Augusta, GA to Tallapoosa, GA is 205 miles and takes about 3h 48m via Carl Sanders Highway, Ralph David Abernathy Freeway, and Purple Heart Highway, with a fuel budget near $32 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Georgia, traversing the Southeast region. You'll experience a mix of driving conditions, making it a straightforward one-day excursion. Plan for around 33% of your travel on highways, with the rest on surface roads. It's a practical option if you need to get from one side of the state to the other without a lengthy overnight commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
102.5 miles from Augusta, GA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 53m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Carl Sanders Highway
85.2 mi
1h 31m
Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
62.2 mi
1h 9m
Purple Heart Highway
46.9 mi
50m
GA 100
4.7 mi
6m
Washington Road
2.5 mi
4m
Calhoun Expressway
1.7 mi
1m
Walton Way
0.7 mi
1m
15th Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Carl Sanders Highway
— 85.2 mi, about 1h 31m
Traffic on I-20
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 96 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~3,934 veh/hr typical
· worst 4,592
Quietest
2 AM
~460 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.6×
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 Augusta, GA and Tallapoosa, GA.
1
Start on Walton Way
0.7 mi·1 min·Walton Way
2
Turn straight
235 ft·8 sec
3
Turn right onto 15th Street
0.2 mi·18 sec·15th Street
4
Turn slight left
0.3 mi·40 sec
5
Merge onto GA 28
1.7 mi·1 min·Calhoun Expressway
6
Continue on GA 28
2.5 mi·4 min·Washington Road
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
8
Merge onto I 20
85 mi·1 hr 31 min·Carl Sanders Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 20
47 mi·50 min·Purple Heart Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on I 20
62 mi·1 hr 9 min·Ralph David Abernathy Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 5Toward GA 100: Tallapoosa, BowdonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto GA 100
4.7 mi·6 min·GA 100
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto GA 100
369 ft·13 sec·West Alabama Street
14
Arrive at destination
Head Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the under four-hour drive time, this route is easily manageable in a single day. Consider leaving Augusta, GA in the morning to maximize daylight and avoid potential rush hour traffic. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you move onto surface roads, and plan your fill-up accordingly. The longest stretch without a major highway segment is significant, so ensure you're comfortable with extended driving on surface roads if needed.
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 102.5 miles from Augusta, GA, or about 1h 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 85.2 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 45 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 102.5 miles or 1h 53m 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 5m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tallapoosa, GA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Augusta, 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 Augusta, GA
This is one driving day of about 205 miles and 3h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Augusta, 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 Carl Sanders Highway for about 85.2 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 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 200.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in|15th Street
Turn right onto 15th Street
Navigation decision point
3
1.3 mi into trip|~2m in|GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway
Merge onto GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining
5
5.8 mi into trip|~9m in|I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway
Merge onto I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
200.1 mi into trip|~3h 41m in
Take the exit toward GA 100: Tallapoosa, Bowdon
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 5
Toward GA 100: Tallapoosa, Bowdon
4
200.3 mi into trip|~3h 41m in|GA 100
Turn right onto GA 100
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.61 one way
$65.21 round trip
$4.04/gal25.4 MPG avg72 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.41
$35.55
$71.10
premium
$4.78
$38.57
$77.14
diesel
$5.35
$43.18
$86.36
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.5
0
$21.53
$9.84
Efficient EV
51.3
0
$17.94
$8.20
EV Truck/SUV
82
1
$28.70
$13.12
Gas CO2
72 kg
EV CO2
24 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 May 25, 2026
Origin
Augusta, GA
Afternoon
in Augusta on Wednesday
Local time
4:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
S 2 mph87% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 10:30PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 10:08PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Destination
Tallapoosa, GA
Afternoon
in Tallapoosa on Wednesday
Local time
4:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
64°F
Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
0 mph40% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 10:30PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued May 24 at 10:08PM EDT by NWS Peachtree City GA
88°F
Morrow, GA
103 mi in
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
4 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
3h 48m 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.
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...
2 mi from route
~4 min detour
Free
near mile 148.5
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,...
19 mi from route
~46 min detour
$5
near mile 148.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About a third of this route, 33%, is on highways. You'll encounter the longest continuous highway stretch at 85.2 miles on Carl Sanders Highway before transitioning to surface roads. Expect a mixed driving experience with periods of highway cruising followed by more local traffic as you approach towns. The Ralph David Abernathy Freeway section likely means navigating more urban merging and exits before continuing on other major state routes.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 85.2 mi on Carl Sanders Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near 15th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 3h 48m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 5.8 miles (I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Augusta is a city in Georgia's Classic Heartland. Due to its location inland on the Savannah River, Augusta was a city of major strategic importance by the end of the Civil War. It was spared most of the destruction of many other southern cities, so there are many old buildings and landmarks. Augusta is also home to the Augusta National Golf Club, one of the world's most prestigious and exclusive golf clubs, which plays host to the Masters golf tournament.
Top landmarks
•Augusta National Golf Club — golf course in Georgia, United States
•Augusta Canal — canal in Augusta, Georgia, United States of America
•Morris Museum of Art — museum in Augusta, Georgia, USA
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 85.2 miles on Carl Sanders Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 26 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.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.8 miles (15th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles (GA 28 / Calhoun Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining; at 5.8 miles (I 20 / Carl Sanders Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Tallapoosa, GA, but most travelers stay overnight.
