | $16.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.60 | $2.10 |
| Efficient EV | 11 | 0 | $3.83 | $1.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Cartersville, GA
Late night in Cartersville on Sunday
Local time
4:01 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°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
3 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
54m 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?
Expect a "turn-heavy local drive" profile for this route. While 17% of the drive utilizes highway, much of your time will be on local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 29.9 miles on the Larry McDonald Memorial Highway, offering a period of consistent travel before transitioning back to more varied road conditions. This drive isn't a monotonous interstate cruise; it's more about navigating through towns and connecting local routes, so keep an eye out for changing speed limits and intersections.
Only 17% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.9 mi on Larry McDonald Memorial 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 0.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 43.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 54m.
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.
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 Cartersville, GA, road signs point toward Chattanooga and Kennesaw.
Chattanooga
3.5 mi in
|
~5m
|
via I 75
Kennesaw
21.3 mi in
|
~26m
|
via I 75
About the Cities
Starting in Atlanta, GA
Full guide →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.
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 54m. Total distance: 43.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
54m 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 29.9 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 Cartersville, 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 Cartersville, GA 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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